Thank you to the great colleague of mine from Mississauga–Erin Mills for the question.

Speaker, I’ve heard from so many young entrepreneurs who are finding their dreams of starting their businesses harder due to the mounting affordability challenges caused by the carbon tax. Many tell me their parents are willing to help, but with the costs of groceries, gas and everyday essentials growing, there’s just nothing left over to help them secure the necessary capital or invest in the supplies needed to start or sustain their businesses through the crucial start-up phase.

Our government recognizes the crucial role young entrepreneurs play in driving our economic growth. That’s why we’ve invested $1.5 million more into our Summer Company program, for a total of $4.7 million a year, so an additional 250 young people can be their own boss this summer.

Speaker, while we're making it easier for our entrepreneurs to get started, the carbon tax is making it harder. That’s why—

Speaker, I’ve been hearing similar concerns from more seasoned business owners who are grappling with the significant cost pressures this tax is creating as they seek to launch and grow their own business.

Our government is taking proactive steps to bolster our support for all prospective small business owners.

Just last week, we announced a $4.8-million investment over the next two years to expand the Starter Company Plus program, which provides training, mentoring and grants of up to $5,000 to help entrepreneurs age 18 and older start or grow their business. This will give an additional 500 entrepreneurs the opportunity to succeed, building on the over 5,500 companies it has already supported and the more than 6,300 jobs we’ve created across Ontario.

Speaker, this Premier, this government is focused on reducing the barriers to starting a business, and the biggest one that still stands in their way is the job-killing carbon tax.

I really want to thank the member for Mississauga–Erin Mills for the question.

This Small Business Week, we celebrate the ambition and entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners and their businesses right across our province.

As a former small business owner, I know first-hand the risks and hard work it takes to start and grow a business.

Ontario’s more than 435,000 small businesses are the backbone of our communities, employing more than 2.4 million people. These small businesses exist in towns and cities across our province.

For 2022-23 and 2023-24, we are investing an additional $40 million in the Digital Main Street program, which brings our total investment to over $57 million. To date, Digital Main Street has helped more than 69,000 small businesses create and increase their digital presence. These are real, tangible resources, and small businesses—

Our government understands that small businesses are vital to our economic success and essential to regional communities right across our province. Small businesses make up almost 98% of all businesses in Ontario. From family-owned corner stores to brand new start-ups, everyone knows a small business that has made a difference in their community, and we know we need to create the environment for more of these businesses to launch and succeed.

So far, we’ve provided $3 million to Futurpreneur Canada, and in 2023-24, the government is providing an additional $2 million, bringing our total investment to over $5 million. These investments are critical to our economic success. Now, thousands of young small business owners between the ages of 18 and 39 will be able to access mentorship programs and financial resources.

We will always support and promote our world-class small business sector.

To all of Ontario’s small businesses: Happy Small Business Week, and thank you for all that you do to support us all.