Comprehensive Initiative to Culminate in February 2007 Trade Mission to Boston
17 November 2006
Moncton, New Brunswick
A new group of Atlantic women business owners operating
businesses in fields as diverse as interactive fitness
equipment, gene research and sculptural puppetry is
preparing to test the exporting waters as part of the
Atlantic Women Exporters' Initiative, currently underway
for 2006-2007.Organized by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) Nova
Scotia Division and funded by the Atlantic Canada
Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the Women Exporters'
Initiative brings women entrepreneurs from across Atlantic
Canada to the point of export readiness by providing
training, mentoring, business guidance and after-care, all
culminating in their participation in a trade mission to
Boston to be held February 25-28, 2007.This year's initiative features a strengthened focus on the
technology sector, which has strong growth potential yet is
under-represented by women. Six of the 20 participating
companies are technology-based."Canada's New Government is committed to investing in
initiatives to support women entrepreneurs in Atlantic
Canada," said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of
Foreign Affairs and Minister of ACOA. "Through this
investment we are providing them with the tools and
opportunities they need to be inspired, grow and succeed."The initiative began as a pilot project in 2005, which saw
15 women business owners from across the region receive
training and mentoring leading to their participation in
the first ever exclusive-to-women trade mission to Boston.
In addition to receiving valuable trade training and
guidance, participants acquired important business leads
and several concluding contracts on-site with U.S.
companies.New England is considered a strategic market for Atlantic
Canada, with more than 80% of Atlantic Canada's export
products and services being sold to markets in the United
States, 58% of which are destined for New England. According to Ann Janega, Vice-President of the CME Nova
Scotia Division: "CME's mandate is to promote the
competitiveness of Canadian manufacturers in markets around
the world. As thriving Atlantic entrepreneurs, these women
and their firms have the potential to grow the economic
base of our region and become 'world-class'."ACOA has provided $227,000 to the Atlantic Women Exporter's
Initiative through the Atlantic Investment Partnership and
the Women in Business Initiative. The Department of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade, through the Canadian
Consulate General in Boston, is also a partner in the
initiative.Complete list of companies participating in the 2006-2007
Women Exporters' Initiative:Prince Edward Island-- Brenda Noland and Amy Drolet Cosmo Jewellery
Designs, Summerside (artistic jewellery designs)
-- Deborah Vanneste, President From The Nest,
Summerside (allergen-reduced pancake mix)
-- Paula Fraser Maxovation Inc./Smashing Ideas Inc.,
Pownal (inventor)
-- Margaret McEachern Knit Pickers by Margaret
McEachern, Charlottetown (artisan knitter)
New Brunswick-- Ingrid Mueller, ArtContact Inc./Ingrid Mueller, Art
+ Concepts, Fredericton (fine art gallery specializing in
Atlantic artists)
-- Joanne Caissie Culinary Wines, Shediac
(manufacturer of liquid seasonings made from fermented
garlic)
-- Lisa Carrier and Sharon Carrier, Hometown
Communications, Loren (rural-based call centres providing
support to U.S. magazine publishers)
-- Denise Carrier Linguitek, Edmundston (certified
translation specialist providing support to corporate
marketers)
-- Mary Ann Stevens, Owner M.A. Stevens Inc.,
Fredericton (commercial industrial design firm)
-- Trisha Coady and Lynn Casey MedSenses Inc.,
Moncton (inventors of online and CD ROM-based nursing
education program)
Newfoundland and Labrador-- Deborah Bourden and Wilma Hartmann AppleCore
Interactive Inc., St. John's (interactive marketing
communications agency)
-- Janet March In Corp, St. John's (technology
consulting firm)
-- Siobhan Coady Newfound Genomics, St. John's (gene
disease research and discovery)
-- Karen Furneaux Whirled Arts Casting Studio, St.
