[SASKATOON, SK] – Women Entrepreneurs Saskatchewan (WESK) proudly announces the launch of a new Rural Ambassador Program with federal funding of $450,000 through Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan). The program provides current and aspiring women business owners with the resources, mentorship and networking opportunities they need to start, grow or scale their businesses. 

“Women play an essential role in advancing economic growth and building strong communities. Supporting women to reach their full potential in their own communities is an important step towards addressing the persistent gender entrepreneurship gap,” said the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan. “The Rural Ambassador program will help meet the needs of women entrepreneurs across Saskatchewan and support community economic development that leads to well-paying jobs and a strong economy for all Canadians.” 

“Supporting women entrepreneurs isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do. WESK’s Rural Ambassador Program provides a new resource for women entrepreneurs throughout Saskatchewan, so that they can receive valuable advice and support from rural businesswomen who have paved the way before them,” said the Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business. “Supporting women entrepreneurs in communities across Canada is one of the ways our government is working towards a more inclusive society, creating good jobs, and building a strong economy that works for everyone.” 

Five regional ambassadors, who are business owners themselves and have a passion for entrepreneurship, will serve as connection points within rural communities to support women at every stage of their business-ownership journeys. The regional ambassadors will make it easy for women business owners to access pathfinding support close to home to ensure they get the knowledge and resources they need, whether it’s advisory services, lending or learning opportunities. The ambassadors will also facilitate networking, mentorship, and promotional opportunities through local WESK Connect events, trade shows and ongoing efforts to showcase women-owned businesses in their communities. The connections women business owners make will empower them and provide a source of inspiration by being part of a larger community of like-minded entrepreneurs who support each other as they strive for success. 

“The Rural Ambassador Program is a testament to our ongoing commitment to women entrepreneurs throughout the entire province,” said Miriam Johnson, CEO of WESK. “Providing support to women-owned businesses in the regions where they live will ensure they have access to everything they need to start or grow their businesses. This easily accessible support in rural regions will help build stronger communities and sustainable economic development.” 

The program aligns with WESK’s broader mission of empowering women entrepreneurs and creating an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. With a “no-wrong-door” approach, the Rural Ambassador Program complements existing programs and services to ensure rural women have access to a comprehensive support network. The goal is to help rural businesses thrive, which contributes to a strong and diversified Canadian economy.  

See the attached backgrounder for more information about the Rural Ambassador Program, the five rural ambassadors and entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan.  

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About WESK 

WESK is a non-profit, membership-based organization that provides business advisory services; start-up, purchase and expansion lending; mentoring and networking; and learning and training opportunities. WESK is supported by Prairies Economic Development Canada. 

Contact 

Michael Betteridge 

Brand Manager, WESK 

Email: mbetteridge@wesk.ca  

Phone: 306-477-6286 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saskatoon, SK – Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan (WESK) was pleased to announce the recipients of their six entrepreneur awards at last week’s WESK Summit Gala. The WESK Summit Gala took place during Women Entrepreneurs Week, which, as proclaimed by the Government of Saskatchewan, runs from May 14 through May 20, 2023. In alignment with Women Entrepreneurs Week, the WESK Summit Gala provides an opportunity to not only recognize awards finalists and recipients, but also to applaud and showcase all of Saskatchewan’s women entrepreneurs.

“As we recognize outstanding female entrepreneurs with one of six entrepreneur awards, and it’s important to remember that every woman in this room is a trailblazer, a visionary, and a change-maker,” said WESK CEO, Miriam Johnson. “Their courage, determination, and resilience are what makes Saskatchewan’s business community so vibrant and dynamic.”

Awards were presented in the following categories: Community Involvement, Indigenous Entrepreneur, Innovation, Resilience, Growth & Expansion and Celebration of Achievement.

The 2023 recipients are:

Celebration of Achievement Award Recipient: Natasha Vandenhurk, Three Farmers Foods

Community Involvement Award Recipient: Valerie Sluth, Praxis Consulting

Growth & Expansion Award Recipient: Erin Kinder, Kinder Surprises Antiques

Indigenous Entrepreneur Award Recipient: Christine Marie, Awasis Boutique

Innovation Award Recipient: Melanie Morrison, BetterCart Analytics

Resilience Award Recipient: Serese Selanders, SolusGuard

“Congratulations to our award recipients for this well-deserved recognition. The 2023 WESK Summit Gala Awards Night has been a true celebration of the resilience, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit of women in business,” said Johnson.

