Black business owners and entrepreneurs are major contributors to the Canadian economy. Yet they continue to face systemic racism and obstacles when they want to launch a business or expand. The COVID-19 pandemic has only aggravated the situation. The Government of Canada is working to eliminate these long-standing obstacles with its first Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP)-an investment of over $400 million to foster long-term success among Black entrepreneurs and business owners.
Greg Fergus, Member of Parliament for Hull‒Aylmer and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the President of the Treasury Board, accompanied by Emmanuel Dubourg, Member of Parliament for Bourassa, highlighted that a total of over $24,610,000 in financial assistance has been granted by the Government of Canada to ten organizations that will support Black entrepreneurs and communities in Quebec and Canada. Mr. Fergus participated in a virtual conference, on behalf of the Honorable Pascale St-Onge, Member of Parliament for Brome-Missisquoi, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for CED, and the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development.
The recipients are Côte-des-Neiges Black Community Association, Audace au Féminin, the Centre d'encadrement pour jeunes femmes immigrantes (CEJFI), the Réseau des Entrepreneurs et Professionnels Africains, 0rijin Village, DESTA Black Youth Network, the Fondation Fabienne Colas, the Fonds Afro-Entrepreneurs, the Groupe 3737, and the Black Youth Socio‑Economic Development Summit.
These funds come from the National Ecosystem Fund, created to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem for Black entrepreneurs and business owners across Canada.
Additional information on the projects is provided in the
