Pragmatic fixes made to vandalism rebate program

A provincial program to help businesses repair and prevent vandalism has been streamlined after consultation with business. The Securing Small Business Rebate Program started as a good idea but onerous rules prevented many businesses from accessing the $10.5 million in funding.

Updates to the application process are being made to:

• Remove the requirement to provide an insurance claim when applying for funding for repairs. Applicants will only need to provide the name of their insurance carrier and policy number
• Permit self-installation of eligible prevention measures
• Remove the requirement to demonstrate vandalism in the community
• Allow applications to be accepted until the program ends in 2025.

The funding is intended to help offset some of the costs businesses are facing due to vandalism by offering $2,000 to help fix damage, and $1,000 for preventative measures to deter vandals.