# Minister of Small Business (Canada)

The minister of small business (French: ministre de la petite entreprise) is a minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet.

## History

Before 2015, the Cabinet position responsible for small business was filled by either a Minister of State or Secretary of State. On November 4, 2015, upon the formation of the 29th Canadian Ministry, the position was named Minister of Small Business and Tourism without "of State" but remained formally a Minister of State "to assist the Minister of Industry" (the senior portfolio now styled as the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development).
Following the 2019 election, responsibility for small business was given to the newly created Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, before eventually becoming its own post once again in 2023.

## List of ministers

Key:
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry |
| Minister of State (Small Businesses) |||||||
| 1 | | Leonard Marchand | September 30, 1976 | September 15, 1977 | Liberal | 20 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| 2 | | Tony Abbott | September 16, 1977 | June 3, 1979 | Liberal | 20 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| Minister of State for Small Businesses and Industry |||||||
| 3 | | Ron Huntington | June 4, 1979 | March 2, 1980 | Progressive Conservative | 21 (Clark) |
| Minister of State (Small Businesses and Tourism) |||||||
| 4 | | Charles Lapointe | March 3, 1980 | September 29, 1982 | Liberal | 22 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| 5 | | Bill Rompkey | September 30, 1982 | August 11, 1983 | Liberal | 22 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| 6 | | David Smith | August 12, 1982 | June 29, 1984 | Liberal | 22 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| 6 | | David Smith | June 30, 1984 | September 16, 1984 | Liberal | 23 (Turner) |
| Minister of State (Small Businesses) |||||||
| 7 | | André Bissonnette | September 17, 1984 | June 29, 1986 | Progressive Conservative | 24 (Mulroney) |
| Minister of State (Small Businesses and Tourism) |||||||
| 8 | | Bernard Valcourt | June 30, 1986 | January 29, 1989 | Progressive Conservative | 24 (Mulroney) |
| 9 | | Tom Hockin | January 30, 1989 | June 24, 1993 | Progressive Conservative | 24 (Mulroney) |
| Minister responsible for Small Business |||||||
| 10 | | Rob Nicholson | June 25, 1993 | November 3, 1993 | Progressive Conservative | 25 (Campbell) |
| | vacant | vacant | November 4, 1993 | December 11, 2003 | Liberal | 26 (Chrétien) |
| | vacant | vacant | December 12, 2003 | February 5, 2006 | Liberal | 27 (Martin) |
| | vacant | vacant | February 6, 2006 | January 3, 2007 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) |||||||
| 11 | | Gerry Ritz | January 4, 2007 | August 13, 2007 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| 12 | | Diane Ablonczy | August 14, 2007 | October 29, 2008 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) |||||||
| (12) | | Diane Ablonczy | October 30, 2008 | January 18, 2010 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| 13 | | Rob Moore | January 19, 2010 | May 17, 2011 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| 14 | | Maxime Bernier | May 18, 2011 | July 14, 2013 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism, and Agriculture) |||||||
| (14) | | Maxime Bernier | July 15, 2013 | November 3, 2015 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| Minister of Small Business and Tourism |||||||
| 15 | | Bardish Chagger | November 4, 2015 | July 18, 2018 | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |
| Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion |||||||
| 16 | | Mary Ng | July 18, 2018 | November 20, 2019 | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |
| Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade |||||||
| (16) | | Mary Ng | November 20, 2019 | October 26, 2021 | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |
| Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development |||||||
| (16) | | Mary Ng | October 26, 2021 | July 26, 2023 | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |
| Minister of Small Business |||||||
| 17 | | Rechie Valdez | July 26, 2023 | March 14, 2025 | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |