Question to Minister Chagger: How is this government supporting newcomer entrepreneurs?

Hon. Ratna Omidvar: I join my voice in welcoming you to the chamber.

Minister, my question is about a group of people that I know you feel strongly about — entrepreneurs. May they do well for themselves and for our country. You will also know that immigrants are drawn to entrepreneurship for a number of reasons.

One is that they are entrepreneurial, possibly by nature, taking the risk to come to a new country. Second, they could be pushed toward entrepreneurship because they’re not able to find work, and they often then take their own family’s capital and sometimes the community’s capital into a business venture that has not been soundly proofed.

The Ryerson University Diversity Institute has just tabled a new report that tells us, again, things that we already know, but let me tell you what they are. Immigrant entrepreneurs have a particularly hard time understanding legislation, regulations, the tax system and accessing financing, and they conclude this is not new. It was true 30 years ago and it is still true today that immigrant entrepreneurs do not start off on the same footing as other entrepreneurs in Canada.

What is your government doing to ensure that newcomer entrepreneurs are able to navigate federal and provincial laws and access appropriate financing?

Hon. Bardish Chagger, P.C., M.P., Minister of Small Business and Tourism: Thank you, senator for that question. In Canada, we often say that diversity is our strength, and not only is it our strength but it is also one of our challenges for those very reasons. We have a system in place that not everyone is able to navigate. We need to ensure that that system is easier to work with, especially as we understand that an entrepreneur holds many hats within their business.

One of the things I would like to highlight is the Accelerated Growth Service. It is a program we brought forward, and I’m very proud of because it actually respects the work of an entrepreneur or a small business owner. It helps you actually get through the pipeline of services that government offers.

We know that there are many programs and services. BizPaL is the website to go through when it comes to regulations and licences that a business needs. It caters, based on the province, territory or community you’re from, to ensure you’re receiving the right information. That website is definitely not perfect and we continue to improve upon it.

Canada Business Network is another website where you’re able to see the grants and programs available to you. Once again, the entrepreneur who is not aware of that website is not able to find that information, so how do we do a better job of ensuring that the right people are accessing that information and have it available to them?

I go back to the Accelerated Growth Service. It works with the whole-of-government approach of bringing together the Business Development Bank of Canada, Export Development Canada, the NRC and Global Affairs Canada to ensure that the entrepreneur is provided with an individual who is able to help them get through the pipeline of programs and services so that they know which ones are available to them to ensure they would have some success.

The challenge in that program, once again, is that I too recognize that not everyone knows about it. We have been advancing this program. It is a pilot that is working. The numbers are not quite satisfactory to me. They are greater than were anticipated but, once again, I would say that better is always possible. I need every single Canadian to know of these opportunities.

You’re right: The economy of today and tomorrow is changing. Many people are entering business. One of the things I’m trying to take on is ensuring that when it comes to our young people, they are considering entrepreneurship at an earlier age. So let’s talk to our young people about financial management, entrepreneurship and the importance of business — not when they have to use business because they cannot find a job, but because it is an avenue that they want to consider. That’s part of the world that we will continue fighting for and advancing.

I hope that partially addresses your question.