The Honourable Maxime Bernier Meets with the CYBF Entrepreneurs to Discuss the Challenges and Opportunities Facing Young Entrepreneurs in Canada

THE HONOURABLE MAXIME BERNIER MEETS WITH CYBF ENTREPRENEURS TO DISCUSS THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FACING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS IN CANADA

Minister joins roundtable discussion with young entrepreneurs

October 18, 2011 – Montreal, PQ – Today, the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) hosted the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) at a roundtable with eight CYBF young entrepreneurs, at the Montreal showroom of local kitchen designer and CYBF entrepreneur, Group 3R.

The roundtable, held in celebration of the Year of the Entrepreneur and Small Business Week®, focused on the importance of strengthening youth entrepreneurship across Canada. Young entrepreneurs are critical in fostering Canada’s growth, creating jobs and cultivating innovation and prosperity.

At a press conference following the roundtable, Minister Bernier used the opportunity to formally launch Small Business Week® and to announce the recent federal grant earmarking $20 million over two years in funding for CYBF. The funding will enable the national organization to launch more than 1,000 new businesses which are expected to create more than 6,700 new Canadian jobs.

“The Canadian Youth Business Foundation is grateful to the Government of Canada for its ongoing commitment to young entrepreneurs,” states Vivian Prokop, chief executive officer of CYBF, widely considered the go-to organization driving youth entrepreneurship in Canada. “This contribution will help CYBF to continue to support the ideas, the innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit of Canada’s youth, and enable us to unleash the entrepreneurial potential of young people to generate ideas, expand innovation and create jobs and wealth in communities from coast to coast to coast.”

‘’The $20 million we are investing today through the next phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan demonstrates our government’s continued support for small businesses, the motor of job creation and economic growth,’’ said Minister of State Bernier. ‘’ We are committed to supporting the CYBF as it works with the business leaders of tomorrow.”

“As President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and board member of the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, we are delighted with the federal government’s ongoing commitment to Canadian Youth Business Foundation,” said Catherine Swift. ”Entrepreneurship is key to Canada’s current and future success as a strong economy and society.”

^(®) Small Business Week is a registered trademark of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).

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About the Canadian Youth Business Foundation – Canada’s Entrepreneur Gateway

The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) is the ‘go to’ place for youth entrepreneurship. As a national charity, we are dedicated to growing Canada’s economy one young entrepreneur at a time. We look at character, not collateral, when providing youth, age 18-34, with pre-launch coaching, business resources, start-up financing and mentoring. We help them launch and sustain a successful entrepreneurial business. www.cybf.ca

CYBF Media Contact:

Rachel Azagury
Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications
Email: razagury@cybf.ca
Phone: 866-646-2922 x2111
Cell: 647-834-2923