Demand for financial assistance program doubles during the pandemic in the north

Sault Ste. Marie -

As the COVID-19 pandemic grinds on, more small business owners in northern Ontario have needed help from a financial assistance program.

Community Futures Ontario officials in the northeast said it has given out more than $34 million in relief loans to 700 businesses since the pandemic began, doubling their workload in a state of emergency.

"We, along with other government programs, looked to address that," said Dan Friyia, board chair of the community Futures Northeastern Ontario (CFNEO).

"Hopefully, our initial assumption was that we'd go six months, then we went 12 months and we're still kind of in it."

Friyia said a big focus has been on what he calls "main street businesses," those you can find in northern communities that help the municipality thrive.

Since April 2020, Friyia said just under 2,000 jobs have been impacted by the funds it has given out.