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Entrepreneurial Success Can Drive Canada’s Economic Recovery if Given a Chance Friday, May 28, 2021

As vaccine rollout accelerates in Ontario, the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce and Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s (OCC) latest report offers solutions to support small businesses during economic recovery.   The COVID-19 pandemic is creating a cash flow crisis for many entrepreneurs and small business owners across Ontario who represent 98% of all Canadian businesses and contribute close to half the GDP generated by the private sector. Recognizing the critical role of entrepreneurship in Canada’s economic recovery, the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce and OCC’s latest report – Capital is Key:  Financing Entrepreneurship in Ontario After COVID-19 – offers practical solutions to support small businesses as they fuel Ontario’s economic advantage.     “We know that Ontario’s economic recovery will largely be driven by entrepreneurs engaged in launching and scaling their enterprises,” said Cambridge Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Greg Durocher. “Even in good times, small business owners encounter challenges at various stages of growth. Real progress can come from redoubling efforts to eliminate barriers and advancing creative solutions to improve access to capital and other resources.”   “Entrepreneurial diversity should be recognized as a powerful strategy for Ontario’s economic recovery and long-term prosperity,” said Claudia Dessanti, Senior Policy Manager, Ontario Chamber of Commerce “Equal opportunities for women, Indigenous, racialized, and other diverse groups in the entrepreneurial ecosystem is necessary for both their own recovery and that of the entire province.  For example, closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship alone could add up to $81 billion to Canada’s GDP.”   This latest policy brief identifies 14 policy recommendations to improve financing of entrepreneurship, from loan guarantees to tax incentives, capital market reforms, procurement policies, and more.   The report also addresses eight key challenges policymakers must navigate as they look for ways to improve financing options and access to capital for entrepreneurs and small businesses: RISKY BUSINESS: Small businesses (particularly start-ups) are generally riskier to finance than larger ones because they have shorter credit histories, fewer assets, and lower survival rates. SCALE-UP FIRMS: Although Ontario excels at producing start-ups, the province has been less successful at turning high-growth firms into global competitors. DIVERSITY: Barriers to accessing capital are uneven across demographic groups, which limits opportunities for some entrepreneurs and undermines broader social and economic outcomes. DEBT: Despite relatively low interest rates, debt is not always the right solution for small businesses, particularly those with less collateral and/or irregular cash flows. Loans often require personal guarantees, and not all entrepreneurs have sufficient assets to provide as collateral. WORKING CAPITAL: Over the past decade, Canadian businesses have signaled a growing need for external capital to cover day-to-day operating expenses. Working capital is especially important for start-up firms that may lack adequate cash flows to reinvest in their businesses in the first several months. However, in Canada, most government-supported loans and grants are designed for other uses, such as technology adoption. INDUSTRY BIAS: Private equity and venture capital investors tend to have more appetite for sectors that are considered knowledge-intensive, such as information technology and biotechnology. As a result, more traditional brick-and-mortar businesses (such as restaurants and retail stores) may have limited access to equity investments. PANDEMIC PRESSURES: As temporary grant and loan programs expire, many small businesses will need access to new financing or refinancing to grow, restructure, or simply keep their doors open. SUCCESSION: Ontario’s aging population has implications for small business succession. By 2030, the number of seniors aged 65 and over is projected to almost double to 23 percent of Ontario’s population. Read the report:  https://bit.ly/3vnA0Cf   We would like to acknowledge and thank Meridian Credit Union and Innovate Cities for their collaboration on this policy brief.

Posted By: Brian Rodnick at 7:53 PM

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