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Info-Guide – Women Entrepreneurs
Last Verified:
2007-08-01
The purpose of this Info-Guide is to direct women Quebec entrepreneurs to the various resources made available to them by the federal and provincial governments, the private sector, and certain non-governmental organizations.
In addition, we suggest you consult the other Info-Guides listed at the end of this document.
This Info-Guide was developed by Info entrepreneurs in collaboration with the Canada Business Network.
Note: The documents given as references in the text can be consulted on our Web site or be requested from our information agents.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Support organisations
Woman entrepreneur – Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
The BDC works with women to find complete solutions promoting the long-term success of their companies. Whether it is looking for financing or experienced consultants, the BDC looks at the whole project. The site includes information on financing, assessing entrepreneurial potential, useful links and business tools. For more information, call 1-877-232-2269 or visit http://www.bdc.ca/en/i_am/woman_entrepreneur/default.htm?cookie%5Ftest=2
Female entrepreneurship – Ministère du Développement économique, de l'Innovation et de l'Exportation (MDEIE)
The information on this site includes analyses of female entrepreneurship, the expertise of other female entrepreneurs, regional financing and more. http://www.mdeie.gouv.qc.ca/page/web/portail/entreprises/
nav/Entrepreneuriat/42324.html?iddoc=42324 (In French only)
Businesswomen in Trade – Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
This site provides female SME leaders with the information and help they need to begin exporting or to improve their performance in this area. The site offers tools such as a questionnaire on export capacity and information sources for export training and financing. For more information, consult our document
Businesswomen in Trade, call 613 943-4556, or visit http://www.maeci.gc.ca/businesswomen/menu-en.asp
2. Training, mentoring and networking
Canadian Women in Communication (CWC)
Canadian Women in Communications (CWC) is a national organisation dedicated to the advancement of women in the communications sector through strategic networking and targeted professional development. For more information, call 1-800-361-2978, or visit http://www.cwc-afc.com
Women Entrepreneurial Center of Québec (WECQ)
The Women Entrepreneurial Center of Québec (WECQ) is a non-profit organisation which offers women entrepreneurs a one-stop center for advice, information, personalised services, mentoring, business coaching and business management training programs. The WECQ Business Coaching training programs in starting a business are divided into three approaches: the creative approach, the global approach and the artisitic group. The WECQ also offers the following training programs: Femmes vers le sommet™ and Planification stratégique. For more information, consult the document
Women Entrepreneurial Center of Québec, call 514 521-5733 or 1-866-521-5733, or visit http://www.cefq.ca
Women entrepreneurs – RBC Royal Bank
This site was created by the RBC Royal Bank to help women entrepreneurs achieve their aspirations. You will find practical advice, information about start-up and financing, tools, resources, and useful links to help Canadian women entrepreneurs build their businesses. For more information, call 514 874-3179 or visit http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/sme/women/index.html
Quebec Business Women's Network Inc.
The Quebec Business Women’s Network is a broad-based network throughout whose mission is to contribute to businesswomen’s success by means of networking, contacts and mutual assistance. It offers its members top quality programs of innovative services and activities in order to create a business dynamic that can influence financial, social and political circles. The network maintains a strong presence in
Women Entrepreneurs of Canada
WEC is a dynamic organisation offering women entrepreneurs an opportunity to profile, promote and meet with other successful business women. For more information, call 1-866-207-4439 or visit http://www.wec.ca/
3. Financing
The following financing programs are specific to women entrepreneurs. You will find general financing programs in our document Financing a Business.
