Ontario-wide Small Business Week launches in King City

"There's nothing small about small business”

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 28, 2019
Shelia Wang

A weeklong celebration and recognition for small businesses across Ontario began in King City on Oct. 22.

"There's nothing small about small business,” Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction Prabmeet Sarkaria said at Pine Farms Orchard, a family-run small business that's over half a century old.

“It's about big hope, big dreams and big opportunities. Ontario's small businesses create jobs for hardworking Ontarians and help to support and sustain our growing economy,” Sarkaria said.

The minister made the announcement to kick off Small Business Week, joined by Education Minister Stephen Lecce, King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini and representatives from the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce.

"Small business is the backbone of our economy -- that's true here in King Township, Vaughan and in every community across the province," said Lecce, who is also the MPP for the King-Vaughan riding.

The 2019 York Region Employment Survey data shows there were a total of 445 businesses in King Township last year and small firms represented the biggest share, accounting for 85 per cent of all businesses in King.

King has added over 3,800 jobs to its employment base over the past decade, data shows.

King's economic development officer, Jamie Smyth, said this survey did not include all home-based business occupations and agricultural businesses.

On Oct. 17, King recognized four local businesses at the Mayor's Annual Business Breakfast at Kingbridge Conference Centre.

It was the ninth year the township profiled businesses in King to recognize roles they play in local economy and to increase awareness of their products and services, Smyth said.

At the launch of the annual Small Business Week, Lecce reiterated the Ontario government’s commitment to support Canadian job creators and workers.

There are approximately 418,000 small businesses in Ontario, representing nearly 98 per cent of all businesses in the province.

Small Business Week is part of Ontario’s efforts to cut red tape and streamline regulations in order to improve the investment climate in Ontario.

Last week, Sarkaria launched a new webpage to hear directly from businesses on how to make Ontario work smarter by modernizing regulations and easing burdens on job creators.