With a challenging year behind us with hopes of a brighter more prosperous year ahead, breweries like Brimstone Brewing Co. in Ridgeway, Ontario are grateful when government assistance is offered – it is welcomed, said owner Jason Pizzicarola. 

“The government has been pretty good that way,” Pizzicarola said of various forms of assistance businesses have received since the pandemic began back in March 2020.

That assistance included programs like the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, as well as several grants available through the provincial government.

Most recently, Brimstone was approved for a grant of $5,000 – part of a $3.5-million investment by the two levels of government – designed to assist businesses in the agrifood sector. The Open for E-business initiative is meant to allow smaller businesses the opportunity to establish or enhance their online shopping presence. 

Pizzicarola said this grant will help Brimstone in its efforts to raise the profile of the craft brewery’s products, such as its signature Sinister Minister IPA, Punk Rock Pilsner and Enlightenment Blonde Ale as well as web store and marketing in order to raise awareness of the brewery’s products.

“Marketing plays a huge role – it helps get our name out there,” said Brew master Zack Gagnon.

“More and more people are now shopping with their eyes. Anything like that (the government grant) will help,” he said.

“COVID-19 has been a major disruptor and has accelerated change to the way we do business in agriculture,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Not only will these investments support the trend towards buying local, but it has the potential to support more direct-to-consumer sales for our farmers and food businesses.”