9 isolated Labrador communities to receive COVID-19 relief cash

The provincial government is sprinkling small cash grants across nine communities in Labrador, in an effort to help households with rising food costs and other challenges caused by the pandemic.

The $250 grants will be sent to 1,210 households in Nain, Hopedale, Natuashish, Makkovik, Postville, Rigolet, Mud Lake, Black Tickle and Norman Bay.

"This was just a way of giving back, and supporting those households," said Premier Dwight Ball.

"We felt it was appropriate to demonstrate to the people of those isolated communitiesthat we recognize they've had to face some financial hardship, not like other communities."

Ball pointed to financial pinch points such as fuel and food costs that have risen during the pandemic as two such issues these households have had to contend with in recent months.

In a statement, the province said communityleaders in the nine communities identified the households. The program is intended to cover all households in the communities.

While Ball said this is a one-time grant, he said there is some wiggle room in case some households are left out. The province has set aside $331,000 for the grants.

"If we're a little short, we're a little over, we'll deal with that," he told CBC Radio's Labrador Morning.

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For the grant's purposes, a household is defined as all the occupants of one unit. The households must have permanent residents of the communities in order to qualify.

The households will be required to sign documents and confirm their receipt of the grant with the province.

Read morefrom CBC Newfoundland and Labrador