LesAffaires.com - Sylvie Dillard – We need to review government assistance to SMEs
Sylvie Dillard – We need to review government assistance to SMEs
Suzanne Dansereau . Les Affaires. 09-09-2010
Chairwoman of Quebec’s council of science and technology, Sylvie Dillard, wants government assistance programs to also offer support services to businesses.
Les affaires – Why do SMEs have little access to funding sources for their innovation projects?
Sylvie Dillard – The capital market is to all intents closed to them. Banks refuse to conduct costly assessments for small projects and complain that SMEs provide them little information. That is why government support for SMEs is crucial. Our survey shows that SMEs value loan programs and loan guarantees. However, they find tax assistance programs and subsidies too complicated and too difficult to implement.
Les affaires – What is the solution?
Sylvie Dillard – We must review government assistance. Currently, the Quebec government lends a hand primarily through tax measures in the form of tax credits. SMEs make little use of these programs, and this assistance is not offered according to the quality of the project. A rebalancing between tax assistance and subsidies may be necessary. Moreover, we must reduce the number of subsidy programs and ensure they are better aligned with business needs. In other words, provide assistance more intelligently. What SMEs need is guidance. Why isn’t it offered by programs? An increasing number of countries pursue this course.
Les affaires – What kind of guidance do you have in mind?
Sylvie Dillard – The Saskatchewan government has created Saskatchewan Innovation, an agency that manages assistance programs and guides its beneficiaries through innovation projects. SMEs have access to competent advisors who know how things work in the real world. Why not a “Quebec Innovation?” Quebec’s business assistance is generous, but the nature of the intervention must be reviewed. We're not sure we have neither all the instruments, nor the best.
About Sylvie Dillard:
Age: 62 years
Function: Chairwoman
Company: Conseil de la science et de la technologie
This economist was chairwoman of Quebec’s fund for nature and technologies and deputy minister of Quebec’s industry, trade science and technology.
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