Horgan denies pandemic financial aid for small business is being delayed by B.C. election

NDP Leader John Horgan insists the distribution timeline of pandemic recovery dollars promised long ago by his government has not been hampered by the election he just called.

"It's not being delayed," Horgan told CBC News in an interview. "We made sure in September when we announced the final plan for recovery, that every dollar had been approved; not just by the treasury board but by cabinet as well."

It follows a report in the Globe and Mail that COVID-19 relief money for small businesses won't get the final green light until after the election. Aside from the $2 billion to be tapped into as part of the province's economic recovery plan, there's also the $50 million waiting to prop up the tourism sector ... but not before a task force files a final report at the end of the year.

According to an Oct. 1 document obtained by the newspaper, senior officials confirm final approval of certain projects and funds won't happen until a new cabinet is sworn in.

Horgan acknowledged it will take time for funds to trickle down to businesses that need to apply for a grant but claimed that process is moving at the same pace whether we go to the polls now or later.

"Every single program we announced is going out the door, unless it is a grant program — and you can't just give out the grants, you have to have an intake process," said Horgan.

He claimed all grant applications will be vetted and approved at the same speed under the current caretaker government than they would be otherwise.

"So those dollars are not delayed, they're going through due process," Horgan said. "Those programs that we just initiated in September require people to apply, the applications to come in, they have to be weighed against the criteria that is already in place, and once they meet that criteria, the funds will flow and the projects will be funded."

Watch | Horgan outlines why it's taking time and says it has nothing to do with the election:

Regardless of an election pause or not, Horgan was pressed on whether seven months and counting is too long for critical funding to flow to struggling business owners.

"It's not the first financial aid they've had; we put $3.5 billion right into the economy back in March," he said. "This is the second half, which is stimulus money ... We're right on track as far as I'm concerned."

He pointed to aid currently being delivered, including $500 million for municipalities, tax breaks for businesses and projects that have already been approved.

'This is wrong'

The B.C. Green Party Leader says the news confirms concerns that government support to small businesses and the tourism industry is taking far longer than it should.

"I am deeply frustrated by the continued reports that this election is in fact delaying the financial support for businesses that this government promised," said Sonia Furstenau. "Businesses need help now, they can't afford months more delays."

She pointed to the warnings from Elections BC that it could a number of weeks to tabulate mail-in ballots.

"We may not know who the government is until Nov. 21," Furstenau said in a statement. "This report today suggests that this money will be on hold until a new cabinet is sworn in, which could take even longer."

She suggested Horgan owes British Columbians and small business owners an explanation, and an answer on when they can expect to see the financial support his government promised.

The response from the B.C. Liberals was just as critical, with Leader Andrew Wilkinson calling the whole process 'wrong.'

"If you're a business with next to no revenue so far in 2020 and you're told you'll maybe get a consultation process in January, chances are you're just going to pack it in," Wilkinson told reporters Monday.

"The NDP has completely failed the tourism and hospitality industry by stringing them along until late September, and then calling an election that blocks any relief for them."