Small businesses in Timmins are being thrown a COVID-19 lifeline by the Chamber of Commerce. It’s backed by a $250,000 donation from the mining company, Newmont Porcupine.
Chamber president Val Venneri says any business in the city – Chamber member or not – can qualify for a piece of the fund.
“The new program comprising four critical components, will be established to assist local small businesses and organizations, with less than $2 million in annual sales, who were deemed non-essential in March,” Venneri asserts.
Newmont Porcupine has mining activity going on right in the middle of Timmins. So external relations manager Bryan Neeley says it makes sense to help small local businesses.
Neeley says Newmont spends up to $100-million a year at local businesses, not counting payroll.
“We want those businesses to be around, we and our employees too who are going into all these businesses,” Neely states. “So we want our employees to be safe. We want all the community businesses to reopen safely. So it’s a great initiative.”
One of the four components of the plan is helping businesses buy personal protective equipment. It also features emergency financing for businesses not eligible for federal government money, or waiting for it, and helping businesses apply for it.
Thirty-thousand dollars will oost the Chamber’s #finditinTimmins campaign, to get people back in stores and away from online shopping.
Full details are on the Chamber website.