More Sask. businesses eligible for COVID cash under tourism support program

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The majority of outfitters rely on spending by Americans traveling north of the border to take in the province’s game-bird- or big game-hunting or angling options, he said.

The border remains closed to non-essential travel.

The provincial money is available under the Tourism Sector Support Program, initially announced in early August. Applicants can choose one of two streams: Accommodations and Major Event Facilities Funding, or Event, Attractions or Tour Sector Business Funding.

The accommodation stream will see a business get at least $10,000 in help, up to a maximum of $50,000. The amount is calculated based on 30 per cent of an operators’ average monthly revenue for each full month in operation either in 2018 or 2019, whichever allows for a higher disbursement amount.

The event and attractions stream allows for one of three payment amounts to a business: $7,500, $10,000 or $15,000, depending on either number of employees or number of patrons typically attracted (in event-type scenarios).

Anderson said his group’s 173 members have options to apply to either stream, based on hunting’s seasonal nature.

To qualify as an outfitter, whether registered with the commission or not, a business has to provide two of three things to hunters: guidance, accommodation, equipment.

Anderson said the outfitters commission is glad the government was “very receptive” to its requests, despite its anticipated $250-million loss in outfitters’ revenue.