COVID-19 Business Support & Recovery

Business Resources and Information

A complete list of resources to assist businesses to understand what assistance is available to them as a result of COVID-19 is available at COVID-19 Business Resources and Information.

Council Support for Businesses

Council Business Development and Relationship Manager, Peggy Veen, is available to provide support to businesses including assistance to get questions answered for businesses regarding government assistance available to them.

Businesses and community groups can contact Peggy by phone on 0278075305 or by email

Links to local and Government departments and services with information who may be able to assist businesses are provided at the bottom of this page:

Whanganui and Partners are an Economic Development agency and have dedicated Business Growth advisors for the Ruapehu District.
Waituhi are a Ruapehu based organisation servicing small to medium sized businesses in our district.
Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA) are the Manawatu based Economic Development Agency who are hosting online webinars, business support and advisory service.

Council Recovery Plan

A recovery plan identifying a list of potential sector based opportunities for accelerating local economic recovery is being prepared by Councils team. The plan will include new civil works proposals that can be progressed immediately, these projects are being requested by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and New Zealand Transport Agency which will support the recovery of the Ruapehu District in the short medium and longer term.

Our plan is being drafted specifically to address Covid -19 recovery supported by the All of Government approach to national recovery. We plan to include projects already identified in the Ruapehu Regional Destination Development Plan and investments across economic sectors in Ruapehu

Overall we propose to facilitate economic stimulus to ensure that cashflows through our community are restored to what we believe will be a new normal.

Integrated Recovery Team

Whanganui District Healthboard rohe (region)

Following the regional response to Covid-19, led by Whanganui District Health Board with district-wide response led by Ruapehu Civil Defence Emergency Management, an Integrated Recovery Team (IRT) has been established.

Ruapehu District Council is working closely with Whanganui District Council, Rangitikei District, Whanganui District Health Board and a wide range of organisations, iwi and government agencies on the long-term recovery of the region.

An integrated plan for local recovery is being developed as we engage with people and share information with partner organisations across our communities.

The current focus of the team is to collect and evaluate information gathered from and by people and organisations throughout our region, while also addressing immediate needs and opportunities.

Visit Ruapehu

While Visit Ruapehu (VR) business as usual activity has had to go on hold, the team is working to prepare for recovery.

The plan is to be in the best possible shape to 'hit the ground running' when the opportunity is available.

This works includes; Upskilling, planning, updating VR's image and video database, updating website content, social media presence focused on 'future dreaming' phase and maintaining relationships.

Further information on Visit Ruapehu is available at the Visit Ruapehu website