Community Futures West Yellowhead (CFWY) is reminding Jasper businesses to apply for non-repayable funding to support their reopening and recovery following last summer’s wildfire.
More than 120 eligible businesses in Jasper or Jasper National Park have received around $1 million in funding through the Jasper Business Recovery Program, which was launched last fall with federal support from PrairiesCan.
“Jasper’s small businesses are truly at the heart of our community, which is why we’re proud to help enable them to rebuild and lay the groundwork for a stronger economic future,” said CFWY board chair Tyler Olsen in a statement.
“To ensure we help as many Jasper businesses as possible, we’re encouraging all businesses licensed in the Municipality of Jasper or Jasper National Park to review details of the Jasper Business Recovery Program and to apply if they are eligible," Olsen added.
A total of $3.45 million has been earmarked for the program. Out of this, roughly $1 million has been dispersed, and $1.6 million is in approvals.
While the program still has money, the application deadline is Feb. 28.
“There’s still a lot of businesses out there that I know have not applied for the program,” said CFWY general manager Nancy Robbins. “Now it’s just trying to get the word out.”
The program provides $10,000 for incorporated businesses with up to 50 full-time equivalent employees, or $5,000 for sole proprietors in eligible industries, including tourism, construction, events and weddings.
The funding can go toward non-deferrable and non-insured expenses, including operating expenses such as rent, wages and regularly scheduled debt payments. It also covers business re-start costs – professional fees, new equipment or inventory, marketing and hiring new staff – as well as recovery planning and remediation fees.
Robbins noted most Jasper businesses who applied needed help with their operating costs such as rent, utilities and wages.
To qualify, businesses must have been physically located and operating in Jasper or Jasper National Park on July 22 when the evacuation was ordered.
They must also hold a 2024 business license from either Parks Canada or the Municipality of Jasper, demonstrate revenue loss due to the wildfire and employ 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees and generate less than $5 million in annual revenue.
Ineligible applicants include non-profits, charities, hotels, private home accommodations, major banks and businesses with headquarters outside of Jasper.
Mike Day, owner of Evil Dave’s Grill, encouraged businesses to take advantage of the program since it was a grant rather than a loan such as the ones offered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Right now, the last thing we need is more debt,” Day said in a previous interview. “Most of us haven't dug out of that hole, so it's just a challenge, and it's just a spiral if you just start digging into debt. It's just really hard to recover.”
He added that while it was only $10,000, it would help bridge the financial gap until his business interruption insurance comes through, which will allow his restaurant to operate as normally as possible during the tourist season.
Community Futures will have staff working directly in Jasper during the recovery to assist grant recipients.
“Our goal over the next two years is to make sure that they have everything that they need so anyone that’s accessed the program. We’re also going to work with them on coaching and training options that they can access,” Robbins said.
Although CFWY has provided coaching and other support to businesses during COVID and other wildfires in the region, this is the first time they have administered a grant program following a disaster.
“A lot of people have written in and told us personally themselves about how it makes a difference, how a little bit of money is able to make a difference,” Robbins said. “It helps businesses to know that someone’s here to support them and believe that they’re going to make it.”
Businesses can learn more about the Jasper Business Recovery Program and apply at CFWY’s website.
