WeBC
Women play an important role in the creation and operation of small businesses across Canada, yet they often face barriers and a lack of support. To help remove these barriers, the Women's Enterprise Initiative (WEI) in partnership with Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) helps women entrepreneurs start, scale up and grow their businesses.
Find out how WEI lending is making a difference!
Contact the WEI organization in your province
There is a Women’s Enterprise Initiative organization in each of the four western provinces. These non-profit organizations provide a variety of unique products for women entrepreneurs, including business advisory services, training, networking opportunities, loans and referrals to complementary services. The WEI organizations support women entrepreneurs to take their businesses to the next level!
- Contact the British Columbia Women's Enterprise Centre
![](/content/dam/ped-dep/images/services/256_WEI_women.png)
4 WEIs across Western Canada
Encouraging the growth of women-owned businesses
Providing loans to women entrepreneurs
![Find out how WEI lending is making a difference!](/content/dam/ped-dep/images/services/256_WEI_thumbnail_sm_en.jpg)
WEI lending is making a difference!
- Employment Growth Rate
(annual compounded, 2007-2012) - WEI-assisted firms: 5.7%
- Non-assisted firms: -0.2%
![Employment Growth Rate](/content/dam/ped-dep/images/services/256_WEI_chart_employment_en.jpg)
- Sales Growth Rate
(annual compounded, 2007-2012) - WEI-assisted firms: 10.6%
- Non-assisted firms: 1.2%
![Sales Growth Rate](/content/dam/ped-dep/images/services/256_WEI_chart_sales_en.jpg)
- Business Longevity Rate
(5-year survival rate)
- WEI-assisted firms: 60.2%
- Non-assisted firms: 45.2%
![Business Longevity Rate](/content/dam/ped-dep/images/services/256_WEI_chart_buisness_en.jpg)
2015-2016 Pilot Study
Compares the business performance of WEI loan clients between 2007 and 2012 to similarly-sized women-owned incorporated companies in Western Canada, using Statistics Canada's databases.
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