The Federal Government’s latest budget announcements leave no doubt that we are aligned in an understanding that entrepreneurs are critical to the country’s recovery.
Canadian entrepreneurs are a varied population. They are women who went into business for themselves after losing employment at the onset of the pandemic because of layoffs and responsibilities of daytime childcare. They are leading important small businesses in racialized communities. Their offerings range from services to products, both tangible and digital. They are small and local, aiming simply to keep food on the table. And they are at the helm of businesses on the cusp of national and international growth. They are represented, too, by clean tech visionaries who are shaping the sustainability of our future.
The government’s launch of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development Program to help entrepreneurs access funding and capital, mentorship, financial planning services, and business training is an excellent initiative. Startup Canada is the only national organization capable of delivering on every objective. In turn, we charge the user nothing for our services. We strongly believe this initiative will allow Canadians an equitable footing to succeed in starting and expanding their businesses and in enabling a faster, more dynamic economic recovery.
Our entrepreneurs take on a wide strata of risks. Every barrier to their success that is removed is a boon to the country as a whole—there is enormous potential in the strength of a robust entrepreneurial economy. The infusion of funds that Budget 2021 offers will provide equitable access to support. It is an enormous step in reinvigorating an inclusive economy. Startup Canada is excited about the road ahead and the role we can play in paving it.