An Investigation into Government Policies and Programs on Black Entrepreneurship in Canada

Written by: Dr Samuel Ojo  Oloruntoba

This article is a synopsis of an ongoing investigation into Government policies and programs on Black Entrepreneurship in Canada. The project is being led by Dr. Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba, Assistant Professor Institute of African Studies at Carleton University. He was previously an Associate Professor at the Thabo Mbeki Africa School of Public and International Affairs, University of South Africa.

The project is set within the context of the need to understand the ecosystem of knowledge on the gap in policies and programs required to unlock the massive potential of Black entrepreneurship in Canada. At the end of the project, it is expected that the result will inspire policymakers to create change based on quantitative and qualitative evidence of the gap in existing policies and programs on Black entrepreneurship. This is expected to engender a better entrepreneurial ecosystem that empowers Black Canadian communities to maximize their economic potential through entrepreneurship. This will also be in the best interest of Canada, as it will reduce overall unemployment and associated social problems.

With a population of 1.5 million, Black Canadians from different generations have continued to face racial discrimination when trying to establish their businesses. Some of these discriminations flow from policies that impede rather than stimulate the entrepreneurial spirit of the Black population. In a recent survey, 75% of 342 Black entrepreneurs disclosed that systemic racism makes it difficult for them to access capital and hinders them from having a business network that could help them grow their businesses. Although the government has formulated various policies to address the problems, there are still systemic barriers that constrain Black entrepreneurship in Canada. To this extent, the objective of this study is to survey the generality of the Black business ecosystem in light of how past and current Government policies and programs affect Black entrepreneurship. This is aimed at determining the suitability, effectiveness, and efficiencies of such government policies and to recommend appropriate and result-oriented interventions.

With the increasing population of Black people in Canada, it is important to design policies that not only create a level playing ground for all Canadians but address the systemic discrimination of the past through targeted interventions that allow the Black community to access the support and benefits that other segments of the population have enjoyed for centuries. By 2041, it is projected that the population of Black people in Canada will surpass 3 million, which is more than double the current population. This would require a wholistic approach that includes an entrepreneur policy environment that is at once restorative, inclusive, and empowering. This project will contribute to the Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (BEKH) at the Sprott School of Business by complementing other research projects aimed at understanding the overall ecosystem of knowledge on Black entrepreneurship in Canada. Data generated from the various studies would help to inform policies at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels.