December 10, 2004 Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island To commemorate 10 years of service to the business community, the Canada-PEI Business Service Centre (CBSC), which opened in the spring of 1994, is hosting an open house for its staff and partners, clients and for all up- and-coming entrepreneurs. Present in all 10 provinces and the three territories, the Canada Business Service Centre Network has been a valuable resource ¿ providing information, advice and research for starting or expanding a business. The main goal of the CBSC is to provide potential and existing entrepreneurs with easy access to accurate, timely and relevant information and referrals. By serving as a central resource for business information, the CBSC network has greatly reduced the complexity of dealing with various levels of government. That ability to streamline access to government services and information was recently recognized by the United Nations for excellence in public service. In May of this year, the CBSC Network received the United Nations' 2004 Public Service Award in the category of Improvement of Public Service Results. "The CBSC on P.E.I. is celebrating 10 years of excellence in serving the Island's small business community," said Shawn Murphy, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, on behalf of the Government of Canada. "This centre and the entire network have now received well-deserved international recognition by the United Nations for the work they do in support of Canada's entrepreneurs. This recognition is gratifying and affirms the feedback we continue to receive from the business community across this country." The Canada-PEI Business Service Centre is managed by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and has many partners both federally and provincially. Partners represented on- site include: PEI Business Development, PEI Business Women's Association, Human Resources and Skills Development, Student Connections, Canadian International Development Agency; Canadian Intellectual Property Office; and the Entrepreneurs Forum. - 30 - Ron Crozier Office of the Minister for ACOA (902) 888-4150 Wes Harrison ACOA PEI & Tourism (902) 368-0842 wes.harrison@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
