PrairiesCan success stories

It’s the individuals and businesses that continue to make a difference in the lives and communities in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Here are their success stories.

Use the drop-down menus below to search for stories by sector. Otherwise, use the ‘Filter items’ field located above the stories to search by keyword.

Publication date	Region	Sector(s)	Stories
2023-03-08	Manitoba	Community Economic Development, Tourism, Women	Manitoba flower farmer gets support for unique tourism business making handmade textile goods With the help of PrairiesCan through the Women’s Enterprise Centre Manitoba, entrepreneur Lourdes Still created Masagana Flower Farm, which offers a unique and immersive botanical tourism destination in southern Manitoba. Publication Date: 2023-03-08 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Community Economic Development, Tourism, Women
2023-02-03	Alberta	Business growth, Skills and training	Fort McMurray construction businesses and professionals get training and support for local recovery Fort McMurray construction businesses receive support to continue to help residents recover from natural and economic disasters. Publication Date: 2023-02-03 Region: Alberta Sectors: Business growth, Skills and training
2022-12-22	Alberta	Business growth, Community economic development	Community Futures Wood Buffalo brings growth for businesses in Northern Alberta community In recent years, business owners in the Wood Buffalo region have been challenged by the pandemic and natural disasters. Community Futures Wood Buffalo helped them when times got tough. Publication Date: 2022-12-22 Region: Alberta Sectors: Business growth, Community economic development
2022-12-13	Saskatchewan	Indigenous, Tourism	Wanuskewin Heritage Park opens new exhibit galleries to the public Wanuskewin Heritage Park opened new exhibit galleries as part of its expansion. The galleries will attract more visitors and better tell the story of this historic site, thanks to PrairiesCan funding. . Publication Date: 2022-12-13 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Indigenous, Tourism
2022-11-29	Manitoba	Francophone, Indigenous, Tourism, Women	Rural Manitoba restaurant gets help re-inventing its business during the pandemic Food, culture, and history come together at J'em Bistro, a restaurant in a museum in rural Manitoba. Publication Date: 2022-11-29 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Francophone, Indigenous, Tourism, Women
2022-11-17	Alberta	Tourism, Indigenous	Indigenous tourism builds bridges of understanding Visitors are looking for authentic, hands-on experiences to connect with Indigenous Peoples and their cultures. PrairiesCan funding is supporting Painted Warriors to offer an enhanced experience for visitors to engage with Indigenous culture. Publication Date: 2022-11-07 Region: Alberta Sectors: Tourism, Indigenous
2022-10-11	Alberta	Tourism, Women	Rural culinary experiences boost Alberta tourism Visitors are looking to make connections through locally grown and prepared food. Two rural tourism operators are growing to showcase the best of Alberta through culinary delights. Publication Date: 2022-10-11 Region: Alberta Sectors: Tourism, Women
2022-09-27	Alberta	Manufacturing, Digital technology	Edmonton company's smart technology saves time, materials and money when building new homes Levven Electronics, based in Edmonton, focuses on making homes more affordable to build, buy and operate. Levven offers sustainable in-home technology to home builders to help them save time, materials and cost during construction. Homeowners get a whole new level of control and convenience in their new homes. Publication Date: 2022-09-27 Region: Alberta Sectors: Manufacturing, Digital technology
2022-08-25	Alberta	Digital technology, Women, Indigenous	Calgary firm brings diversity to companies hungry for talent across North America Calgary-based Virtual Gurus is changing how talent agencies, businesses and freelancers interact. The company uses innovative technology to match the needs of clients with the talents and skills of their diverse virtual assistants. Publication Date: 2022-08-25 Region: Alberta Sectors: Digital technology, Women, Indigenous
2022-08-16	Alberta	Business growth, Community economic development	Rural businesses in Alberta relied on support from Community Futures through the COVID-19 pandemic When the COVID-19 pandemic changed how people accessed goods and services in their communities, rural businesses turned to Community Futures for support. Publication Date: 2022-08-16 Region: Alberta Sectors: Business growth, Community economic development
2022-08-09	Alberta	Indigenous, Tourism	Authentic Indigenous tourism experience grows in Alberta Visitors are looking for authentic, hands-on experiences to connect with the land and Indigenous People. PrairiesCan funding is supporting Métis Crossing in developing the "Farm and Forest to Table" culinary experience. Publication Date: 2022-08-09 Region: Alberta Sectors: Indigenous,Tourism
2022-07-28	Saskatchewan	Indigenous, Women	Clothing business gets support from PrairiesCan’s Indigenous Business Development Services Amanda Sanderson created an inspiring clothing line to help people in her community deal with mental health issues. She succeeded with help from PrairiesCan’s Indigenous Business Development Services (IBDS), delivered by Community Futures Sagehill. Publication Date: 2022-07-28 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Indigenous, Women
