City waives rent for businesses within their facilities, applying for CECRA

The City of Cold Lake has waived rental fees for businesses operating in city-ran facilities for the months of April, May, and June.

This decision came down at Tuesday’s regular council meeting, the first with council all appearing in person since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rent will be retroactively waived for the six businesses in the Energy Centre, Golf and Country Club, Marina, and Curling Club, back to March 17 and the City will apply Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance from the federal government.

The City will look to recover half of the rental cost in this program.

“We’re not going to be collecting the rent from those businesses because, of course, as everybody knows, recreation facilities are still closed,” said Mayor Craig Copeland on The Morning After.

“Then the City will apply to the feds for our portion. So they’re not making any money inside the Energy Centre because the building’s closed, so you really gotta feel for these businesses. This is what the whole COVID has done for small businesses. It’s just devastating.”

The businesses include Game Day Grilling, Booster Juice, Deb’s Catering, First Smiles Child Care, Kid’s Time Out Play Program, and Johnny Waffles.