With a major deadline to repay a pandemic era loan just over a month away, one small business owner says she's only now being told she was never eligible for the money in the first place.

The Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) was introduced at the height of the pandemic to help out small businesses forced to close or limit their operations due to public health measures. The program offered interest-free loans backed by the federal government.

A business could apply for up to $60,000 through the program. If businesses repay the bulk of the loan by January 18, up to $20,000 can be forgiven.