Thank you so much for that important question.
This sector is really important to so many communities coast to coast to coast across Canada, including Kapuskasing and northern Ontario. We know this sector is also an incredible leader in responsible forest management and sustainable products.
Canadian businesses, particularly small and medium-sized businesses of which there are many in this sector, especially those that are emerging, make up 99% of all businesses in Canada. Today, 12% of those businesses are exporting. There is the opportunity not only to export more, but also to grow more into those markets we have access to. Canada is very enviable as the only G7 country with a free trade agreement with the other seven countries, and has access to a billion and a half customers around the globe.
We need to help our businesses and make the investments in them for this growth. Whether it's getting access to capital, or access to the supports and market research into where they may grow, is what team trade Canada is doing. Whether it is the trade commissioner service and the investments of $290 million, whether it's CanExport....
We have pivoted, by the way, as well, during the course of COVID-19 to make sure that businesses have access to that support to help them grow. This means attending virtual trade shows. It's dealing with some of the barriers that might have come up as a result of exporting in this COVID environment and helping them deal with those kinds of costs. It's for the innovative forestry sector with the IP they are developing, and paying for their IP and their patents.
There is a range of supports to help our businesses grow into those international markets.