The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce wants additional government rent relief for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in border communities impacted by the closure of the Canada-U.S. border.
“Businesses in border communities rely significantly on cross-border trade, movement of people, and related business opportunities,” said Sault Chamber CEO Rory Ring in a news release. “Many of our local SMEs depend on revenue that is generated through tourism, outside dollars spent by American visitors and tourists.”
“Typically, SMEs operate with a very small profit margin. Losing that business revenue is not sustainable in most cases. This is true for SMEs in most of the border communities. Due to the eight-month long border closure, several SMEs have suffered significant business reductions and losses,” he added.
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On board with this initiative are chambers in Amherstburg, Chatham-Kent, Cornwall, Leamington, Sarnia Lambton and Windsor-Essex. The Sault chamber has also relayed its concerns to the Ontario and Canadian Chambers of Commerce.
“Recent government support for businesses via rent relief directly to the tenants is a step in the right direction,” said Sault Chamber president Michael Stone.
“In addition to the up to 65 per cent rent subsidy, the government announced an additional 25 per cent for businesses that have been hardest hit. Since the border closure has had a devastating effect on SMEs in the border region, we, along with our fellow border-community Chambers of Commerce, are urging the federal government to allow these Canadian businesses within a 100-kilometre radius from a border crossing to claim the additional 25 per cent rent subsidy.
"This will go a long way in supporting many of these SMEs that are on the brink of closing.”
