Liberal government leaving small businesses behind without needed support

HALIFAX -- The Liberal government needs to immediately work with independent, local businesses to ensure they survive the current lockdown and third wave of COVID-19 and find solutions to current issues beyond the Small Business Impact Grant and existing supports.

“The writing was on the wall that we might have to shut down again. The Nova Scotia government should have been talking with businesses like ours and figuring out what they could do to help,” said Kat Cochrane, owner of One Block Barbershop. “What the government is doing through the Small Business Impact Grant doesn’t help many businesses that are just trying to survive.”

The majority of small independent local businesses in the province are facing strict limits or full shutdown during the current outbreak of COVID-19. While millions of dollars in support and stimulus spending by the Liberal government have gone towards shoring up large tourism operators and funding start-ups and venture capital, many small businesses are falling through the cracks.

“We are hearing from local businesses daily about the challenges they're facing and the fear they won’t survive this wave of COVID-19. These businesses are cornerstones of our communities, but many can’t access existing programs or the support that is there is insufficient for them to meet fixed costs,” said NDP Business spokesperson Claudia Chender. “The government should be working directly with those on the ground who need support now to survive the pandemic.”

The NDP has been pushing for an independent Economic Recovery Task Force that would develop a plan for economic recovery from COVID-19 that focuses on strengthening local communities and increasing our capacity to rely on food, energy, goods and services that are produced here at home.

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