A one-time grant of $500,000 will be provided to the City of Victoria by the BC government as part of the expanded BC Social Procurement Initiative for small businesses and local workers.
The announcement was made on Wednesday June 16th by Josie Osborne, Minister of Municipal Affairs, and Lisa Helps, Mayor of Victoria.
According to a statement from the BC government today, the program is designed to encourage participating local governments and organizations to pool resources, and give the tools and training to make smarter purchasing decisions that focus on best value rather than the lowest price.
The one-time grant is intended to make it easier for small and medium-sized businesses to work with the government and benefit from the economic opportunities created through government contracts; for example, procuring equipment and services for local governments in both small, rural communities and large, urban centres, as well as open up opportunities for community organizations and smaller local suppliers to better respond to contract opportunities.
“We are committed to ensuring B.C. communities emerge from this pandemic even more resilient,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Municipal Affairs.
“This initiative is a great example of local governments working together, learning from each other and sharing common regional resources to turn their purchasing dollars into benefits that support local businesses, create an inclusive workforce and build a strong recovery.”
The City of Victoria has yet to reveal how businesses can access these services.
To learn more visit here.