2022-06-30	Saskatchewan	Life sciences	Preparing for the next pandemic with made-in-Canada vaccines With PrairiesCan funding, the University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) set up a centre to make vaccines in Saskatchewan. Longstanding funding has boosted VIDO’s capabilities, as it becomes Canada’s Centre for Pandemic Research. Publication Date: 2022-06-30 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Life sciences
2022-05-31	Saskatchewan	Disabilities	The Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program helps a photographer grow his business and support others Through the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program, delivered by the South Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre (SSILC), Ross McCreery turned his passion for photography into a business that allows him to continue working with his disability and help other entrepreneurs with disabilities. Publication Date: 2022-05-31 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Disabilities
2022-01-26	Alberta	Francophone, Tourism	Winter tourism in Edmonton gets a boost with the interactive Flying Canoë Volant festival Flying Canoë Volant is boosting Edmonton’s reputation as a cultural and winter city destination. It bridges French-Canadian, First Nations and Métis cultures through a unique and interactive winter Prairies experience. Publication Date: 2022-01-28 Region: Alberta Sectors: Francophone,Tourism
2021-10-25	Saskatchewan	Agriculture and agri-food	Community Futures helps small rural Saskatchewan business expand into new markets With the support of Community Futures, Three Farmers Foods was able to increase its production capacity to sell its snack foods into new markets. Publication Date: 2021-10-25 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Agriculture and agri-food
2021-07-26	Manitoba	Indigenous, Women	Winnipeg Indigenous business expands sustainable fashion line to new markets WD supported Anne Mulaire Designs to develop online and direct marketing strategies, boost production capacity and patent its cutting-edge production process. Publication Date: 2021-07-26 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Indigenous, Women
2021-07-14	Manitoba	Digital technology, Women	Women succeed in STEM careers and as tech entrepreneurs WD supported NSD Tech Inc. through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, to upgrade and market CARMIS—client management software for non-profit agencies serving refugees and immigrants. Publication Date: 2021-07-14 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Digital technology, Women
2021-07-06	Alberta	Life sciences, Digital technology	Calgary imaging company gives healthcare professionals a better diagnostic tool Blending artificial intelligence into cardiovascular imaging software is new to the market. It will also help doctors work more efficiently and help more patients Publication Date: 2021-07-06 Region: Alberta Sectors: Life sciences, Digital technology
2021-06-18	Alberta	Transportation, Digital technology	Test range makes Alberta a hub of unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) technology The Foremost Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Test Range offers 700 square nautical miles of restricted airspace in rural Alberta, perfect for developing drone technology and fueling Western Canada’s growing role in the UAS sector. Publication Date: 2021-06-18 Region: Alberta Sectors: Transportation, Digital technology
2021-06-11	Alberta	Digital technology	Artificial intelligence and machine learning are helping businesses solve problems AltaML uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to help Alberta businesses unlock the competitive advantage in their data. Publication Date: 2021-06-11 Region: Alberta Sectors: Digital technology
2021-06-02	Alberta	Digital technology	Calgary innovation takes chemical testing to new heights in labs around the world From pharmaceuticals to agriculture: How Nanalysis is transforming scientific measurement for researchers worldwide. Publication Date: 2021-06-02 Region: Alberta Sector: Digital technology
2021-05-12	Manitoba	Life sciences	Suppliers test COVID-19 medical devices like N-95 masks in Winnipeg Martin Petrak, President and CEO, and Trevor Gascoyne, Director of Operations, share how the Orthopaedic Innovation Centre in Winnipeg has become an internationally accredited laboratory to help in the fight against COVID-19. Publication Date: 2021-05-12 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Life sciences
2021-04-13	Alberta	Transportation	Rural bus service connects Alberta communities For many Albertans, inter-city bus transportation and parcel delivery connects them safely to family, neighbours and medical services that are not available in their own community. COVID-19 public health measures are impacting this essential service. Publication Date: 2021-04-13 Region: Alberta Sector: Transportation
2020-11-19	Alberta	Women, Indigenous, Arts	Indigenous art advances reconciliation Colouring It Forward embraces art to advance education on Indigenous issues and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Publication Date: 2020-11-19 Region: Alberta Sectors: Women, Indigenous, Arts
