Filomena Tassi

[Small Business, October 19th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, small businesses are the heart of Canadian communities, and our government is delighted to support small businesses like Mādahòkì Farm, which I had the pleasure of visiting with the member for Nepean. It offers a unique indigenous experience and a marketplace for local indigenous entrepreneurs.

Our government is going to continue to support entrepreneurs and small business owners so they can reach their potential and develop new possibilities for Canadians. I thank all small businesses across Canada for their commitment and for their dedication and hard work.

Happy Small Business Week.

[Business of the House, October 5th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, it has already been mentioned, but I would like to confirm that Tuesday, October 17, shall be an allotted day.

[Regional Economic Development, June 19th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to establishing a made-in-Canada plan for electric vehicles, and I would like to thank APMA for its innovation and its leadership.

In Canada, we have strong advantages. They are the power of people, the enormous potential and the ability to turn ideas into reality. That is why our government provided over $5 million to APMA for this incredible project. We have invested and will continue to invest in industry leaders to create a strong economy.

[Committees of the House, April 24th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am tabling the government's responses to Questions Nos. 1302 to 1315.

[Regional Economic Development, February 13th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Kitchener—Conestoga for his tireless advocacy. Rural businesses, organizations and communities contribute significantly to strengthening the Canadian economy. Community Futures Development Corporations offer on-the-ground support that enables rural businesses to thrive. Our government is investing nearly $40 million, as the member has acknowledged, in Community Futures Development Corporations to enable them to provide the support necessary to grow regional economies. Our government is going to continue to make investments in people, which leads to strong economic growth and creates an economy that works for all Canadians.

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 30th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a), operational funding provided by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario to the community futures development corporations, or CFDCs, is allocated based on a model utilizing metrics that include those attributed to the size of the service area, investment fund activity and the provision of business services, and includes specific allocations for CFDCs designated as operating in an official language minority community.

With regard to part (b), operational funding is distributed through a contribution agreement with each of the 36 CFDCs in southern Ontario, as well as two regional associations and one provincial association.

Finally, with regard to part (c), under the program, operational funding is provided to deliver a range of small business services, to provide for the administration of repayable financing to new and existing enterprises and to support the development of strategic plans and community economic development projects to address community needs.

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 30th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, or FedDev Ontario, plays numerous roles in southern Ontario, including that of coinvestor, champion, convenor, collaborator, pathfinder and intelligence source. This requires officials at every level of the agency to regularly engage with numerous stakeholders through various channels. For example, representatives from FedDev Ontario engage with prospective clients and funding recipients as part of standard program delivery practices. Funding recipients for all agency programs are also reported quarterly through proactive disclosure on grants and contributions, which is published on the Open Government website. Additionally, all lobbying activity is accessible via the registry of lobbyists.

The agency is also able to share higher-level information on its multi-faceted approach to engaging with stakeholders. This includes regional, municipal and provincial governments; economic development organizations; industry associations; business accelerators and incubators; private sector firms; indigenous communities; post-secondary institutions; not-for-profit organizations that represent different communities; and under-represented groups.

The multi-faceted engagement approach includes a variety of outreach activities that are undertaken at the ministerial, executive, management and staff levels. For example, the minister leads round tables and bilateral meetings with community and industry representatives, and there are funding announcements and site visits to businesses and organizations that are leading FedDev Ontario-funded projects. These engagements provide deeper insight into regional priorities and community-driven initiatives, allow for the development and strengthening of partnerships at the local level and enhance awareness of and access to agency programs and services.

There are executive- and staff-led bilateral engagements with clients and prospective clients to promote agency programs and services to identify and catalyze opportunities for investment; provide feedback on proposals; notify applicants of funding decisions; monitor funded projects and conduct site visits; and serve as a single point of contact for clients, allowing for consistent support across projects.

Businesses and organizations that are interested in learning more about agency and federal programs also have access to executive- and staff-led technical briefings to promote FedDev Ontario programming and to help ensure all eligible organizations are aware of program parameters and how to apply. For example, the agency provided five technical briefings over the month of November 2022 to walk over 400 participants through the tourism relief fund and answer questions they had.

There is also FedDev Ontario’s contact centre and small business services team. These engagements by phone, by email or in person help entrepreneurs to better understand and improve access to the agency’s programming and government programming more broadly.

Additional pathfinding and convening services to a wide range of federal and provincial resources and partnerships are provided across the region. This includes referrals under Canada’s accelerated growth strategy, global skills strategy and industrial and technological benefits, or ITB, policy, among other programs and initiatives. With respect to the ITB, agency officials engage with defence contractors at conferences, bilateral meetings and site visits, with the ultimate goal of showcasing the industrial, innovative and research capabilities of southern Ontario and facilitating connections with local small and medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs.

There are executive- and staff-led bilateral engagements with community and industry leaders, including those with whom the agency does not have a funding relationship, to gather intelligence on economic growth opportunities and challenges across the region, as well as insight into the strategies and initiatives of different communities and industries. These engagements provide valuable feedback and insights that can inform agency and federal policies and programs.

There are executive- and staff-led bilateral engagements with provincial and municipal officials to foster a culture of continued information sharing and collaboration on economic growth in southern Ontario. These engagements support alignment on strategic policy and program files, inform project development, identify areas for coinvestments, and enhance services to businesses and entrepreneurs through more coordinated, informed pathfinding services.

There are executive-led round tables to gather on-the-ground intelligence from a broad cross-section of stakeholders on the challenges and opportunities facing a particular industry or community. These round tables can provide direct feedback on program efficacy, as well as facilitate information sharing and collaboration among participants. For example, in spring 2019, FedDev Ontario executives led a series of 20 round table events in urban and rural communities across southern Ontario.

Executives and staff attend events to help promote the work of the agency by participating on panels, delivering remarks and networking at conferences. These engagements provide opportunities to develop new partnerships and to gather intelligence on issues, trends and promising initiatives across the region that can inform policy and program development.

Beyond publicly available information and the high-level information provided, FedDev Ontario concluded that producing and validating a comprehensive response to this question would require a manual collection of information that is not possible in the time allotted and could lead to the disclosure of incomplete and misleading information, particularly given the high volume and complexity of engagement by the agency, as described above.

[Regional Economic Development, November 4th, 2022]

Madam Speaker, the investments that we have made and continue to make through the fall economic statement will grow the Canadian economy. We are drawing investors through the Canada growth fund, and we are upscaling and training workers toward a low-carbon economy through a sustainable jobs plan.

The economic future for southern Ontario is solid. It will be inclusive, diversified and enable Canadians to reach their full potential. This is an economy that works for all Canadians.

[Small Business, October 20th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, this is the first time I am rising in the House as the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, and I wish to acknowledge that I am honoured, excited and grateful to take on this new role.

I want to thank the member for Kitchener South—Hespeler for her advocacy for small businesses. Our government knows that when we invest in small businesses such as Racer, it creates jobs and strengthens our economy. Supports like this will help entrepreneurs reach their full potential, and I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Small Business Week.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2022, No. 1, June 3rd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, an agreement could not be reached under the provisions of Standing Order 78(1) or 78(2) with respect to the report stage and third reading stage of Bill C-19, an act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 7, 2022 and other measures.

Under the provisions of Standing Order 78(3), I give notice that a minister of the Crown will propose at the next sitting a motion to allot a specific number of days or hours for the consideration and disposal of proceedings at the respective stages of the said bill.