The B.C. Government is offering up to $10,000 for each business in Kamloops and across the province that has lost revenue from new “circuit-breaker” COVID-19 safety protocols.

The province has set aside $50 million out of the $345-million-dollar Small and Medium Sized Business Recovery grant program. But businesses of any size will be eligible for part of the $50-million-dollar pot of money if they’ve lost revenue.

Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon says businesses will need to provide proof of a business license or liquor license and direct deposit information.

“So it’s a very streamlined process, it’s very simple. It will be scaled according to how many employees you have. Even if you are a yoga studio and you have just yourself who you employ, there’s still dollars available for you. And if you have 160 employees and you’ve been impacted, there’s dollars available for you as well.”

New rules brought in on March 29 ban indoor dining and group fitness classes, and are currently in place until April 19.

Kahlon expects about 14,000 businesses will be eligible for the new funding stream, and suspects most would receive about $5,000. Impacted businesses will receive at least $1,000.

Business owners can register at gov.bc.ca/businessrelief, and Kahlon says applications will open next week. He says funding will be sent out “as soon as possible.”