Quick Facts

About WESK

WESK is a non-profit, membership-based organization that provides business advisory; start-up, purchase and expansion lending; mentoring and networking and learning and training opportunities. WESK is supported by Prairies Economic Development Canada.

Contacts:

Michael Betteridge, Brand Manager, WESK

306.477.6286

mbetteridge@wesk.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saskatoon, SK – Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan (WESK) was pleased to announce the recipients of their six entrepreneur awards at last week’s WESK Summit Gala. The WESK Summit Gala took place during Women Entrepreneurs Week, which, as proclaimed by the Government of Saskatchewan, runs from May 14 through May 20, 2023. In alignment with Women Entrepreneurs Week, the WESK Summit Gala provides an opportunity to not only recognize awards finalists and recipients, but also to applaud and showcase all of Saskatchewan’s women entrepreneurs.

“As we recognize outstanding female entrepreneurs with one of six entrepreneur awards, and it’s important to remember that every woman in this room is a trailblazer, a visionary, and a change-maker,” said WESK CEO, Miriam Johnson. “Their courage, determination, and resilience are what makes Saskatchewan’s business community so vibrant and dynamic.”

Awards were presented in the following categories: Community Involvement, Indigenous Entrepreneur, Innovation, Resilience, Growth & Expansion and Celebration of Achievement.

The 2023 recipients are:

Celebration of Achievement Award Recipient: Natasha Vandenhurk, Three Farmers Foods

Community Involvement Award Recipient: Valerie Sluth, Praxis Consulting

Growth & Expansion Award Recipient: Erin Kinder, Kinder Surprises Antiques

Indigenous Entrepreneur Award Recipient: Christine Marie, Awasis Boutique

Innovation Award Recipient: Melanie Morrison, BetterCart Analytics

Resilience Award Recipient: Serese Selanders, SolusGuard

“Congratulations to our award recipients for this well-deserved recognition. The 2023 WESK Summit Gala Awards Night has been a true celebration of the resilience, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit of women in business,” said Johnson.

Quick Facts

About WESK

WESK is a non-profit, membership-based organization that provides business advisory; start-up, purchase and expansion lending; mentoring and networking and learning and training opportunities. WESK is supported by Prairies Economic Development Canada.

Contacts:

Michael Betteridge, Brand Manager, WESK

306.477.6286

mbetteridge@wesk.ca

Today is International Women’s Day, a day where the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women across the word are celebrated. Saskatchewan is flourishing with talented, unique, and qualified women-owned business. Today, we’d like to introduce you to two of them.

We had the opportunity to chat with Linell Grudnitzki and Owners of The Grudnitzki Group of Companies in Regina, as well as Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote, Co-owner of Block Fox Farm & Distillery outside of Saskatoon to learn more about their journey as women entrepreneurs and to hear their ideas about how women can #EmbraceEquity—this year’s theme for IWD.

Linell: Throughout the years in my various careers, I had experienced some amazing leaders, and some not so amazing leaders. It was because of both leadership types that I wanted to lead my own team. I thrive on networking and relationship building, and have experienced great success in business keeping the Saskatchewan small town mentally as my base for everything I do. My first successful business was my photography company. I had the privilege of holding some major contracts that put me and my cameras in front of concerts and events, The WHL and NHL, multiple modeling agencies, world travel photography, and landed my images in many magazines and books. When I was thinking about starting up a construction-based company, I knew that I would have the support and experts at WESK to help guide me and help me navigate this endeavor.

Barb: Growing up on the farm and farming my entire life, it was in my blood to be my own boss, responsible for my own success. I had briefly tried the 9-5 environment and did not function well.  I believed I could do better by investing in myself. As our business grows, my personal challenge has become learning new roles as I transition from working on my own to working with a team and being a leader.

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED GENDER-SPECIFIC CHALLENGES, STEREOTYPES, OR BARRIERS IN YOUR ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY?

