The wedding industry has been one of the hardest hit sectors of the COVID-19 pandemic(Ross Lavigne/CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

‘There’s a lot of doubt and uncertainty:’ Wedding industry reacts to the latest COVID-19 business benefit

Feb 19, 2021 | 5:34 PM

Medicine Hat,AB- It’s an announcement meant to support already financially distressed businesses impacted by the shutdowns.

On Wednesday, the province announced $120 million towards a grant program that will provide small and medium-sized businesses up to $10,000. The initiative comes as the province’s Small and Medium Enterprise Grant is set to expire March 31.

But some local industries like the wedding and event industry are hardly saying cheers to the province’s latest endeavor.

“If I’m being honest about my industry as a whole. No, I don’t think it’s enough when I look at venues that can’t open. I have friends in the industry that can’t do concerts right now because none of that is happening, so there’s a lot of doubt and uncertainty as to what is going to be available for us,” said Candice Meir.

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Meir owns and operates Stages by Candice in Medicine Hat. Her business largely consists of wedding and event planning services which have been dramatically impacted by the shutdowns and ongoing restrictions. Meir’s business in particular saw 95 percent of her business evaporate last year.

“The government funding has helped but with stuff like that, when we see government funding being promised, we are really not sure how it applies to us. Every one of our individual businesses is different. Not all of us have a storefront. Some of us have employees, some of us do not. Some of us need to buy special equipment in order to be safe and sanitary, whereas others don’t necessarily need that. So it doesn’t necessarily apply to every one of us and you don’t know until you put in your application for it and you get what you get,” she said.

Alberta’s minister of jobs, economy, and innovation, Doug Schweitzer told CHAT News, the initiative is meant to cover those gaps to ensure those in the hardest-hit sectors like events are able to receive support.

“ We’ve noticed a lot of the programs (Federal and Provincial) have been designed to support the conventional restaurant. You have x amount of rent that you pay and certain things but there are other businesses, in particular like the event industry where their business model doesn’t necessarily apply to that same kind of structure,” Schweitzer said

For Candice Meier, she’s hoping her business can generate more revenue this season. Last year her business saw a lot of weddings postponed due to COVID-19. And with many brides rescheduling to 2021, she projected this year to be a profitable one. But now with weddings and events at stage three and four, wedding season, and what that will look like is up in the air

“Now what we hoped was going to be a busy and profitable year is trickling away from us and next year is not looking like it is going to get filled up, the way this year was,” Meir said,

Another issue, according to Meir is what will be left of the industry post-COVID-19. Meir has already scaled to smaller events to meet provincial health orders, but she said, the traditional wedding or event may change overall, with smaller and more intimate functions.

But those smaller functions are less income, meaning more industry professionals may need to take up more jobs to make ends meet. That scenario hasn’t been the case in years, Meir said.

Businesses can apply for the new grant starting in April, according to the province.