Google to help 50K Canadian small businesses get online

TORONTO — To help Canadian small businesses with their economic recovery, Google Canada announced on May 28 that the company is committing $1 million dollars to expand Digital Main Street’s ShopHERE program nationally to help get 50,000 Canadian small businesses online this year.

In Canada, small businesses employ 90% of the private sector workforce, but since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, storefronts across the country have been forced to close their doors. According to the OECD, these closures are likely to hit small and medium-sized businesses hardest.

Google’s investment will enable Digital Main Street to expand the program to municipalities across the country, offering more businesses and artists the opportunity to build a digital presence and minimize the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because the opportunities afforded by the digital economy are still limited if people don’t have the right skills, Google’s investment will also help more small businesses receive the digital skills training needed to participate in the digital economy.

“Since Google began its business in Canada nearly twenty years ago, we’ve been focused on helping Canadian businesses of all sizes to unlock the prosperity of the internet,” said Sabrina Geremia, VP and country manager, Google Canada, in a prepared statement. “We remain optimistic and more determined than ever that technology is the toolkit for a world of opportunities. Our one million dollar investment will go towards expanding the ShopHERE program nationally, so we can help small businesses across Canada navigate the challenges ahead.”

The program will begin rolling out in select municipalities next month and businesses will be able to apply for the program at digitalmainstreet.ca/shophere. This program is run in partnership with municipalities.