The chair of the St. John’s Board of Trade says government aid for the effects of COVID-19 needs to be rolled out more quickly in order to help small business.
Yesterday, the Board held a virtual meeting with the Federal Minister of Economic Development, Melanie Joly, to discuss the concerns of small businesses.
According to Andrew Wadden ,the programs need more simplicity and speed, sentiments echoed by members during the meeting.
He notes they appreciate how quickly things have been done, but ultimately things may need to be done even faster. He says what members don’t want is government “under-promising and over-delivering, just deliver.”
Wadden is pleased with the announcement of a 75 per cent wage subsidy program, but says all of these motions need to be passed in the house first. He questions how businesses will survive in the interim.
He says business owners need “helicopter money” such as grants, in order to survive until they can apply for the wage subsidy program.