2020-10-07	Alberta	Manufacturing, Digital technology	Calgary company reinvents supply chain management Attabotics is taking inspiration from nature and disrupting traditional logistics, storage and fulfillment. This Calgary-based innovation combines robotics with efficient ant colony design to reduce warehouse footprints by 85%. Publication Date: 2020-10-07 Region: Alberta Sectors: Manufacturing, Digital technology
2020-09-21	Alberta	Manufacturing, Digital technology, Life sciences	Calgary company grows Alberta’s health technology sector through leading-edge imaging software Kent Imaging is expanding its services with the introduction of near infrared spectroscopy-imaging technology, which allows healthcare professionals to monitor tissue viability at a wound or surgical site in a timely and non-intrusive manner. Publication Date: 2020-09-21 Region: Alberta Sectors: Manufacturing, Digital technology, Life sciences
2020-09-10	Saskatchewan	Francophone, Skills and training	University of Regina program trains Francophone nurses A unique partnership between the University of Regina’s La Cité French language hub and faculty of nursing is preparing nurses to care for Saskatchewan patients in French as well as in English. Publication Date: 2020-09-10 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Francophone, Skills and training
2020-08-13	Manitoba	Disabilities, Women	How an entrepreneur with disabilities grew her business in Winnipeg Lisa Hazelwood seized the opportunity to overcome barriers. She got the support she needed from Equal Opportunities West’s Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program. Lisa’s business, Dog Nerd, is a dog sport and training centre that uses positive training methods in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Publication Date: 2020-08-13 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Disabilities, Women
2020-08-07	Alberta	Manufacturing, Digital technology	Cochrane, Alberta, company expands market to export globally With its light and robust power meter, Cochrane’s 4iiii is poised to take over the global fitness monitoring market. Publication Date: 2020-08-07 Region: Alberta Sectors: Manufacturing, Digital technology
2020-07-17	Saskatchewan	Francophone, Tourism	Francophone business draws tourists to rural Saskatchewan Over the Hill Orchard and Winery is attracting attention as Saskatchewan’s first Économusée.® Over the Hill makes wines and jams on site using fruit grown in their orchard, providing a unique artisanal experience to French and English-speaking visitors. Publication Date: 2020-07-17 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Francophone, Tourism
2020-07-08	Alberta	Agriculture and agri-food, Women, Clean technology	Coaldale, Alberta, company transforms the produce sector Whole Leaf is transforming the leafy green section of the produce department. Using less water, its pesticide- and chemical-free produce brings new ideas to Canadian tables. Publication Date: 2020-07-08 Region: Alberta Sectors: Agriculture and agri-food, Women, Clean technology
2020-03-11	Alberta	Women	Edmonton entrepreneur creates possibilities for special needs children and young adults AdaptAbilities is an inclusive environment where people with special needs can develop essential life skills. Publication Date: 2020-03-11 Region: Alberta Sectors: Women
2020-03-05	Manitoba	Francophone, Women	Bilingual small business serves Francophones from Pinawa, Manitoba Julie Germain moved from Quebec to Manitoba to learn English. Now, she designs beautiful rooms for Manitoban homes in both English and French at Julie’s Creations. Publication Date: 2020-03-05 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Francophone, Women
2020-03-04	Manitoba	Business growth, Francophone	Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities and entrepreneurs get support Bilingual entrepreneurs and municipalities in Manitoba have a lifeline. Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba (CDEM) is there to help them grow. Publication Date: 2020-03-04 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Business growth, Francophone
2020-02-17	Saskatchewan	Agriculture and Agrifood, Manufacturing	Prairie farm machinery manufacturers expand their markets to Europe The Canadian-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has opened up new doors for Western Canadian agricultural equipment makers that are large enough to drive a combine through. Publication Date: 2020-02-17 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Agriculture and Agrifood, Manufacturing
2020-01-24	Manitoba	Women, Francophone	Bilingual entrepreneurs bring mindfulness to Manitoba schools Two young teachers in Manitoba wanted to share mindfulness practices with their French-language students, but they could not find bilingual materials geared to young people. So, they created their own, and Educalme was born. Publication Date: 2020-01-24 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Women, Francophone
2019-12-17	Saskatchewan	Indigenous, Clean resources	Cowessess First Nation creates renewable clean energy in Saskatchewan With help from Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), Cowessess First Nation’s unique hybrid renewable energy project is a first in Canada. Publication Date: 2019-12-17 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Indigenous, Clean resources
2019-12-09	Manitoba	Clean technology, Francophone	Winnipeg firm exports renewable energy systems to Africa Manitoba’s Raysolar sets up solar and wind energy systems. Technical expertise combined with being able to work in both of Canada’s official languages has opened up doors to expand into Francophone African countries. Publication Date: 2019-12-09 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Clean technology, Francophone
