Additional Announcements

This afternoon, the government announced an investment of $2 million from the Ontario Together Fund to support OPHARDT Hygiene Technologies as they expand local manufacturing of soap and sanitizer dispensers by moving manufacturing capacity from overseas to Beamsville. OPHARDT will increase production to 300,000 dispensers and one million dispenser drive modules per year in Ontario. As a result, 75 new jobs will be created and 96 positions will be retained.

Yesterday, the government appointed the first members to the Board of Directors of Supply Ontario, the province’s new centralized procurement agency. Supply Ontario will be Chaired by Paul G. Smith, who brings senior leadership experience from private and publicly listed companies, as well as charitable organizations.

Further Details

Update on Small Business Support Grant

Today, Minister Bethlenfalvy announced that the government has received more than 42,000 applications for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant. The grant was established to support small businesses that were required to close or significantly restrict services under Ontario’s province-wide lockdown, which began on December 26.

Through this one-time grant, eligible small businesses will receive between $10,000 and $20,000. It is expected that most business that have applied and have been approved can expect to receive a payment within10 business days. Funding is flexible and may be used by recipients in whatever way makes the most sense for their individual business needs, including paying employee wages or rent.

To be eligible, a small business must:

• Have been required to close or significantly restrict services due to the province-wide lockdown, effective December 26;
• Have fewer than 100 employees at enterprise level; and
• Have experienced a minimum of 20% revenue decline in April 2020, compared to April 2019.

New businesses established since April 2019 will also be eligible for the grant if they meet the other criteria.

Eligible small business owners are encouraged to visit Ontario.ca/COVIDsupport.

Supply Ontario Board of Directors

Yesterday, the government appointed the first members to the Board of Directors of the new Supply Ontario agency, which is intended to centralize procurement and enable a whole-of-government approach to the purchase of goods and services for the public and health sectors.

Supply Ontario was first announced in November 2020, as a response to Ontario’s fragmented supply chain system and the resulting challenges with sourcing personal protective equipment (PPE) and other critical supplies during COVID-19.

The objectives of the new agency include:

• Delivering the best value for goods;
• Stabilizing access to critical products (including PPE);
• Stimulating job creation and economic growth by purchasing Ontario-made goods;
• Driving innovation of emerging technologies;
• Connecting small businesses and entrepreneurs to government and its customers by acting as a first purchaser of emerging technologies; and
• Reducing administrative burden during the procurement process for small and medium-sized businesses.

Supply Ontario will be Chaired by Paul G. Smith, who brings senior leadership experience from private and publicly listed companies, as well as charitable organizations. Other Board members bring regional and health care procurement expertise. The full list of Board members is available here.

The first meeting of the Supply Ontario Board of Directors also took place yesterday.