Around Canada, and even around the world, these kinds of businesses established by communities and for communities create many more jobs than just one. Sometimes, it is three, five, 10 or 20 jobs. In the Groupe Convex's case, it is 120 jobs. In the case of La maison verte, in Hearst, it is about 40. Various kinds of financing and investments must be available to companies like that.
They must also learn to become real businesses. As a result, a few thousand dollars may be necessary for start-up and support in the preliminary stages of establishing a business. Sometimes, you need a little money to get a business going, and sometimes you can get a loan or a grant. Basically, a number of practices come together.
If a similar program were re-established, providing an added value, there will be a range of financing for investment. People could take out what they needed, whether they needed $3,000 prior to start-up, or $5,000 for an opening or $150,000 or $1 million for a bigger project like refurbishing La Nouvelle Scène in downtown Ottawa, an organization that has created 150 jobs in four arts companies.
I would also invite you to look at what is happening in Manitoba, in Nova Scotia and in Quebec. A number of options are being created there.
It is a good program, but if it could be diversified, it would be stronger. Each dollar invested in a community yields at least four dollars, if not more.