From October 19 to 23, representatives from the City of Grande Prairie will visit small businesses across Grande Prairie in celebration of Small Business Week.

Small Business Week is nationally recognized by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and this year celebrates entrepreneurial resilience with the theme ‘Forging the Way Forward.’

Locally, the City of Grande Prairie is taking the week to celebrate the resiliency of small businesses and recognize the contributions they make to the strength and vibrancy of the community.

“This week, we hope to remind small business owners of the vital role they play in building our community,” said Cindy Paton, Business Retention and Expansion Coordinator for the City of Grande Prairie. “We are grateful for the businesses that continue to demonstrate resilience and a resourceful spirit.”

In Grande Prairie, 95% of the over 3,200 local businesses fall into the small business category, classified as employing 1 to 49 people.

Supporting Local Businesses

In response to COVID-19, City Council approved $500,000 in COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grants to support businesses. All Grande Prairie businesses may apply for the local marketing and beautification grants. Applications opened on August 12, 2020 and more details are available at cityofgp.com/economicrecoveryprogram.

In addition to this grant, the City of Grande Prairie supports small businesses through growing programs and services for businesses led by Economic Development, including:

• Business Visitation Program
• Business Resiliency Taskforce
• Downtown Incentives Program

Businesses interested in connecting with the City to learn about services and opportunities may e-mail ecdevinfo@cityofgp.com.