For Immediate Release
October 17, 2007

Small Business Week In Ontario

During this week of October 15 – October 19th we acknowledge the dedicated and hardworking small business owners of Ontario who provide both employment and economic strength to our province.

Ontario has about 350,000 small and medium-sized enterprises. Together, they employ about 2.8 million Ontarians and account for over $120 billion in economic activity. They operate across all sectors of the economy and all regions of the province.

Small Business certainly is the backbone and the economic engine that is driving our riding of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock.  In the city of Kawartha Lakes there are over 3000 small/medium size enterprises.  When we consider their contribution to our economy locally and across Ontario, along with the number of people they employ, or the goods and services that they supply to our communities it is clear that local organizations would not exist without small business.

There is a wealth of talent and versatility in our small businesses community.  This includes an agricultural industry which employs an estimated 9,600 full time and 5,800 part time positions on farms or in other agricultural-related businesses.

The City of Kawartha Lakes is once again hosting a number of daily events throughout Small Business Week.  These will focus on the aspects of small business including skilled trades, environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions for business, human resources, financial management and marketing ideas – to name only a few.

Recently, a number of our local municipalities were successful in obtaining provincial funding for the expansion of high speed internet to under-serviced areas.  Working with project partners to assist with the funding, these communities will have the benefit of increased technology in order to build and grow.  This is something I have been pleased to work for on behalf of our communities, and will continue to bring this need to Queen’s Park.

Another aspect for which we have seen significant progress is the expansion of Highway 35, which is hugely important for our local businesses and economic development.

The entrepreneurial spirit within our communities is second-to-none.   As a provincial government, it’s vital that we work to create a climate that will provide as many opportunities as possible for business to gain knowledge and advantages in order to move forward.

Small businesses are in every corner of Ontario, sponsoring local sports and recreational programs, fundraising activities and volunteering to help the less fortunate in our society.

As your provincial representative, I am proud of our rural roots and the strong contributions our communities make to our province – the backbone of that contribution is our small businesses.

It is my pleasure to recognize and salute our entrepreneurs and their employees during Small Businesses Week and acknowledge their tremendous efforts towards the betterment of Ontario.