The APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership (ACGBP) is an initiative implemented by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) and funded by the Government of Canada. This initiative helps build the potential of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to promote poverty reduction and sustainable, gender-responsive, and inclusive economic growth in the APEC region.
OUR ULTIMATE OUTCOME
Improved inclusive economic growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.
MSMEs are known as the “backbone” of all economies in the APEC region, but this is especially true of developing economies. According to APEC’s Small and Medium Enterprises Working Group (APEC SMEWG), MSMEs make up 97 percent of all businesses in the APEC region, employ over half of the regional workforce, and contribute 40 to 60 percent of GDP in most economies. MSMEs provide crucial economic opportunities to local populations, especially women, youth, and rural communities. In the APEC region, approximately 38 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises are owned by women. As a result, MSMEs are among the key drivers of economic growth, innovation, and opportunity in the region. Although progress has been made to support women- and young women-led MSMEs, there is an opportunity to strengthen such efforts to create a supportive ecosystem for economic empowerment.
ACGBP offers best practices, tools, ideas, knowledge and critical connections tailored to the local markets of APEC economies. It aims to address key challenges faced by MSME entrepreneurs in thematic challenge areas, including women’s economic empowerment, environmentally sustainable MSME development, innovation to fuel access to technology and digitalization, and advancement of human rights to support the right of women and young people to own businesses and engage in decent work. By building this website as a knowledge hub of research and tools, APF Canada envisions that MSMEs in APEC economies, particularly those owned by women, will gain improved access to new tools, knowledge, and connections to support their business growth.
Meet The Team
Xiaoyi (Yee) Ze
Program Manager
Xiaoyi (Yee) Ze holds a PhD in Asian Studies from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver and was most recently the Program Integration and Operations Officer at the Global Green Growth Institute’s UAE Office. In addition to English, she speaks Mandarin, Korean, and Japanese.
Marina Candeia
Research Specialist
Marina Candeia is the Research Specialist for the APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership. In addition to her work at APF Canada, Marina has several years of experience in the non-profit and international education sectors. Marina holds a BA from the University of Regina and an MA from Simon Fraser University.
Suwatthi Kandiah
Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Co-ordinator
Suwatthi Kandiah completed her MA in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in December 2024, following a BA in International Business Management. She speaks English, Tamil, and Sinhala.
Phase II
Phase II of the APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership (ACGBP-II) is a five-year project (2022-2027) funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by APF Canada with local organizations in five focus economies.
Phase II of ACGBP will replicate capacity building activities from Phase I in two new economies selected by Global Affairs Canada: Malaysia and Thailand. It will also build on the results of the first phase of the project and promote policy leadership in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam.
ACGBP-II aims to improve inclusive economic growth for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially those led by women and young women, in the five focus economies. To achieve this outcome, APF Canada will take a holistic approach to sustainable economic growth and women’s economic empowerment to deliver business management workshops, mentorship programs, research studies, policy briefs, and policy leadership workshops.
A guiding principle of ACGBP is promoting gender equality in the focus economies. That includes ambitious targets for outputs to ensure women, young women, men, and young men directly benefit from the project and understand their role in pursuing gender equality as it relates to MSME growth.
Cross-Cutting Themes
Gender Equality
We are using new technology to make growth more inclusive
Environmental Sustainability
We are promoting sustainable economic growth for MSMEs
Innovation
We are pursuing innovation to create new solutions for MSMEs and developing economies
Human Rights
We are addressing the right to freely engage in MSME ownership and decent work.
Focus Economies
Our Partners
Phase I
From 2016-2021, APF Canada led Phase I of the APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership (the Partnership): a capacity-building project designed to address key challenges faced by MSMEs in the APEC region. Phase I of the Partnership was jointly implemented by APF Canada and the APEC Secretariat. The first iteration of the Partnership offered best-practice tools, ideas, knowledge, and critical connections derived from Canadian experience and tailored to the local markets of APEC developing economies.
The 2021 conclusion of Phase I offered a critical opportunity to expand results through the implementation of a second phase of the Partnership in which APF Canada will update and adapt the model from Phase One to amplify impact.
Cross-Cutting Themes
Technology & Innovation
We are using new technology to make growth more inclusive
Market Access
We are opening access to new markets for products and services
Human Capital
We are supporting women and girls in closing the gender gap
Social Entrepreneurship
We are supporting businesses to give back to their communities
Focus Economies
Our Partners
Contact Us
For inquires please email us at apfcanada-msme@asiapacific.ca