For immediate release
MONTREAL, Quebec, February 29, 2008 – The Honourable Michael M Fortier, Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), held a productive meeting today with representatives of Montreal area small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of the meeting was to encourage them to do business with the Government of Canada.
"The Government bought more than $800 million worth of goods and services from SMEs in Quebec in 2006," Minister Fortier said at the meeting. "But I'm here today to tell you that we want that figure to be even higher."
The meeting was organized by the department's Office of Small and Medium Enterprises, known as OSME. OSME's goal is to help businesses access and navigate the government bidding process. In its first 18 months of operation, the Quebec Region's office in Montreal helped more than 1,900 suppliers.
"In the last three years, 84 per cent of new contracts awarded to Quebec businesses have gone to small and medium enterprises," Minister Fortier said. "This is great news because we know that SMEs are critical to our economic prosperity."
Through its regional offices across Canada, OSME is raising awareness of opportunities to sell to the government while identifying the barriers businesses face in trying to do so. It is also working to simplify and make more accessible the processes and electronic tools involved.
Minister Fortier noted that, in addition to OSME's efforts, the Government has assisted Canadian businesses in a wide range of ways, such as reducing federal paperwork, investing in infrastructure, improving access to skilled labour, cutting the GST and other tax-related measures.
The Minister also highlighted the creation of the new Procurement Ombudsman position. This position will help monitor that government purchasing is done fairly.
- 30 -
Ce texte est également disponible en français.
For further information, please contact:
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Fortier
613-868-1128
Media Relations Office
Public Works and Government Services Canada
819-956-2315
PWGSC news releases are also available on our Internet site at: www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/medias-media/index-eng.html.
