Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, issued the following statement in recognition of Small Business Week:
“Ontario’s small businesses are the backbone of communities across the province. From family-owned corner stores to brand new start-ups, everyone knows a small business that has made a difference in their community. This Small Business Week, we celebrate the over 400,000 small businesses in Ontario and their more than two million hard-working employees.
Behind every small business is an entrepreneur with a vision, passion and purpose. They represent the best of the Ontario Spirit – generosity, grit and determination. Our government is proud to support small business owners by providing them with the tools and resources needed to grow their businesses.
We are helping Ontario entrepreneurs seed, start and scale their businesses quickly and efficiently, here at home, online and in the global marketplace. Through Futurpreneur Canada, we are also supporting the next generation of young entrepreneurs with mentorship programs and helping them access loan capital.
More than $77 million was invested in the Digital Main Street program in 2020-21 to help more than 44,000 small businesses establish and increase their digital presence. Building on this success, our government is investing an additional $40 million over the next two years to expand the program, for a total provincial investment of more than $57 million.
We’re working around the clock to help small businesses succeed because we see first-hand the impact they have. Many small businesses provide jobs to people from their communities and support local events and causes. When Ontario’s small businesses succeed, local families thrive, and the economy continues to grow.
So, this Small Business Week, we celebrate Ontario’s small businesses and the ambition and entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners and thank them for all that they do for our communities. Together, we’ll continue to build Ontario.”
