UPDATE: Finance Minister hinting at 'promising day' for Manitoba businesses Wednesday

Welcome news will be coming for Manitoban businesses this week.

Finance Minister Scott Fielding says during a mid-day press conference on Tuesday that Manitoba is making another round of Bridge Grant program payments. The Manitoba Bridge Grant program is also opening to new applications.

"There have been a lot of business supports, but the number one goal is to get Manitobans vaccinated and get their lives back," Fielding says in a press conference.

Tuesday's Bridge Grant announcement was the first of three announcements for businesses. The other two come later this week, with the Minster hinting at potential business openings to be announced by Dr. Brent Roussin on Wednesday, and work support programs from him later.

Hope on the horizon

Manitoba has met its first COVID-19 vaccine goal as it continues to follow a downward trend of new cases.

Fielding is thanking Manitobans for their eagerness to get their vaccines, saying this is resulting in more good news for businesses, set to be announced during Dr. Brent Roussin's press conference that is slated for Wednesday.

"I can emphasis that it will be a promising day," Fielding says. "We have flowed a lot of money to businesses. We can't replace that total amount of money that they have lost through this, but I think what we can do is make sure we have a plan that is safe, that Dr. Roussin will outline tomorrow, that will allow businesses to get back to doing what they do best."

Previous 4-3-2-One Great Summer Reopening Path plans stated businesses would open at 25 per cent if 70 per cent of Manitoba's got their first vaccine, and 25 per cent their second. Manitoba surpassed this on Monday.

"We have met our vaccine targets ahead of schedule. Our rollout continues to move quite nicely," Roussin says in a Monday press conference. "We haven't made that decision exactly yet on what the specifics will be, so stay tuned for Wednesday and we will have some of those specifics to share."

Bridge grants opening

Payments will be up to $5,000, plus a $2,000 food waste top-up for food services. This top-up will now include hotels, lodges, outfitters, bars and lounges. Since the program was announced, the province says an estimated $5 million has been given out.

Businesses that previously were part of the program do not need to apply for this round of supports and will receive this payment on Friday.

Fielding is guessing close to 16,000 businesses will be impacted by this round of payments, including home businesses that could get 10 per cent of their previous year's revenue.

Applications are open for the Manitoba Bridge Grant, which is now including new and seasonal businesses. This will impact close to one thousand businesses.

Those who did not previously apply can now do so but will not receive retroactive payments. Those who were previously rejected can reapply.

"Today, we are opening up the intake to new and seasonal businesses that didn't apply in the previous rounds of support in the bridge program."

Two more announcements will be coming this week regarding businesses, including "significant" financial supports. Feilding says more supports will be announced this week, aimed at helping Manitobans get back to work.

Criticism

Throughout June, there has been criticism towards the province for not announcing grants during the previous rounds of closures. Earlier this week, Loren Remillard, President and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce expressed his frustrations.

"After 16 months of a global health and economic crisis, which has hit MB business particularly hard, there should be no question as to the need among business for help, and no need to have to ask repeatedly for help to save our local businesses," he says on Twitter.

The last time Manitobans could apply for the grant program was by May 31.

Fielding says they have given support in the past around a six-week benchmark and this round of grants falls within that.