As Canadian small businesses continue to adapt to the new reality of COVID-19, the federal government says it is “working hard to support small business owners as they rebuild and explore new opportunities in the global marketplace.”
This week, Mary Ng, minister of small business, export promotion and international trade as well as MPs Tony Van Bynen and Helena Jaczek, visited local businesses in the Greater Toronto Area, that are successfully growing their businesses internationally amid COVID-19.
The three first met with local business owners of STEM Minds in Aurora – a kindergarten to grade 12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content creator and program provider for both in-person and online learning.
Support from the CanExport program, according to a release, has helped them attend international conferences, connect with new customers, and explore new opportunities.
They also visited Thumbprint Solutions, a mechanical engineering services and simulation software provider that has recently worked on developing electric vehicles.
“Since 2017, Thumbprint Solutions has taken advantage of the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service’s (TCS’s) support to help the company expand and diversify its clients across international markets and industries,” the release said.
During both these visits, Ng highlighted the newly revamped CanExport program, which will provide Canadian businesses including women and Indigenous entrepreneurs with up to $75,000 in funding to expand their e-commerce presence, attend virtual trade shows, and navigate COVID-19-related trade barriers.
“Thumbprint Solutions and STEM Minds are excellent examples of resilient and innovative small businesses successfully bringing their made-in-Canada solutions and services to the world,” said Ng.
“Hearing and learning from them today will help our government continue to adapt to meet the needs of small business owners, as we take action to building a strong and sustainable economic recovery for all Canadians.”
Further information on the program is available via the following link.
