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| Welcome to E-News! from The Business Link.
We hope you enjoy this quick monthly e-newsletter to
keep you informed of upcoming events and services at
The Business Link and other items of interest
to Alberta's small business community. |
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| Your feedback is welcome at any time to help us improve
and enhance our services for Alberta entrepreneurs. Simply
use the "Feedback" function located on the toolbar
at the top of E-News! to send us your views. |
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On July 16, 2002, Statistics Canada released the second round
of data from the 2001 Census, covering age and sex. This information
revealed that Canadian median age reached an all-time high.
The fastest population gain appears among the oldest, as revealed
by the structure of the working-age population increasingly
made up of older workers. At the same time, life spans are
increasing. Canada is still younger than Europe, but older
than the United States.
Among the four main urban regions of Canada, the Calgary-Edmonton
corridor had the biggest increase in population between 1996
and 2001 and had the youngest population which aged the least.
However, the population was older in the Calgary-Edmonton
corridor than in the rest of Alberta. The median age in the
Calgary-Edmonton corridor increased only 1.5 years from 33.7
to 35.2. In the rest of the province, it increased 1.9 years
from 32.6 to 34.5.
Canada's aging population and declining work force will certainly
affect economic growth, health care costs and the availability
of pension funds. But this phenomenon also creates new business
opportunities to meet the specific needs of a fast growing
aging population. Services, real estate, health care, tourism,
financial planning are just some of the sectors that will
benefit from a growing number of senior consumers.
An increasing number of firms are also customizing their products
and services for the "Baby Boomer/Maturing Market"
(age 46-56) as well as for the "Mature Market" (age
60+). Recent studies have shown that for the most part this
market is sophisticated, active and willing to try new products
and as a group, they are prepared to spend a greater proportion
of their income on indulging themselves than all other segments
of the population. Savvy entrepreneurs are taking the time
to identify those Maturing/Mature Market segments that are
now, or potentially may become, users of their products and
services.
More information on the Census data and upcoming releases
is available on Statistics
Canada's web site.
When visiting Statistics Canada's web site, don't forget to
consult "Business
Data", the business resource for on-line statistics,
publications, statistical tables, analysis and more.
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The Business Link works in partnership with
34 Regional Access Sites located throughout the province,
plus the Calgary Business Information Centre (CBIC), to provide
information and resources to Alberta entrepreneurs. One of
these Regional Access Sites is Entre-Corp Business Development
Centre Ltd., a Community Futures Development Corporation located
in Medicine Hat.
Entre-Corp assists the communities of southeast Alberta including:
Bow Island, Foremost, Brooks, Irvine, Burdett, Manyberries,
County of Forty Mile, Medicine Hat, County of Newell, Municipal
District of Cypress, Elkwater and Redcliff, to develop and
achieve their collective goals for economic development. Entre-Corp
offers the following services to potential and existing entrepreneurs:
- A Resource Library sponsored by The Business Link,
which specializes in business information and lending materials.
A $5.00 yearly membership enables clients to borrow materials
for one week at a time. The library catalogue can be searched
on line at www.businessfirst.ca.
- Loans to new and expanding businesses throughout South
Eastern Alberta up to $75,000. Entre-Corp has several loan
funds that allows for flexibility to work with various clients
and business sectors. Loans are available for working capital,
inventory, equipment, renovations, expansion, etc.
- The Self Start Business Training Program (sponsored by
Alberta Human Resources & Employment) provides training
on how to start and operate a small business for people
who are on Employment Insurance or unemployed Albertans.
Participants may be eligible for income support while they
start their own business.
- "Biz-Ventures Unincorporated", Youth Entrepreneurship
Centre. This division of Entre Corp specializes in entrepreneurial
programs, services, training, financing, assistance &
support to students and youth interested in starting a small
business venture and administers the Alberta Youth Entrepreneurship
Camp.
- Entre Corp is one of The Business Link's 11 mini e-future
centre sites providing e-business resources for the community.
- The Entre-Corp Business Development Centre also offers
Free Internet Access (Community Access Program), Faxing
and Photocopying Service, Labour Market Information, Business
Planning Packages and Evening Seminar Courses.
For more information contact, Entre-Corp Business Development
Centre at:
#202, 556 - 4th St SE, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 0K8
Phone: 403-528-2824 or 1-888-528-2824 (Toll Free)
Fax: 403-527-3596
Email: business@entre-corp.com
Web Site: www.entre-corp.com
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Big profits, success, exotic locations -- these are just
some of the images often associated with importing. However,
the pictures you don't see are the hard work, financial risk
and frustration that go hand in hand with any import venture.
With any business there is an element of risk, and importing
is no exception. Most problems stem from spur-of-the-moment
decisions and improper research. To minimize your risk and
avoid unnecessary losses, visit the ImportCentre,
a part of Business
Gateway.
The ImportCentre contains a Roadmap to importing goods into
Canada. Its purpose is to help small- and medium-sized Canadian
companies understand the process of importing commercial goods.
It is intended for first-time importers, and contains information
and links from various government departments and agencies.
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August
2002
Issue 3
Announcing a New
Season of Learning
When it comes to learning
the basics of starting or running your own business, you can't
beat The Business Link's practical, affordable
Small Business Seminars.
For your investment of three hours or so and a little over
$30, you'll walk away with some great information and tips
from presenters who are experienced advisors and successful
entrepreneurs.
Starting this September, our Small Business Seminars feature
topics on starting a business, tax planning, selling yourself,
marketing, and e-business. New sessions this Fall cover designing
a market survey, promoting yourself and your business, protecting
your e-business from workplace fraud, and a new seminar on
marketing on a shoestring budget.
Our Fall 2002 schedule is now available on our web site at
www.cbsc.org/alberta/
seminars.cfm. Register in advance to hold your seat!
Join us over the lunch hour for quick-to-learn, quick-to-use
information through The Business Link's FREE
“Brown Bag” Presentations.
These fast-paced "snapshots" of business basics discuss e-business,
taxation and money matters, marketing and sales, export/import
and legal issues.
They're held at The Business Link every Tuesday
and Thursday starting September 12 until December 5. No registration
is required, however, there is limited seating on a first-come,
first-served basis. For details on dates, topics and presenters,
visit www.cbsc.org/alberta/
brownbag.cfm.
Talk to Us!
Need assistance in
finding information on our web site? Check out our web/voice
support service, "Talk to Us".
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