2019-05-22	Saskatchewan	Clean technology, Francophone	Francophone farmers create renewable fertilizer from Saskatchewan soil What do francophone farmers in Saskatchewan, an agricultural scientist from France and about a trillion microbial organisms have in common? The drive to make prairie soil more fertile and productive! Publication Date: 2019-05-22 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Clean technology, Francophone
2019-03-06	Alberta	Francophone	Radio station serves as cultural hub for Edmonton’s Francophone community Radio Cité brought the heart and the people. WD helped them with funding. Now Radio Cité is making beautiful music and so much more for Edmonton's francophone community. Publication Date: 2019-03-06 Region: Alberta Sectors: Francophone
2019-02-05	Alberta	Clean technology, Natural resources	Wellhead innovation makes drilling for oil and gas safer The aptly-named Intelligent Wellhead Systems (IWS) knows a lot about working under pressure in the energy sector. Publication Date: 2019-02-05 Region: Alberta Sectors: Clean technology, Natural resources
2019-02-05	Alberta	Indigenous, Skills and training	Training program opens opportunities for Indigenous people across Alberta In 2015, Trade Winds to Success Training Society received $1,069,938 from Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) to support the expansion of pre-apprenticeship training for Indigenous Peoples in Alberta. Publication Date: 2019-02-05 Region: Alberta Sectors: Indigenous, Skills and training
2019-02-05	Manitoba	Tourism, Francophone	Francophone and Métis culture attract tourists to Manitoba At the Heart of Manitoba’s Francophone Community is a documentary film produced by Tourisme Riel and Entreprises Riel, about the strong Francophone and Métis culture in the province. Publication Date: 2019-02-05 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Tourism, Francophone
2019-02-05	Manitoba	Community economic development	Churchill gets lifeline when cut off from the rest of Manitoba The Churchill Region Economic Development Fund helped businesses survive when the town was cut off from ground transportation. Publication Date: 2019-02-05 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Community economic development
2019-02-05	Saskatchewan	Clean technology	Technology made in Saskatchewan helps refurbish mines when the mining is over Returning a mine site to its original state is far more complex than covering it over and planting trees. The design and materials that go into the cover system must ensure that mine wastes are properly sealed off. Publication Date: 2019-02-05 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Clean technology
2018-09-04	Manitoba	Indigenous, Business growth, Skills and training	Community Futures promotes Indigenous business across Manitoba In 2018, Vision Quest marked its 22^nd annual conference and trade show: “From Vision to Reality,” through partnerships with 5 primarily Indigenous-based Community Futures Development Corporations. Publication Date: 2018-09-04 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Indigenous, Business growth, Skills and training
2018-09-04	Saskatchewan	Skills and training, Youth	Saskatoon Trades and Skills Centre helps vulnerable youth get hired Vulnerable, inner city youth lack the training, experience and, in a lot of cases, confidence to secure good jobs that can lead to careers in the skilled trades. At the same time, employers in many industries find it difficult to hire young tradespeople. Publication Date: 2018-09-04 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Skills and training, Youth
2018-09-04	Saskatchewan	Digital technology	Saskatoon company helps the world build microchips Saskatchewan based Western Innovation (WINN) Initiative recipient, Solido Design Automation Inc, is a world leader in microchip design and characterization software powered by proprietary machine learning technology – a form of artificial intelligence. Publication Date: 2018-09-04 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Digital technology
2018-09-03	Saskatchewan	Natural resources, Trade	Saskatchewan mining suppliers expand into global exports Through an investment of $185,000, WD is helping Saskatchewan Industrial and Mining Suppliers Association (SIMSA) build its capacity to connect local mining industry suppliers with large industrial and resource companies. Publication Date: 2018-09-03 Region: Saskatchewan Sectors: Natural resources, Trade
2018-08-04	Alberta	Women, Skills and training	Alberta women gain training in valuable skilled trades The pursuit of inclusive participation in the economy requires a change in perspectives and a change in traditional ways of thinking. This belief prompted a small group of women to set up Women Building Futures (WBF) in 1998. Publication Date: 2018-08-04 Region: Alberta Sectors: Women, Skills and training
2018-08-04	Manitoba	Women, Business growth, Skills and training	Women help each other build careers and businesses across Manitoba The one-day, annual conference sprouted from a desire to provide services to female business professionals and a venue for them to network. Publication Date: 2018-08-04 Region: Manitoba Sectors: Women, Business growth, Skills and training