(NC) If we didn’t know it before, the pandemic has revealed just how important small businesses are to our communities. They are a lifeline as we all try to stay home more, and when we do venture out, it is closer to home. They provide a local, thoughtful source for whatever we need, from a great cup of coffee to a new plant stand.

Small businesses also provide local jobs for over almost 10 million Canadians, making them a crucial part of our economy.

It’s been a tough year for these champion businesses. Fortunately, there are supports available to help. The Canadian government’s Canada Business app 2.0 can function as an easy-to-use assistant for any small to medium enterprise to sort through the supports and resources.

If you’re a small business owner, downloading the app provides free, accurate, easy-to-understand government information on the go, including:

• Easy navigation to government programs and services, including easy access to COVID-19 support;
• Recommendations tailored to your business;
• Personalized notifications of new and newsworthy information straight to your phone; and
• Answers to help you start up, scale up and access new markets.

The app was recently updated based on user feedback to enhance searching, improve notifications and simplify navigation. It’s a go-to business tool during the pandemic, and users can also select favourites that help with their daily work, including links to available training and information to help stabilize and grow their business.

Find more information at canada.ca/business-app.