Under-resourced English-speaking entrepreneurs need support to grow their
businesses

MONTREAL, Oct. 4 /CNW Telbec/ - English-speaking small business owners across Quebec are speaking out about the lack of resources to help them develop and grow their businesses and contribute to their local economies.

The Conference Board of Canada reported in 2008 that the creation of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in cultural or linguistic minority communities is a powerful catalyst for economic diversification and an important vehicle for job creation. The success of businesses in any community is based on the strength and determination of the individuals behind them, but the extent of success is influenced by the ability to obtain support and aid from external resources.

To better understand the various factors that stimulate or impede small business growth within Quebec's minority language English-speaking communities, a series of focus group discussions with English-speaking small business owners was conducted during the spring of 2010. This consultation took place in six regions of Quebec, in both rural and urban contexts, specifically in Montreal, Laurentians, South West Quebec, Eastern Townships, Lower North Shore and the Magdalen Islands.

The Community Economic Development and Employability Corporation (CEDEC) has released the study report outlining the challenges facing English-speaking entrepreneurs and puts forward recommendations to address them. The full report, available in English and in French, can be accessed at www.cedec.ca.

Common challenges that were identified include the limited access to capital to finance start-ups and expansion, unreasonably high levels of red tape to access government services and programs, and limited access to qualified bilingual employees. These challenges are further compounded for English-speaking small business owners who reported having difficulty accessing information and resources, lack of affordable and convenient professional development and training, and limited access to English-language networking opportunities within Quebec, further reinforcing the sense of isolation and lack of outside support.

Based on the focus group findings and consultation with the study's Advisory Committee, two main recommendations have been proposed:

Recommendation No. 1: Adopt a collaborative effort to provide a supportive environment for English-speaking small businesses.

    
      This effort should include:

    - an Quebec-wide English-speaking business network that can provide
      affordable 'just in time' professional development opportunities

    - support for informal networking (peer exchange)

    - a centralized English-language business repository to redirect
      inquiries to appropriate service providers

    - branding of the bilingual entrepreneurial culture of the English-
      speaking community to attract business opportunities from outside of
      Quebec
    

Recommendation 2: Direct effort towards labour market partnerships between government and business

    
    Access to qualified and bilingual labour in the regions is a serious
    impediment to small business growth and expansion in Quebec. It is
    recommended that industry and the education sector collaborate to respond
    to the specific needs of the English-speaking small business community
    and to present solutions to increase the pool of qualified bilingual
    employees in the regions. Funds must also be directed at providing
    affordable and accessible French second-language training that targets
    specific needs of English-speaking business owners in the regions.
    

The report, Stimulating Small Business Development in Quebec's English-speaking Communities, brings forward key recommendations that deserve attention. A supportive environment is needed to encourage English-speaking small business owners to continue to grow and expand from their Quebec base. It is also clear that government cannot drive small business development, but it will be important for all levels of government to respond to this report in terms of how they can facilitate this process.

In communities across Quebec, CEDEC shares its experience in planning and developing partnerships with the aim to strengthen local economies and employability of the English-speaking and broader community.

For further information: Kirsten Hathaway, Communications Officer, 514.755.7043, [email protected]; www.cedec.ca