Funding of up to $11.5 million will be provided by the Ford government to help businesses that have been affected by the occupation of downtown Ottawa for nearly a month.
A grant of $10 million will thus be reserved for the organization Investir Ottawa. Companies wishing to benefit from it can therefore apply for assistance of up to $5,000 to pay for operating expenses incurred during the occupation of the “freedom convoy”.
“The illegal occupation in downtown Ottawa this winter has caused significant financial losses for local businesses. In the aftermath of a two-year public health pandemic, these losses have been catastrophic,” Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage Industries, Sport, Tourism and Culture, said in a statement Friday.
The remainder of the amount will be invested in Ottawa Tourism to help the city enhance its image and encourage tourism in the federal capital, which is important to Ontario’s economy.
“Ottawa is the capital of our country and one of the main gateways for tourism in Ontario. Many out-of-province visitors begin or end their visit to Ontario in the National Capital Region,” said Minister MacLeod.
“We are sending a strong signal that the nation’s capital is open for business and ready to welcome the world to Ontario,” she added.
Over $2.5 billion was generated in 2019 from visitor spending in the Ottawa region.