By Hon. Lena Metlege Diab, Member of Parliament for Halifax West
Communities like ours are enriched by the incredible diversity of our small businesses. From Fairview to Upper Tantallon and everywhere in between you’ll find unique businesses that bring life to our main streets and jobs to our neighbours. What unites them all is that they’re led by passionate, innovative entrepreneurs working hard to stand out from the pack.
As a former small business owner myself, I know how challenging it can be to operate a small business. However, it is also immensely rewarding, and makes our communities more prosperous.
To support stronger economic growth, our federal government provides a suite of programs to help small businesses scale up and reach new customers. That support includes:
• The Canada Digital Adoption Program, which offers microgrants to business owners to help them grow their online presence
• Access to the Business Data Lab, which provides data insights to businesses to help them make strategic decisions
• The Canada Small Business Financing Program to help businesses secure term loans and credit lines, and
• Financial and non-financial support (like consulting services) from the Business Development Bank of Canada
All of these supports and more are easily accessible through Canada’s Business Benefits Finder. Specialized help is also available for businesses looking to start exporting their products internationally and for those looking to sell their goods and services to the Government of Canada.
These are valuable resources that help our small business community thrive. However, if we want to unlock the potential for Canadians of all backgrounds to succeed as entrepreneurs, we must continue removing barriers that hold people back from realizing their dreams. I’m proud to say that Canada does exactly that by funding programs specifically designed to support more women, Black, Indigenous, young, and 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs in their endeavours. These supports help us tackle long standing challenges faced by these groups, including limited access to capital. That’s not just good for advancing equity in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, it also makes our country wealthier and offers more choice to consumers.
If you’re interested in learning more about how the federal government can support your business, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. I know it can be tricky to figure out where to turn and I’m always happy to connect residents with the services they need.
To all our hard-working small business owners – Thank you for all you give back to Halifax West.
Thanks for your continued support, and remember to shop local, year round!
