Firms with fewer than 500 employees can now apply for $2,400 grants to build out an e-commerce presence; subsidies worth 90 per cent of the cost of getting digital advice, up to $15,000; and no-interest loans of up to $100,000 from the Business Development Bank of Canada to pay for software, automation and other technology. The Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) will also offer businesses a wage subsidy of as much as $7,300 for a student work placement. (The Logic)

Talking point: The Liberal government first announced the $4-billion program in the March 2021 federal budget, building on initiatives initially launched by municipalities to help local small businesses sell online during the early days of COVID-19. “Leveraging e-commerce and upscaling technology has helped businesses stay open,” said Small Business Minister Mary Ng at an Ottawa event Thursday. But Canadian businesses have long lagged their OECD and U.S. peers in spending on information and communications technology, which can hurt productivity growth, a source of significant concern for economists and innovation-policy experts.