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Alberta BIA Alliance
A collaboration of over 30 Alberta Business Improvement Areas
11810 Kingsway
Edmonton, AB T5G 0X5
May 5, 2021
Dear Premier Kenney and all Members of Cabinet,
Support for Alberta Restaurants Who Have Invested in Patios and for Personal and Wellness Services Businesses
Small businesses represent 96% of Alberta businesses. Many of those small businesses are located in Business Improvement Areas and Business Revitalization Zones (BIAs and BRZs). The Alberta BIA Alliance represents 36 outdoor business districts across Alberta. Our Alliance would like to request provincial financial relief for all Alberta small businesses who have been again impacted by this latest round of restrictions.
For example, restaurants who recently invested in setting up outdoor patios and personal and wellness services businesses that are completely closed again are especially impacted by these latest restrictions.
Our dining establishments have been hard hit during this pandemic and while most have adapted, their ongoing survival is not assured and those adaptations have necessitated many additional costs and increasing financial burdens for those restaurants. Many personal and wellness services businesses may not survive without additional help.
The thin profit margins and economic challenges of owning and operating a small business during a prolonged economic downturn were already challenging prior to COVID-19. The government must do more. We applaud previous provincial efforts to encourage and to support small businesses but additional help is needed to offset the impact of repeated closures and restrictions if these businesses are to survive.
As you continue to work towards Alberta’s recovery, it is imperative that you continue to support Alberta’s small businesses. In these so challenging times, Alberta BIAs urge you to make additional financial aid available for our thousands of small businesses across the province.
Alberta BIAs and BRZs are eager to be a part of a made in Alberta solution that provides help for any business shut down for the next three weeks over and above the latest relaunch grant and a rebate for restaurants who invested in patios.
We look forward to your response.
Respectfully,
 
Annie MacInnis Ellie Sasseville
Co-Chair, Alberta BIA Alliance Co-Chair, Alberta BIA Alliance
CC’d to
Calgary City Council city.clerk@calgary.ca
Edmonton City Council city.clerk@edmonton.ca
Lethbridge City Council council@lethbridge.ca
Grand Prairie City Council council@grandprairie.ca
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