International Trade committee  I would say that B corps is a global movement. There are 1,220 B corps, varying from small shops of one or two people to large multinational corporations. One of the largest B corps in the world is the Business Development Bank of Canada, so it's a really broad spread movement.

International Trade committee  I think that would be a question more for the individual enterprises. B Lab is a body that manages the certification and then liaises with governments or with specific jurisdictions around passing the legislation. While a B corp might be interested in penetrating the market, what we do specifically is work with them in order to get more traction for the movement and for impact-driven businesses.

International Trade committee  On the small end of things—and this is where the B corp/MaRS line gets a little fuzzy here in Canada—we would work with a company like Lucky Iron Fish, which does work in the Asian market. It's a small iron ingot shaped like a fish. When you put it in the pot during your meals the iron leaches into the food, and that can combat iron deficiency.

International Trade committee  B corps legislation is the first and obvious thing on the docket. As I said before, there are 28 jurisdictions in the U.S. with it: 27 states and Washington, D.C. There are, if my memory serves me correctly, 12 states with legislation before the state houses at present. This is not by any means a niche or something that is going away.

International Trade committee  With regard to increasing investment in Asia, I think this is an excellent time to think about the future and the kinds of policies and economic systems that we'd like to share. This is one area where the west can lead. A number of great B corps—and this is also a small plug for the MaRS work that we do generally—operate in Asia and are not just businesses, but businesses with character, and businesses that pay attention to environmental impacts and to making sure that development is holistic and not just slanted to one side of the ledger.

International Trade committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair, and good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon, dear friends. I greatly appreciate the invitation to participate in this conversation today. I'm only one person sitting before you, but I know that my remarks are an accurate reflection of the options and experiences of 130 certified B corporations across this country and the quickly growing market of impact-driven entrepreneurs who can be found in cities, towns, and villages throughout Canada.