A matter for Equality Program – Secrétariat à la condition féminine
The objective of this program is to facilitate and promote the access of women to decision-making positions, increase the number of women candidates for these positions, prepare and train women to hold such positions, promote the continuation of women in these positions, and encourage concrete actions from those in positions of power. For more information, call 418 643-9052 or visit http://www.scf.gouv.qc.ca/index_an.asp
Women Entrepreneurs' Fund – Business Development Bank
BDC has dedicated this amount to increase the availability of financing for fast-growing, women-owned firms in Canada. The fund primarily offers subordinate financing which means that the borrower has the obligation to repay the loan based on cash flow instead of depreciating company assets. For more information, call 1-877-232-2269, or visit http://www.bdc.ca/en/i_am/woman_entrepreneur/default.htm
Regional funds – Ministère du Développement écononomique, de l'Innovation et de l'Exportation (MDEIE)
These investment funds are regional not-for-profit organisations intended to help women launch their own business in their respective regions. This financial assistance will target the following regions: Côte-Nord, Mauricie, Bas St-Laurent, Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Saguenay-Lac St-Jean. For more information, contact Filaction at 514 525-2042 or 418 522-3334, or visit http://www.mdeie.gouv.qc.ca/page/web/portail/entreprises/service.prt?svcid=PAGE_GENERIQUE_CATEGORIES30&iddoc=45679 (In French only)
Women's Program Funding – Status of Women Canada
This program provides funding and technical assistance for projects that have a direct impact on women in their communities. Applicants must demonstrate how their projects contribute to the achievement of the full participation of women in the economic, social and cultural life of Canada. Priority will be given to projects addressing issues pertaining to aboriginal women, immigrant women and visible minority women and senior women. For more information, consult the document
Women's Program - Funding , call 514 283-3150, or 1 888 645-4141 or visit http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/funding/wp/wpguide_e.html
Female entrepreneurship – CLD de Portneuf
Portneuf is seeking to boost the number of female entrepreneurs on its territory and to that end has developed a program aimed at women interested in starting a business. The program seeks to improve access to financing, promote female entrepreneurship, ensure follow-up and facilitate networking. Financing is in the form of loans from the Portneuf CLD local investment fund. For more information, call 418 285-4616 or visit http://cld.portneuf.com/fr/site.asp?page=element&nIDElement=771 (In French only)
Fonds IDÉE
Aimed specifically at female entrepreneurs in Montérégie, the Fonds IDÉE seeks to encourage female entrepreneurship projects by providing access to specific capital and mentoring services. For more information, call 450 467-9085 or 1-888-467-9085, or visit http://www.fondsidee.ca (In French only)
Cercles d'entraide Fund – Centre d'aide aux entreprises de la Rive-Sud
Based on the principles of micro-credit, this fund is reserved to the participants of its special program. It allows women who have successfully completed the steps of the pre-start-up stage to develop an enterprise in a non-competitive activity field. The promoter will have to show in her business plan that her enterprise will allow to create and maintain a full time and durable job and that its management will rest on an efficient and competent team. For more information, call 450 446-3650 or visit http://www.caers.ca/html-en/cercle entraide fund.htm
4. Tools and other resources
Analyses sur l'entrepreneuriat au féminin
Studies, reports and analyses containing observations, conclusions and recommandations providing a fresh look at the reality of women entrepreneurs.
http://www.mdeie.gouv.qc.ca/page/web/portail/entrep
rises/nav/Entrepreneuriat/42324/45863.html?iddoc=45863 (In French only)
Champions Newsletter – RBC Royal Bank
A dynamic newsletter featuring breakthroughs and resources for women entrepreneurs. http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/sme/wom
en/champions_newsletter.html
Women in the Lead
This a national directory of more than 600 women whose professional expertise and experience recommend them as candidates for corporate board appointment. http://www.womeninthelead.ca/directory.asp
Journey to success Aboriginal Women's Business Planning Guide – Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)
This guide is the result of the attention paid to the needs of Aboriginal women entrepreneurs by federal, provincial, territorial and Aboriginal leaders working to strengthen Aboriginal participation in the economy. For more information, consult our document
Journey to Success Aboriginal Women's Business Planning Guide or visit http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ps/ecd/js/journ_e.html
In conclusion
We hope the information provided in this Info-Guide has been helpful to you. Many other interesting documents, tools, and links may be found on our Web site.
If you need more information about business-related subjects, our agents are available to provide you with free information about federal, provincial, and municipal government programs, services, and regulations as well as some programs and services offered by the private sector.
We offer you a free library research service as well as access to data bases and Web sites of interest to business people. Our information specialists are at your disposal to answer your requests for strategic information.
Don’t hesitate to contact Info entrepreneurs at 514 496-4636 or Ressources Entreprises at 418 649-4636, or 1-800-322-4636.
DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this document is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. Users concerned about the reliability of the information should consult directly with the source, or seek legal counsel.
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Some of the hypertext links lead to non-federal government sites which are not subject to the Official Languages Act and the material is available in one language only.