QUESTION PERIOD — Innovation, Science and Economic Development
Canada Digital Adoption Program
March 19, 2024
My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Senator Gold, last month we learned that most of the Canada Digital Adoption Program, or CDAP, will be cancelled. First announced in Budget 2021, the CDAP was part of a larger, $4-billion effort to help Canadian small businesses become more efficient, go digital, take advantage of e-commerce and become more competitive in Canada and abroad. I strongly believe that helping our community of small to medium-sized enterprises increase its online presence is crucial in helping our entrepreneurs create wealth and good-paying jobs.
Can you provide us with the government’s rationale for suddenly winding down this program? What will happen with the millions of dollars earmarked for this program that remain unspent?
Thank you for your question. I’ve been informed that the federal government has closed intake for the Boost Your Business Technology, BYBT, stream of the Canada Digital Adoption Program, known as CDAP, as it has reached full subscription. It’s important to note, colleagues, that the applications for the Grow Your Business Online Grant are still open, and businesses who have already signed their BYBT grant agreements prior to Monday will continue to benefit from the program, including access to BDC financing, despite the closing of the intake.
I’m not aware of specific plans the government has for potential remaining earmarked funding. However, the government will continue to look at what can be done to support small and medium-sized businesses.
Thank you for that answer. Can you assure us that the Canada Digital Adoption Program will undergo a proper evaluation in order to assess its overall performance, including take-up rates, benefits, shortcomings and value for money?
According to staff in the minister’s office, this program has been extremely successful in supporting tens of thousands of small businesses across Canada, which makes this decision somewhat perplexing. Surely, there’s a good reason that motivated this decision.
Thank you. As you know, the grant has been extremely successful in supporting tens of thousands of small businesses across Canada that need support to grow and to succeed. The government is always interested in learning lessons from previous programs in order to improve its delivery and design of programs, although I’m not aware of any full evaluation of the program, or whether a full evaluation will occur. I will certainly raise this with the minister.
