THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON BANKING, COMMERCE AND THE ECONOMY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Thursday, May 7, 2026
(37)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy met this day at 10:32 a.m., in room W110, 1 Wellington St., the chair, the Honourable Clément Gignac, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Deacon (Nova Scotia), Fridhandler, Gignac, Henkel, Loffreda, McBean, Wallin and Yussuff (8).
Other senators present: The Honourable Senator Pupatello (1).
Participating in the meeting: Adriane Yong, Analyst and Jaquelin Coulson, Research Assistant, Library of Parliament; Chelsea DeFazio, Communications Officer, Communications, Broadcasting and Publications Directorate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, November 20, 2025, the committee continued its study on access to credit and capital markets for small- and medium-sized enterprises as the basis for growth and improved productivity in the Canadian economy.
WITNESSES:
The51:
Shelley Kuipers, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer.
Evol:
Géraldine Martin, Chief Executive Officer.
Shorefast:
Zita Cobb, Chief Executive Officer and Founder.
Zita Cobb, Géraldine Martin and Shelley Kuipers each made a statement and answered questions.
At 11:50 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 11:57 a.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to discuss a draft report.
It was agreed that the committee allow the audio recording and/or transcription of the in camera portion of today's meeting, that one copy be kept with the clerk of the committee for consultation by committee members or staff, and that the audio recording and/or transcript be destroyed by the clerk of the committee when authorized to do so by the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, but no later than at the end of this parliamentary session.
It was agreed that the draft report for the committee’s study on access to credit and capital markets for small- and medium-sized enterprises as the basis for growth and improved productivity in the Canadian economy be shared in English only with all members of the committee once reviewed by the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, with the French version of the report to be circulated to all members once received from the Translation Bureau and once concordance with the latest English version has been completed.
At 12:33 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Matthieu Boulianne
Clerk of the Committee