Thank you so much, Madam Chair.
It's terrific to be here with my honourable colleagues. I appreciate the opportunity to meet with you today on the occasion of the tabling of the 2020-21 main and supplementary estimates.
Madam Chair, without a doubt, this year has been filled with challenges. I'm very happy to be joining you during Global Entrepreneurship Week. It's a chance to celebrate and thank entrepreneurs for their hard work, their innovative spirit and their resilience.
From the smiling faces at your favourite cafe to the mechanic running that auto repair shop on the other side of town, or the innovator who is running the local clean-tech company or medical device company, our entrepreneurs make our communities more vibrant and welcoming places to call home. This is why, since the very beginning of this pandemic, our government has taken immediate action to support Canadians, and we're making crucial investments in small businesses and entrepreneurs now, so that we can build a stronger and more sustainable Canada for everyone in years to come.
Our Canada emergency wage subsidy has helped businesses keep over 3.8 million hard-working Canadians on the payroll.
Over 780,000 business owners have taken advantage of the Canada emergency business account, otherwise known as CEBA, to keep up with their costs of doing business and their operating expenses. We've also helped 3.2 million entrepreneurs keep more money in their pockets by deferring the GST, HST and customs duty payments.
Over 12,000 businesses and 95,000 Canadian workers have been supported through the regional relief and recovery fund, a $1.6-billion investment to support businesses through this crisis.
The Canada emergency commercial rent assistance provided rent relief to over 130,000 business owners, helping 1.1 million employees stay in those businesses, and the recently announced Canada emergency rent subsidy will provide direct rent and mortgage support for even more small business owners who need it the most.
As we rebuild our economy, we are committed to ensuring that our economy is inclusive and works for everyone.
That is why we recently topped up our women entrepreneurship strategy amid COVID-19, a nearly $5-billion investment that breaks down systemic barriers to economic success by providing access to financing and to networks of support for women across this country.
It's also why we recently announced Canada's first-ever Black entrepreneurship program, an investment of up to $221 million, which will help break down barriers and help thousands of Black-owned businesses across the country to grow their businesses and to thrive for years to come.
It's why we're investing over $300 million to support indigenous entrepreneurs through this crisis and to address their unique needs and realities.
Madam Chair, I have just covered some of our emergency supports for small businesses, but make no mistake, our government is working beyond our borders to make sure that Canadians have every opportunity available to them for economic recovery. This pandemic has only underscored how interconnected our world truly is and how much we depend on each other.
Trade accounts for nearly two-thirds of Canada's economy and supports 3.3 million jobs, or one out of every six jobs. We need to focus on the fundamentals: open and rules-based trade to give predictability to our businesses; diversification to create new exporting opportunities for entrepreneurs; strong supply chains to allow for essentials to flow, like food and medicine for all Canadians. At the centre of our approach is ensuring that Canadians see the full benefits of trade.
It's why we've worked hard to position Canadian businesses of all sizes for future growth and success by giving them the tools they need to scale up, to access those new markets and to benefit from international trade opportunities. Our revamped CanExport program is providing $75,000 to help entrepreneurs expand their e-commerce presence at 10 virtual trade shows and navigate new COVID-19-related trade barriers.
These are the kinds of investments we need to set our businesses up for success now, and into the future.
It's just one example in what I like to call our trade tool box, which includes our entire trade commissioner service network, Export Development Canada, the Business Development Bank of Canada, Canadian Commercial Corporation, and Invest in Canada. All of these supports are here to help our businesses succeed here at home and abroad.
We will get through this. Canadians are resilient and they're strong. Small businesses and all Canadians can count on this government. We'll continue to do whatever it takes to help entrepreneurs and small business owners rebuild, adapt and thrive for years to come.
Madam Chair and committee members, thank you so much for your time. I am happy to answer any of your questions.