Program Extended to Rural Restaurants and
Catering Companies Impacted by COVID-19 Restrictions: Eichler
The Manitoba government has announced an additional $2 million to expand the Dine-in Restaurant Relief Program, administered by the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce in partnership with the Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservices Association, Economic Development and Jobs Minister Ralph Eichler announced today.
“Manitoba’s restaurant industry has made significant sacrifices to keep all Manitobans safe in our fight against COVID-19,” said Eichler. “This expansion of the Dine-in Restaurant Relief Program will support restaurants in rural Manitoba and the catering industry, and we will continue to work with our business community and partners to identify industry needs during this challenging time and help offset expenses created by the pandemic.”
The Dine-in Restaurant Relief Program was designed to provide a rebate to dine-in restaurants that shifted to a delivery model due to public health restrictions. The program helps offset costs related to delivery services, whether a restaurant provides its own delivery service or uses a third-party delivery company.
“This expanded program is intended to provide extended financial relief to dine-in restaurants that have been affected financially by the province moving to Critical (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System and resulting public health orders,” said Chuck Davidson, president and CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce.
The initial program launched in January, and to date, 513 applications have been approved. As of March 31, approximately $4 million in rebates have been allocated, primarily in Winnipeg.
Under this expanded program, restaurants in rural Manitoba and catering businesses that did not have established delivery models or that experienced significant revenue declines will be able to apply for a financial rebate based on their decline in revenue compared to pre-pandemic sales.
“In a time when the food-service industry in Manitoba has experienced significant revenue losses due to the pandemic and code red restrictions, we are pleased to see our provincial government expanding this initiative to ensure funding reaches some of the rural restaurants and our catering industry who have faced significant challenges of operating during this unprecedented time,” said Shaun Jeffrey, executive director and CEO, Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservices Association.
For further information and to apply for the Dine-in Restaurant Relief Program, restaurants throughout Manitoba are encouraged to visit https://mbchamber.mb.ca/dine-in-restaurant-relief-program.
