SAME CONDITIONS.
NO SUPPORT.

Welcome to savestartups.ca!

We are a collection of Canadian businesses who have found themselves ineligible for essential Federal Covid-19 financial supports despite the financial commitments we have made, and the undeniable and often un-survivable impacts to our businesses due to the pandemic.

The Goal:

To create a gathering space for start up businesses to share their situations and amplify their voices in hopes of creating legislative change. We are seeking access to existing support programs provided by the Federal Government.We face the same challenging operating conditions as our peers who were at this prior to the pandemic, yet do not qualify for the same supports.We deserve the same financial assistance they are getting!

You know you’re a Start Up when:

You opened your brand new business on March 1, 2020 or later and were forced to close or reduce operations immediately

You were ready to open in the weeks just after March 15, 2020, but were prevented in doing so because of regional or provincial restrictions.

You were delayed from opening due to pandemic-related delays such as delivery of supplies.

You are a business that was completely, legally and financially committed prior to or during the pandemic.

The financial supports we are seeking:

The Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)

The Canadian Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS)

The Canadian Emergency Business Account’s new extension (CEBA)

The Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP)

As Start Ups, we are being told we are ineligible for these programs as we do not have demonstrable revenue for either 2019 or January/February 2020. Some of the evidence we CAN provide:

Proof of loans, financing and/or expenditures

Proof of long term leases

Contracts for building and construction

Demonstrating impact from the second wave of Covid-19, such as comparing the revenue of a period free of restrictions versus a period under restrictions

Showing the impact of winter months had on the ability to use outdoor spaces that were successful in the summer months

Providing evidence in the post September 2020 period that the business is operating at a loss, in many cases this means owners are forced to personally subsidize wages, rent and other operating costs.

We recognize that many Start Ups are facing closure, forfeiture and/or bankruptcy due to the current eligibility structure of these critical federal programs. We need help!

It is critical to note that 100% of these businesses were completely legally and financially committed prior to the pandemic. They face the same operating conditions as their peers; with none of the same support.

Actions We Are Taking:

Petitions: All of our members have been circulating paper petitions to send to their Member of Parliament. Each petition with 30 signatures must be tabled in the House of Commons by the MP. This continues to keep our plight front and centre in Ottawa.

Press: We are continuing to get local and national press. Members of Parliament Laurel Collins, Gord Johns and Peter Julian have joined us for press conferences helping further our cause. By keeping the story alive in the media we have received attention from the BC provincial government. Scarlet Osborne got a call from the ministry responsible for the BC Recovery Grant and they have made special provision for new businesses. Our regular press coverage has also helped gain us success in our direct lobbying. See our press clippings here.

Lobbying: By continually reaching out to the Federal Ministers Mary Ng (Small Business) and Chrystia Freeland (Finance) we have begun a dialogue with Minister Ng’s office. At their request we have gathered financial information from 25 of our member businesses and presented the Minister with a report with real numbers and recommendations for how to equitably expand the current programs to include start up businesses. We have also got that report in front of MP Peter Julian, a member of the Finance Committee. Our members whose MPs are also members of the finance committee are lobbying to have them review the report as well. We have also begun to have local city governments pass resolutions supporting our cause. Mayors signing on adds weight to our plight and increases visibility.

We continue to push at all levels of government, leveraging our press contacts and those of our Members of Parliament. We continue to make headway and remain optimistic that the momentum we have gathered to date will result in a breakthrough to open federal programs to start up businesses. See how you can help here.