Support to Small Businesses and Not-for-Profit Organizations Program

The Canadian Red Cross is committed to supporting affected individuals and communities in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) following 2018 spring flooding.  Experience has shown us that support for small businesses and not-for-profit organizations are essential to the recovery of people and communities affected by a disaster.
 
Real and insured losses, additional clean-up, and the extended absence of the population can threaten the livelihood of small business owners during the long process of recovery.
 
The intent of the Support to Small Business program is to provide support for small business owners, trades and sole proprietors who have suffered uninsured, financial loss as a result of the 2018 British Columbia floods. This program aims to enhance individual and community well-being, recovery and resilience in disaster-affected areas in two ways:
 
  • Providing financial assistance for eligible small businesses to support real and actual losses
  • Supporting activities such as learning opportunities and occupational training
  • Emergency Financial Assistance from the Support for Small Business program closed March 15, 2019

Additional Financial Assistance

Eligible small business owners, sole proprietors, and trades people in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) could receive financial support to assist with things like: uninsured losses; deductibles; minor repairs; clean-up; equipment; and occupational training expenses.
 
The amount of financial assistance provided to eligible businesses is based on their individual needs, which is determined through the application process.
 

Emergency Financial Assistance

Emergency financial assistance of $1,500 was provided to registered and eligible business owners. This phase concluded on October 5, 2018.
 

Additional Finance Assistance

The purpose of this second phase of assistance was to provide financial assistance of up to $18,500 for eligible expenses to support fixed and new expenses resulting from interrupted business operations caused by the floods. The amount of financial assistance provided to eligible businesses was based on need, as determined through the application process. The application period for this phase concluded on March 15, 2019.
 

Application Period

The deadline for submitting applications was  March 15, 2019.
 

Minimum requirements to apply

  1. Have 50 employees or less.*
  2. Be located in the Regional District of Kootenay-boundary (RDKB).
  3. Have been in operation on or before April 26, 2018
  4. Be financially vulnerable as a result of the 2018 spring flooding.
  5. Have resumed or are intending to resume operations.
  6. Have a net income of less than $250,000 (calculated as revenue less expenses).*
  7. Have the business or livelihood be their primary source of income.*
*Does not apply to not-for-profit organizations.
 

For small business owners

Click here for a list of required documentation. Remember to upload or submit one item from each column along with your application. This documentation is needed to process your application. Please note that applications submitted without documentation are considered incomplete.
 
By email: BCSmallBizSupport@redcross.ca
 
By Mail:
Boundary Flood Recovery Office
c/o Canadian Red Cross
Support to Small Business Program
PO Box 2162
Grand Forks, BC
V0H 1H0

*Applications submitted by mail must be post-marked March 15, 2019 or earlier. 

For Not-for-Profit Organizations

How to Submit your application


By email: BCSmallBizSupport@redcross.ca

By Mail:
Boundary Flood Recovery Office
c/o Canadian Red Cross
Support to Small Business Program
PO Box 2162
Grand Forks, BC
V0H 1H0

Questions?
Please click here for Frequently Asked Questions.

Emergency Financial Assistance 
Applications for the emergency financial assistance ($1,500) closed on October 5, 2018.  If you submitted an application on or before October 5, 2018 and have questions, please contact us at BCSmallBizSupport@redcross.ca.