DURHAM: The following statement is being issued, on behalf of John Henry, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer for The Regional Municipality of Durham, in acknowledgement of Small Business Week, “In Durham Region, our business community has a proven reputation of solving big business problems through innovation and resilience. They are key drivers of our local economy. They have helped to shape the heart and soul of our community. Since the beginning of the pandemic last spring, COVID-19 has had a major impact on the business community, owners, workers and their families. Fuelled by innovation, we have seen local entrepreneurs draw upon resilience and inspiration to keep driving forward, during both prosperous and difficult times. To help support our local businesses, the Region’s Economic Task Force has been working on strategies to promote the support of local businesses, while ensuring the health and safety of our residents. Programs such as ‘DowntownsofDurham’, which supports our vibrant downtowns. Or, ‘Digital Main Street’, which better equips local businesses for e-commerce in our ever-[changing] world. We’re committed to supporting our small businesses, the backbone of our economy, through this extremely challenging time. We will continue to work to ensure Durham’s economy comes out of this strong, and proves it is more resilient than ever. In Durham, we also have many small businesses connected to agriculture, an industry vital to ensuring residents have access to fresh, high-quality and safe local food options for themselves and their families. It’s times like these our strengths shine through brightest—and we see how our communities come together. This week I am reminded just how important the people and businesses of Durham are to make our Region the best place to live, work, grow and invest.”