Linell: First off, having both past and present companies being in male dominated industries, I am quite often mistaken as “ Lionel”. Because why would a woman be showing up to photograph an NHL game, or why would a woman be signing construction contracts and agreements? When I show up to a jobsite wearing a pink hard hat, I am often thought to be “The Safety Girl”. Because all women on a construction site must just be the safety girl, right? The barrier I still face today is getting an invite to the Boys Club Table. We have some male owned companies that have been around forever in this province, and that is amazing. But, we need to start pulling up a chair for the new, women owned companies that bring a fresh new take to the industry.

Barb: This is not specific to my entrepreneurial journey, but it disappoints me to see that women are still subject to unsolicited sexual attention. No one ever approaches a young man at a conference and claims: “You really fill out that suit well” yet women hear it repeatedly. It does a lot to undermine confidence when you worry people are paying attention to your body rather than what you are saying. Women deserve to be recognized as the professionals that they are.

Linell: Women lead differently. We lead with a full holistic approach. We are born nurturers. When we focus our energy on nurturing our teams and our companies, and that’s when the success follows. I also think that we need more women in leadership for the future of our youth. When I feel like throwing in the hard hat, I remind myself that little eyes are watching. If we can be seen in leadership roles, our young women can believe that they can achieve this also. If we can reach leadership levels, our young boys can be raised to believe women are equals.

Barb: We need more women in leadership for balance.  Women are different, not better, not worse just different.  We do approach problems differently; we bring unique perspectives. Who would not welcome a broad range of solutions to any challenge? Over centuries women have honed their abilities as caregivers, to be sensitive, compassionate, and understanding because that was what was expected of them.  This is not to say that they cannot be practical, scientific, forceful, decision makers.  The best part is that they can bring all sides to the table, which makes for a better outcome.

Linell: It is our jobs as women leaders to create space for others to learn what embracing equity can look like. Equity is a new word and concept to many. We need to work together to put down our amour that we have had to wear to get to the positions we are in and come together in peace and celebration. By sharing each other’s successes and failures, with understanding that women are better united than divided, the shift to #EmbraceEquity will occur.

Barb: By sharing business experiences with each other, talking openly about the wins and the misses.  By following the Thumper rule “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” And lastly, by bringing up our daughters to see that they too are worthy of a seat at the table, if they so choose, which most importantly means that we need to educate our sons that males and females are equal.

ABOUT THE GRUDNITZKI GROUP OF COMPANIES

The Grudnitzki Group of Companies is a multi- disciplinary organization focusing on Powerline Construction, Civil Construction, Mining Services and Project and Safety Management. Currently our flagship company, GC Construction, supports Saskpower in infrastructure upgrades, including but not limited to, Substation demolition and expansion and data capture and survey. Learn more here.

ABOUT BLACK FOX FARM AND DISTILLERY

At Black Fox, our purpose is to create exceptional spirits and experiences.  We are one of few Type 1 craft distilleries, showcasing our unique Saskatchewan terroir in world-class gin and whisky. We take great pride in fostering a connection between the land, the farmer, the craftsman, and the customer.  Learn more here.

To learn about other great women-owned businesses right here in Saskatchewan, visit our Women-Owned Business Database here.

If you’re a woman entrepreneur yourself and haven’t yet self-declared with WESK,  be sure to do so! Signing up is free, and gets you access to an exclusive woman-owned Saskatchewan business logo, social media template, and the opportunity to be listed in our Women-Owned Business Database. Learn more here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 20, 2022

Regina, SK – Women Entrepreneurs Saskatchewan (WESK) is pleased to announce Miriam Johnson as its new CEO, effective August 9, 2022. Johnson will build on the success of Prabha Ramaswamy, who served in the position for over seven years until joining the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.

Johnson will work strategically towards closing the gender entrepreneurship gap in Saskatchewan. She will oversee WESK’s team of 16 employees located in Saskatoon and Regina. The WESK Board of Directors are thrilled to welcome her to the team.

