Skip to main content
Home

Top Menu

  • Flooding Support
  • Go Blue BC
  • COVID-19
  • BC Blueberry Council
  • Consumers
  • Member Login

Main navigation

  • COVID-19
  • For Consumers
  • BC Blueberry Council
    • BC Blueberry Council
    • Why BC Blueberries?
    • Board of Directors and Committees List
    • BCBC Staff
    • Member's Corner
      • Board Business
      • Committees
      • Council Information
      • Terms of Reference
      • Annual General Meeting
      • Reports
      • Special General Meeting
  • Programs
    • Research Overview
    • Market Development
    • On-Farm Support
      • BCBC Field Days
      • Workshops and on-farm assistance
      • Seasonal Worker Program
      • MarketSafe
      • Berry GAP Binder
      • Food Safety Links
      • Food Safety Audits
      • AgSafe
      • Berry Production Guide
      • Bees
    • Current Research Projects
  • Recipes
    • Recipes
    • Featured Recipes
    • Beverages
    • Breakfasts
    • Salads & Appetizers
    • Entrees
    • Desserts
    • Sauces
  • Blueberries 101
  • Health Facts
  • Find BC Blueberries
    • Where to Buy
    • U-Pick Blueberries
    • Packers/Processors
    • Farm Direct Sales
    • Organic Blueberries
  • Resources
    • Scorch Virus
    • Resources
    • Pest and Disease Identification
      • SWD (Spotted Wing Drosophila)
      • Bird Management
      • Small Fruit Report
      • Godronia Canker
      • Vole Control
    • Blueberry Field Guide
    • eLearning
    • Good Agriculture Practices
      • Environmental Farm Plan
    • Financial Assistance
    • COVID-19 Resources
  • Find BC Blueberries
    • Where to Buy
    • U-Pick Blueberries
    • Packers/Processors
    • Farm Direct Sales
    • Organic Blueberries
  • News
    • News
    • Events
    • Media
BC Blueberry Council For Consumers
  1. About the BC Blueberry Council
  2. Resources
  3. COVID-19 Financial Assistance

COVID-19 Financial Assistance

Eligible growers can apply for funding to implement new food safety practices on their farm through government programs and other initiatives. The BC Agriculture sector offers funding for growers and for industry-related companies. Click here for a list of programs that are offered currently and those that will be implemented in the future.

Special Notice: COVID-19 Funding Programs

See below for a list of new programs implemented recently for the agriculture sector in the face of COVID-19.

BC On-Farm and Post-Farm Programs

Growers: In response to the COVID-19 situation and the increased need for safety precautions for the agri-food sector, the On-Farm Food Safety Program (OFFS) is offering COVID-19 funding for April 2020 – March 2021. Eligible companies can seek funding to acquire Personal Protective Equipment and other approved safety supplies for use at their facilities, in order to maintain a safe workplace and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19.

Apply here:  http://bconfarmfoodsafety.com/covid-19-resources/

Packers/Processors: The same as above applies to packers/processors under a different program: the Post-Farm Food Safety Program is offering COVID-19 funding for the April 2020 – March 2021 funding year.

Apply here: http://bcpostfarmfoodsafety.com/covid-19-resources/

Expansion of the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA)

Expansion of program eligibility:

Farmers without payroll can now access the $40,000 interest-free loan available under CEBA – up to $10,000 of which is forgiven if the rest is repaid by December 31, 2022.

To qualify under the expanded eligibility criteria, applicants with payroll lower than $20,000 would need:

  • A business operating account at a participating financial institution
  • A Canada Revenue Agency business number, and to have filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return.
  • Eligible non-deferrable expenses between $40,000 and $1.5 million. Eligible non-deferrable expenses could include costs such as rent, property taxes, utilities, and insurance.

Visit the CEBA Website here for more information.

Western Economic Diversification Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF)

The Regional Relief and Recovery Fund aims to help western Canadian businesses cope with the financial hardship resulting from COVID-19.

Two streams:

Funding up to $40K, conditionally repayable (eligibility for this program here)

Funding over $40K, repayable (eligibility for this program here)

Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA) program or RRRF – Community Futures Stream. Companies that are pre-revenue, do not have salaried employees, and no payroll (i.e owner/operator that pays themselves through dividends) are eligible. More information here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resources

Pest and Disease Identification

Bird Management
Godronia Canker
Scorch Virus
Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)
Voles

Blueberry Field Guide

Environmental Farm Plan

eLearning

Good Agricultural Practices

Financial Assistance

COVID-19 Resources

COVID-19 Financial Assistance

About BC Blueberry Council

The mission of the British Columbia Blueberry Council is to enhance the viability and strategic development of the blueberry industry through promotion, research, industry education and relationship building.

Sign up to receive tips, recipes and more!

Contact us

#275 32160 South Fraser Way
Abbotsford, BC
V2T 1W5
Canada
Tel: 604 864 2117
info@bcblueberry.com

Connect With Us

  • Programs
  • Buy BC Blueberries
  • Resources
  • News
  • Media Contact
  • Member Login
  • Contact
  • Sitemap
© 2022 BC Blueberry Council, all rights reserved.