Mr. Speaker, the Canada digital adoption program, CDAP, was established to help small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, realize their full potential by adopting digital technologies. CDAP comprises two separate funding components: grow your business online, GYBO, and boost your business technology, BYBT.

With regard to part (a), 17 complaints were received between March 1, 2022 and October 25, 2024.

The nature of the complaints is as follows: eligibility criteria and application process; not being eligible to apply more than once; stacking rules; application process; application process and delays due to the review of proof of payments; application being rejected; not being eligible to apply more than once; eligibility criteria; not being eligible to apply more than once; problems with vendor; not being eligible to apply more than once; not being eligible to apply more than once; problems with vendor; not being eligible to apply more than once; not being eligible to apply more than once; problems with vendor; and eligibility criteria.

With regard to part (b), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, ISED, does not receive this information.

With regard to part (c), as of the end of Q1, July 2024, eight recipients, out of 20,634 grants that have been paid out, have been required to refund the grant to ISED after their application was approved.

With regard to part (d), out of the 29,103 grants disbursed up to October 25, 2024, boost your business technology received 295 complaints.

Among the complaints regarding digital advisers, approximately 40% involved misrepresentation of the boost your business technology program or errors in advertising campaigns by digital advisers. Another 15% related to the quality of digital adoption plans produced, while an additional 15% were about digital advisers submitting applications on behalf of clients. The remaining complaints covered various issues, including ineligible discounts and invoice discrepancies.

With regard to part (e), currently, about 245 SMEs, representing fewer than 1% of claims, have had their claims rejected.

With regard to part (f), as of October 25, 2024, no businesses have been required to pay back the full grant to ISED after it was received.

Bryan May

$555,904.00