The Challenges Faced by SME's: A conversation between our MP, The Honourable Stéphane Dion and AllerAir Industries

We really enjoyed meeting our MP today, the Honourable Stéphane Dion and talking to him about the air purification industry and some of the challenges faced by SME's (small to medium sized businesses).

Many Canadians don't realize:

• Small and medium-sized enterprises comprise the majority of Canadian firms that sell goods and services abroad. Their exports are directly linked to increased productivity, job creation and economic growth.

• In Quebec, small and medium-sized enterprises account for 96 % of all businesses and have led larger firms in productivity and growth over the last 10 years.

• According to Statistics Canada's Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (SEPH), on average in 2007, just over 5.1 million employees on payroll, or 48 percent of the total private sector labour force, worked for small enterprises (those with fewer than 100 employees).

• Manufacturing accounts for nearly 1.8 million Canadian jobs (2007)

• Manufacturing jobs are being lost at a rate of 150 a day

We believe that access to financing is critical if SMEs are to develop and expand.
 
We look forward to more conversations with you Mr. Dion!