YORKTON - The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed May 15 to 21 as Women Entrepreneurs Week, recognizing dynamic female business leaders and their contributions to many sectors in our economy such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing, health services, finance and technology, among many others.
"Women entrepreneurs are not only important economic drivers in many Saskatchewan communities, they are also bringing new ideas and innovations to the marketplace as they showcase our province's potential," Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Office Laura Ross, said in a release. "The Status of Women Office supports their important work through multiple partnerships and funding initiatives. This year, the Status of Women Office commissioned a video showcasing three extraordinary women entrepreneurs who demonstrate drive, determination, and innovation - qualities we want to see flourish in Saskatchewan."
Juanita Polegi, executive director of the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce said locally she sees the impact of women entrepreneurs.
“Yorkton has many, highly successful businesses that were founded and are owned by women entrepreneurs,” she told Yorkton This Week.
“According to a 2020 study commissioned by WESK (Women Entrepreneurs of SK) 34 per cent of women-led businesses in Saskatchewan have one employee while 44 per cent of women-led businesses have no employees. And yet their contribution to the economy, (as noted in the government) media release, is significant.”
Advancing gender equality through the creation of economic activity has the potential to add $150-$420 billion in Canada by 2026. Women entrepreneurs are engines of economic growth and job creation.
According to a report by the Saskatchewan Advisory Committee on the Gender Entrepreneurship Gap entitled "Enabling Scale in Saskatchewan", in 2019, women entrepreneurs contributed $23.1 billion to the Saskatchewan economy and created 191,836 jobs. In addition, when Saskatchewan women lead a business, they are more likely to headquarter that business in this province.
"Women entrepreneurs in our province contribute significantly to job creation, economic growth and are important in advancing the Saskatchewan Growth Plan," Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said in the release. "To advance recommendations from the Enabling Scale in Saskatchewan report, government announced two new programs and released our first statistical report about the contribution of women entrepreneurs to Saskatchewan's economy in November 2021."
Polegi said women entrepreneurs locally just need support to thrive.
“The best way to ensure these businesses remain open is to shop locally,” she said. “According to a 2021 study commissioned by the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce, every $100 spent locally creates an additional $38 in local economic activity. Supporting small local businesses will help the economy to thrive.”
The Digital Literacy for Entrepreneurs and Scale-up for Entrepreneurs Initiative announced in November, as well as the new Re-Skill Saskatchewan Training Subsidy provide ongoing assistance for small businesses right across the province. Saskatchewan also boasts one of the lowest small business corporate income tax rates in Canada and a strong suite of business incentives and tax credits.
