Minister Ng announces investments to support women entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan

From: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

News release

Government of Canada investing over $500,000 through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy

September 3, 2019 – Ottawa, Ontario

The Government of Canada is advancing women’s economic empowerment with the first ever Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), a $2-billion investment that seeks to double the number of women-owned businesses by 2025.

Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, announced investments of over $500,000 in women entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan. This funding is administered through Western Economic Diversification Canada.

The following women-owned or -led businesses will each receive up to $100,000 through the Women Entrepreneurship Fund to help them grow their business and reach new export markets:

  • Mera Development, located in Regina, to develop and implement an export strategy targeting the United States and Kazakhstan
  • Praxis Consulting, located in Regina, to establish an Indigenous research panel that will provide culturally sensitive advisory services to existing and future clients
  • Black Fox Farm and Distillery, located in Saskatoon, to explore export opportunities to Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia as well as to Asian and European markets
  • Lead Management Consulting, located in Saskatoon, to hire a marketing and business development coordinator, improve its online presence and develop new marketing strategies
  • Blue Heron Gardens, located in Cudworth, to scale up its business, pursue new market opportunities and increase production capabilities
  • Northwinds Bus Lines, located in La Ronge, to scale up waste and recycle disposal services in remote communities in northern Saskatchewan

The Women Entrepreneurship Strategy complements the Government of Canada’s efforts to advance gender equality. These efforts include addressing pay equity, providing more affordable child care and putting an end to gender-based violence.

Quotes

“Our government believes that women’s economic empowerment is not just the right thing to do; it’s good for the bottom line. That’s why we launched the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, a strategy that seeks to double the number of women-owned businesses by increasing their access to financing, networks and advice. It’s a smart investment with an economic and social return.”
– The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion

Quick facts

  • The Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) will help women start and grow their businesses by improving access to financing, talent, networks and expertise through an investment of nearly $2 billion.

  • The strategy will help our government achieve its goal of doubling the number of majority women-owned businesses by 2025.

  • In Budget 2018, the Government of Canada allocated $20 million to the Women Entrepreneurship Fund. Following the call for applications held in fall 2018, over 3,000 applications were received and over 200 projects were funded. The Government is pleased to be able to support approximately 100 more projects by investing an additional $10 million in the Women Entrepreneurship Fund. With this additional investment, the Government is providing a total of $30 million to women-owned and ‑led businesses across Canada to grow their businesses and reach new markets.

  • In Budget 2018, the WES Ecosystem Fund was allocated $85 million to help non-profit, third-party organizations deliver support for women entrepreneurs and address gaps in the ecosystem.

  • WES complements the Government’s broader initiatives to advance gender equality. These initiatives include measures on pay equity, more flexible parental leave and more affordable child care.

  • Advancing gender equality has the potential to add $150 billion in incremental GDP to the Canadian economy by 2026.

  • Just 16% of SMEs in Canada are majority women-owned.

  • Only 11.2% of majority women-owned SMEs export, compared to 12.2% of majority male-owned SMEs.

  • The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Canada 2015/16 Report on Women’s Entrepreneurship indicated that, in 2016, Canada had the highest percentage of women participating in early-stage activity (13.3%) and the fifth highest in terms of female ownership of established businesses among comparable innovation-based economies.

  • The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Canada 2015/16 Report on Women’s Entrepreneurship indicated that, in 2016, Canada had the highest percentage of women participating in early-stage activity (13.3%) and the fifth highest in terms of female ownership of established businesses among comparable innovation-based economies.

Associated links

Contacts

Laurel Sallie
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion
laurel.sallie@canada.ca
343-548-5172

Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
343-291-1777
ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca

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