Provincial program helps businesses get online

On Wednesday afternoon, the province announced the Launch Online Grant program to help small businesses market products on the internet.

“This program will provide business owners with the ability to expand their online presence and create a customized e-commerce site that will give them the boost they need to keep moving forward,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, in a news release.

Businesses must have fewer than 150 employees and generated more than $30,000 in sales in 2019 or 2020. The program is administered by Alacrity Canada.

​“We launched an online shop within 48 hours after the lockdown,” David Nicholls, general manager of Vancouver Island Brewing said in the news release. “While we were happy to get it off the ground, we soon realized that the online store could not meet all of our needs and the uniqueness of shipping beer. "

Grants of up to $7,500 are available for online-related expenses, including pictures, creating an online inventory system, advertising costs, subscription costs of an e-commerce platform and training staff to manage the website.

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