I noticed two notes mentioned in the course calendar that says:

COMMERCE 2FA3 may be substituted for ECON 2I03.
COMMERCE 2QA3 (or another Statistics course equivalent to ECON 2B03) may be substituted for ECON 2B03.


http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALEN...13/pg1684.html


As a commerce student, does that mean COMM 2FA3 and 2QA3 help towards the minor in econ or just fulfill course prerequisites?

You can substitute them. Basically after second year, you only 3 more econ classes to qualify for your minor