John's (professional mould making and production casting)
Nova Scotia-- Kathleen Palmer A Palmer Training Ltd., Fall
River (computer-based educational software)
-- Holly Bond Bulldog Interactive Fitness Inc.,
Dartmouth (franchisor of youth fitness concepts)
-- Kate Church, Owner Kate Church Sculptural
Puppetry, Mahone Bay (artisan contracted by the Cirque du
Soleil)
-- Odette Comeau La galerie Comeau, Comeauville
(fine art reproductions)
-- Faith Drinnan The Oyster Group, Dartmouth
(technology-based magazine fulfillment firm)
-- Rhonda Burke the RED Group, Dartmouth (advisor on
contact management systems)
FOR BROADCAST USE:A new group of Atlantic women business owners is preparing
to test the exporting waters as part of the second Atlantic
Women Exporters' Initiative, currently underway for 2006-
07. The ACOA-funded initiative, which is led by the
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Nova Scotia Division,
provides trade training, mentoring and advice to women
entrepreneurs, all leading to their participation in a
trade mission to Boston next February 25-28. Foreign
Affairs and ACOA Minister Peter MacKay said the initiative
will help women entrepreneurs explore trade opportunities
and reach their full business potential. ACOA is providing
$227,000 to the Women Exporters' Initiative.- 30 -For more information, please contact:
Krista Kelly
Senior Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
506-851-2873
Ann Janega
Vice-President, Nova Scotia Division
Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters
902-449-9002
BACKGROUNDER1.0 Atlantic Women Exporters' InitiativeThe Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), in
partnership with the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
(CME), Nova Scotia Division, is delivering an initiative
aimed at increasing the export awareness and knowledge of
women entrepreneurs from Atlantic Canada. The Women
Exporters' Initiative was developed in close collaboration
with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International
Trade, through the Canadian Consulate General in Boston.The overall goal of ACOA's Atlantic Women Exporters'
Initiative is to increase export activity among women-owned
businesses and to stimulate greater participation by women
in other trade-training programs.This is the second year of the initiative, which was
launched as a successful pilot project in June 2005. It
targets a very specific group of women business owners
those who are export ready or who have had an initial
export experience but who were not currently exporting in a
structured manner.
2.0 Project ComponentsPARTICIPANT SCREENING AND RECRUITMENT: ACOA worked with its
regional offices in all four Atlantic provinces to identify
qualified, early-stage women exporters with the potential
to further develop export markets. Companies were recruited
based on their potential to benefit from improved business
management skills and, more specifically, increased
knowledge and awareness of exporting opportunities and
improved trade readiness and export capacity.TRAINING/NETWORKING/MENTORING: With recruitment now
completed, participating women business owners will form
regional groups for networking and training. Participants
will also take part in a pre-mission training session
facilitated by experienced women exporters and consultants,
which will also include a session with a business
matchmaker. In addition, experienced exporters are being
recruited to act as mentors, providing answers and guidance
to the women throughout the process. The mission to Boston
will include additional training sessions.MATCHMAKING: Profiles of the Atlantic women-owned
businesses are being developed with the help of CME and the
mentors. The business matchmaker will then identify
potential business matches and confirm a number of
appointments for participating businesses with firms in the
Boston area. The matchmaker will also be attending the
mission to Boston where he will provide on-site support and
advice to the Atlantic women entrepreneurs.TRADE MISSION TO BOSTON: The Women Exporters' Initiative is
focused on preparing women for a trade mission to Boston
from February 25-28, 2007. With the support of the
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade,
through the Canadian Consulate General in Boston, the 20
participants will be introduced to local networks of women
business owners and exporters, as well as officials from
the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and other business
organizations. The purpose of the mission is to further the
trade knowledge of the women entrepreneurs with some
practical hands-on experience in the marketplace, while
providing them with opportunities to further their business
or technology know-how through contacts in their respective
sectors. The mission is designed to support business growth
and partnerships through business-to-business meetings
identified and arranged by the matchmaker. Association-to-
association meetings will be arranged for the non-business
owners or associate delegates. Canada's Consul General in
New England, Neil LeBlanc, was the keynote speaker
addressing Women Exporters' Initiative participants and
other business leaders at an Export Readiness Training
Session on November 15, 2006, in Halifax.AFTER CARE: The initiative includes an after-care component
to ensure support to the new exporters once they've
completed all of the training elements, including the trade
mission to Boston. ACOA representatives and the mentors
will provide the after-care, which will include such things
as follow-up with contacts made during the mission and
adjustments to individual export plans as required.