New provincial funding will provide Indigenous businesses in Ontario with online supports and resources as the province gradually reopens.
The Ontario government announced July 23 it will allocate $110,000 to the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB), a non-profit organization with almost 500 Indigenous and non-Indigenous business members across the province.
Funding will come from the $50 million Ontario Together Fund.
"We are actively working with businesses to understand the unique challenges they face due to COVID-19," Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli said in a news release. "By partnering with the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Businesses, we are providing Indigenous businesses access to valuable information, training and programming that will help them recover safely and quickly."
With the funding, CCAB will be able to make a data-driven report on how COVID-19 affected Indigenous businesses and strengthen its online resource program called Tools and Financing for Aboriginal Businesses that provides a forum to connect as well as practical tools, training and networks.
The organization will also help Indigenous businesses navigate through different COVID-19 programs, services and procurement opportunities available through webinars and web-based assistance, according to the news release.