“On behalf of the of WESK Board, it is my privilege to welcome Miriam Johnson as WESK’s new CEO,” said Colleen Dixon, Chair of the WESK Board. “As a Board, we feel strongly that Miriam will lead WESK into a new, exciting chapter. Miriam has a breadth of experience and a passion that aligns with WESK’s mandate and values; we are confident we have found the right leader for the organization. I also want to thank my fellow board members for their support and commitment throughout recruitment,” acknowledged Dixon. “It was a seamless process, and we look forward to having Miriam guide WESK into the future.”

Johnson recognizes the demands and challenges women entrepreneurs face every day. She is inspired to strategically address gaps, barriers, and identify opportunities to foster a strong community of women entrepreneurs. She believes that supporting women is integral to building a strong Saskatchewan.

“WESK is, at its very core, about creating an environment where anyone can pursue their dreams. This team, this organization has been pivotal in making that idea a reality for so many women in Saskatchewan,” stated Johnson. “This impact is felt across the province by the clients served and their significant contributions to the economy.”

With a growth-focused mindset and diverse experience across multiple sectors, Johnson has demonstrated a strong passion and commitment to seeing Saskatchewan flourish. During her recent tenure at the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Johnson was fundamental in securing the bid for the upcoming Grey Cup, launching the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation, and developing many successful programs addressing opportunities around the fan experience. Her work leading the Marketing and Community Relations portfolio connected the Riders with fans across the province through community programming such as Cameco Touchdown for Dreams, and the Northern Saskatchewan Football Camp to the game day experience at Mosaic Stadium. Johnson’s community-minded leadership approach will continue to grow and develop the impact WESK makes across Saskatchewan.

Johnson has a strong penchant for giving back. She is currently the Co-Chair Communications for the Grey Cup Volunteer Host Organizing Committee, successfully seeing the process in its entirety from bid to execution. She also held the Vice-Chair Sponsorship position for the 2022 Saskatchewan Winter Games.

She is honoured to steward the exceptional work being done at WESK and she takes this responsibility seriously. “As a woman who has worked in several competitive industries in this province, I have seen first-hand what can be achieved when we work together,” expressed Johnson. “I hope to support the already exemplary work that has been done by my predecessor and the team here at WESK with my own experiences to achieve the common goal in closing the gender entrepreneurship gap in Saskatchewan.”

Johnson will be available for interviews beginning immediately.

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For more information, please contact:

Josie Fries, Marketing Advisor, WESK

T: 306-477-6286

E: jfries@wesk.ca

W www.wesk.ca

WESK is a non-profit, membership-based organization that provides business advising, lending, mentoring, networking, and learning opportunities. WESK is supported by PrairiesCan.

Since 1995, WESK has provided over $40.2 million in financing to women entrepreneurs and as a result, more than $7.3 million has been leveraged.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saskatoon, SK – The finalists of WESK’s women entrepreneur awards were announced today as part of the WESK Summit Gala, presented by Conexus Credit Union. This event recognizes the economic and social contributions that women entrepreneurs have made across Saskatchewan. In total, 23 women entrepreneurs were named as finalists amongst six awards categories. The categories include the Community Involvement award, Indigenous Entrepreneur award, Innovation award, Growth and Expansion award, Resilience award, and the esteemed Celebration of Achievement award. The award recipients will be announced at the WESK Summit Gala on Wednesday, May 25 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

As the premier awards gala for women entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan, the WESK Summit Gala brings together business leaders, entrepreneurs, and government for an evening of celebration, networking, and inspiration. The event provides an opportunity not only to recognize the recipients of the six entrepreneur awards, but also to celebrate the achievements of all women entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan. While the rebrand of the WESK Summit Gala debuted virtually in 2021, WESK is pleased to share the transformation of the event in person this year. 

This year marks the fifth year of WESK’s Celebration of Achievement Award. This award pays tribute to an exceptional woman entrepreneur who has built a business in Saskatchewan of significant impact to the economy and the community. She is an inspirational leader and a role model for women in business. The finalists are: Andrea Hansen (Sutton), Janna Dutton (Dutton Group Tim Hortons), and Natasha Vandenhurk (Three Farmers Foods).

