It's nice to see you. Thanks so much.
Thank you to the committee for inviting us to speak on Canada’s international trade during and after COVID. As mentioned, I'm president and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Joining me today is my colleague Leigh Smout, president of the World Trade Centre Toronto, the board’s trade services arm.
Our focus in our discussion with you today is on the work we are doing to activate Canadian businesses to take advantage of the trade opportunities that have been created. The Toronto Region Board of Trade represents more than 13,500 businesses in the Toronto region, 75% of which are small and medium-sized enterprises.
First, on behalf of our members, I want to thank you for your strong and responsive efforts during these incredibly challenging times. Your actions have kept hundreds of thousands of businesses afloat across the country.
At the board, we focus on solutions to help businesses thrive and grow. Pre-COVID, our World Trade Centre had a five-year track record of proven programs that have helped more than 1,200 Canadian SMEs go global. Since the pandemic, we've pivoted existing programs and launched a new program to help businesses adapt to the conditions of COVID.
I'm going to turn the mike over to Leigh to share some more.