In an interview with The Logic, Small Business Minister Mary Ng said she hopes to get money into the hands of successful candidates soon after the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund begins accepting applications in May. (The Logic)

Talking point: Ng announced Thursday that a coalition of Black business and community organizations called the Federation of African-Canadian Economics would administer the federal government’s $30-million contribution to the fund. A group of Canadian financial institutions has agreed to provide an additional $128 million in lending support. The Trudeau government announced the program in September. Ng said it’s taken five months to announce a target month for opening the fund to applications because the federal government wanted to ensure the Black community was sufficiently consulted and involved: “What is really important here is we co-developed how it is going to work with Black entrepreneurs and Black-owned businesses directly,” she said.