Resources for Women Entrepreneurs

The Canadian business landscape has changed over the years. Industry Canada reports that the number of women who head companies in Canada has doubled since 1990.

As a result, women partially or wholly own nearly half of small businesses in Canada. The most popular industries for women entrepreneurs have been service and retail sectors, however this is changing, as women are now beginning to own larger numbers of small and medium sized companies in emerging fields of technology and manufacturing.

The COBSC Women in Business Info-Guide is a good starting point for programs and services for women entrepreneurs.

The Network for Women Entrepreneurs is a program committed to supporting women entrepreneurs in Ontario and is administered by the Canada-Ontario Business Service Centre .

Through its web portal, you will find access to key business information, business counselling and community outreach services, expert consultants and other business support organizations throughout Ontario to help women achieve success in business.

Status of Women Canada is the federal government's department to promote gender equality and the full participation of women in the economic, social, cultural and political life of the country. SWC focuses its work in three areas: improving women's economic autonomy and well-being, eliminating systemic violence against women and children and advancing women's human rights.

The Ontario Women's Directorate provides focus for government action on issues of concern to women - in particular, social, economic and justice-related issues. A division of the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, the OWD has two key areas of activity: preventing violence against women and promoting women's economic independence.