Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today issued the following statement on the occasion of Small Business Week, which runs October 17-23, 2021:
Small businesses are at the heart of our communities across the country. It’s the little corner restaurant that serves the best coffee, the entrepreneur who launched a new online store, and the family-run shop that redirected itself to making masks at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Small businesses support our economy by providing the goods and services we need, while employing millions of Canadians.
“Today, like Small Business Week In Canada, we understand that small businesses, their owners and their employees have had a difficult year and a half. Small businesses across the country have had to make enormous sacrifices to protect the health and safety of individuals and communities. Despite everything, they showed boundless courage and resilience and were able to adapt and innovate like never before. Although some businesses have reopened, many still need help as they continue to deal with the effects of the pandemic.
“Supporting Canadian businesses is essential to ensuring a strong economic recovery. This is why the Government of Canada has taken a range of measures to help small businesses during the pandemic. Let’s specifically think about Canadian corporate emergency account, which provides assistance in spending in the form of interest-free loans, part of which is not required to be repaid, or Canadian Emergency Lease Grant, which provided an exemption from rent. We also helped companies pay their employees’ salaries through Canada Emergency Wage Support And you Canada Employment Program for Economic Recovery, and we have created Highly Affected Sectors Credit Program (PCSDT) To help hard-hit businesses that need additional support to weather the pandemic. These actions have helped support hundreds of thousands of small businesses in Canada and the workers and communities that depend on them.
Small businesses are counting on us to vaccinate to avoid lockdown and help them get back to work. By being present in businesses and their employees every step of the way, the government also continues to create jobs, strengthen the middle class and grow the economy. We support the hardest hit sectors, such as tourism, hospitality and cultural industries. In addition, the government is working to improve Canada Small Business Finance Program So that small businesses and entrepreneurs can access the funds they need to recover, innovate, and achieve long-term growth. We also help small and medium-sized businesses grow and thrive, so they can compete in Canada’s digital future. Thanks to initiatives like Canadian Digital Adoption ProgramWe help them adopt new digital technologies and offer their products and services online.
“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I invite all Canadians to join me in thanking small and medium-sized businesses for the dedication, perseverance and innovation they have demonstrated daily, particularly over the past year and a half. Let us continue to support our local businesses so that together we can build a more resilient economy and a better future for all.” “