Mr. Speaker, our country just marked Small Business Week, and I would like to recognize the resilience of small and medium-sized businesses in Pierrefonds—Dollard.
There is no question small businesses have been hard hit by the pandemic. Our government has stepped up, though, to provide supports by covering the wages of workers, providing emergency loans and subsidizing rents.
At the local level, to ensure businesses knew about these programs, my team and I developed a small business outreach program. With the help of the West Island of Montreal Chamber of Commerce, we identified over 1,800 businesses in the riding. We then sent dedicated mailers to each of these businesses to explain these programs.
My staff, along with dedicated volunteers such as Alisha and Zakia, also called over 750 small businesses. In each conversation, they sought to help entrepreneurs and employees navigate federal programs. Our message to small businesses is that we are here for them. We are here to help them stay resilient in these challenging times.