The MPP for Windsor West has introduced a motion in the Ontario Legislature calling on the government to provide support to businesses impacted by a blockade that shut down the Ambassador Bridge.
Lisa Gretzky introduced a motion Wednesday at Queen's Park, asking the province to provide targeted financial supports to the people and businesses of Windsor-Essex and other border regions negatively affected from the economic impact of the Ambassador Bridge blockade.
She says what that support looks like should come out of consultations with the business owners.
"Looking at what the losses actually were here and then adjusting the program to suit the needs for the program down. So what the actual number would look like would come out of that actual consultation," says Gretzky.
On Feb. 7, a group of people stopped along Huron Church Road heading to the Ambassador Bridge, protesting COVID-19 restrictions and mandates, halting traffic until police officers moved them off the route on Feb. 13.
In the aftermath of the protest, barriers were put in place along Huron Church Road for several weeks to maintain the flow of traffic, but those barriers restricted access to a number of businesses along both sides of the busy route.
In March, the Ontario government announced $10-million to support Ottawa businesses impacted by the Freedom Convoy, allowing eligible businesses to apply for grants of up to $5,000 to help pay for "non-deferrable operating expenses incurred during the blockade."
Gretzky says while there were similarities between the occupation in Ottawa and the blockade in Windsor, they are different situations.
"I think it's fair and reasonable to step up and help the businesses here as well, but it needs to be something that reflects the impact to the businesses here locally, it shouldn't be a cookie cutter approach," she says.
Gretzky, Windsor West New Democrat MPP, says a federal support program alone is not enough based on conversations she's had with impacted business owners.
"A program from the provincial government to help offset those losses is something they need," she says. "The local businesses have been very clear that even if they qualified for the max under the federal program, it's not going to be enough for some of them to recover a decent amount."
On April 1, the federal government announced a $2.5-million fund for the West Windsor Small Business Relief Fund, designed to support businesses impacted by the blockade.
The fund will provide eligible businesses access to non-repayable contributions of up to $10,000 to recover costs such as utilities, insurance, bank charges, loss of inventory (e.g., spoiled food), wages, rent, and other extraordinary costs related to the repair or protection of a business due to the demonstrations.