Statement from Minister Ng on joint commitment with WTO members to support small businesses

May 14, 2020 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, today issued the following statement:

“Our government is unwavering in our support for Canadian businesses—of every size, every sector, and every region of the country.

“Small and medium-sized businesses make up 99% of all Canadian companies—and as Canada and our international partners take gradual steps toward recovery, we will do everything we can to help them through this.

“Today, Canada and 48 World Trade Organization [WTO] members signed a joint statement committing to address the immediate economic challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises throughout this crisis and beyond. We also reaffirmed our support for the central role of the WTO in international trade.

“Businesses and workers depend on stability, predictability, and open global supply chains to do business around the world—and this also ensures that people get the essential goods and services they need when they need them.

“Coordinating with our international partners is critical to ensuring that Canadian businesses, whether small or medium-sized, have the tools, resources, and relief they need during this unprecedented time.

“We continue to take extraordinary measures to help small businesses overcome this crisis and build resilience for future challenges.”