The federal government announced on Thursday an envelope of $500,000 which will be used to compensate Gatineau merchants who also paid the price for the occupation of downtown Ottawa last winter.
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The amount, a non-refundable contribution, was paid to the Gatineau Chamber of Commerce, which will be responsible for distributing it among the merchants affected, up to a maximum of $10,000 per business.
Companies eligible for assistance must, however, be on the island of Hull and employ fewer than 100 people, among other conditions.
“I have seen how businesses located in the Hull Island quadrangle have been impacted by the protests held in Ottawa. I felt their distress and their helplessness, as they have made efforts to be resilient since the start of the pandemic, ”explained in a press release the deputy for Hull-Aylmer, Greg Fergus.
The aid from Ottawa will be used to cover “the costs directly related to the protection of the company during the blockade, the costs related to the loss of inventory as well as the fixed operating costs which cannot be deferred”, a listed Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.
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