The Community Involvement award is presented to the Saskatchewan woman entrepreneur that has been a leader in creating ways of conducting business that have a positive impact on the community. She has shown evidence of a clearly expressed and widely communicated strategy and focuses on actions which demonstrate a responsibility to enhance the social and natural environments in which they operate. She truly looks out for the triple bottom line – people, profits, planet. The finalists are: Charmaine Panko (Panko Collaborative Law and Mediation), Lisa McIntrye (The Optical Shoppe), and Pam Fichtner (Sephira Healing).

The Indigenous Entrepreneur award is presented to the Indigenous Saskatchewan woman entrepreneur, who through a strong business concept shows plans for future growth and viability over the long term. Additionally, she demonstrates a strong understanding of her market and competitors and has a long-term commitment to the community. The finalists are: Courtney Kennedy (Kennedy Eye Clinic), Geanna Dunbar (Piercing and Tattoos by Geanna), and Leanne Bellegarde (Akawe Technologies).

The Innovation award is presented to the Saskatchewan woman entrepreneur who is pushing conventional boundaries. She is disrupting and reshaping her industry through ground-breaking achievements in bringing innovation to market. The finalists are: Alicia Soulier (SalonScale), Christine Beck (Waggle Mail), Erin Kinder (Kinder Surprises Antiques), Kayla Kozan (Peak Wellness), and Meghan Hawkins and Cristie Zyla (The Prairie Grazer).

The Growth and Expansion award is presented to the Saskatchewan women entrepreneur who has successfully developed and implemented a strategy that has resulted in rapid growth and increased profitability. She shows the potential for further growth and success. The finalists are: Aimie Peters (Pretty Little Pieces Boutique Inc..), Jolene Watson (Clarity Coaching and Development), and Katrina German (Ethical Digital).

The Resilience award is presented to the Saskatchewan woman entrepreneur who has shown strength and determination during COVID-19. She has shown an ability to pivot in response to unexpected and difficult challenges brought about by the pandemic, while continuing to maintain strong business operations. The finalists are: Corliss Rassyle (Corliss Co. Consulting Inc.), Daysha Shuya (Brownstone Health), Jolene Watson (Clarity Coaching and Development), Katelyn Sebastian (Driftstone Consulting), and Marian & Amanda Perrot (1^st Choice Graphics).

Quotes

“I am pleased to announce this year’s finalists for the WESK Summit Gala. Throughout the past year, these women entrepreneurs have demonstrated major accomplishments that should not go unrecognized. Their passion is evident, and their resilience is inspiring. I look forward to celebrating these women further at the Gala in May.” 

Prabha Ramaswamy, CEO of WESK 

Quick Facts

About WESK

WESK is a non-profit, membership-based organization that provides business advisory; start-up, purchase and expansion lending; mentoring and networking and learning and training opportunities. WESK is supported by Prairies Economic Development Canada.

Associated Links

1.             WESK Summit Gala

2.            WESK Summit

3.            WESK Newsroom

Contacts:

Josie Fries, Marketing Advisor, WESK

306.477.6286

jfries@wesk.ca

Today is International Women’s Day, a day where the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women across the word are celebrated. Saskatchewan is flourishing with talented, unique, and qualified women-owned business. Today, we’d like to introduce you to two of them.

A couple of weeks ago, we had the opportunity to chat with Meghan Hawkins and Cristie Zyla, Co-Owners of The Prairie Grazer in Saskatoon, as well as Lisa McIntrye, Owner of The Optical Shoppe in Regina, to understand their entrepreneurship journey and to get their thoughts on this year’s IWD theme, #BreaktheBias.

Meghan and Cristie: The Prairie Grazer was born around a campfire in Saskatchewan. Meghan had recently returned from a trip to Tofino where she had come across a little charcuterie shop that was extremely popular with the locals. She knew Saskatoon needed something like it! She approached Cristie with the idea, and after much research and planning, The Prairie Grazer was born!

Lisa: I grew up in a multi-generation family business. I think it was in my blood to become an entrepreneur, deep down I always knew I wanted to be my own boss. After working in the family business for a number of years, we decided to sell, and I was on the hunt for my next adventure. I became aware that the previous owner of The Optical Shoppe had a desire to retire. After research and negotiation, I decided to jump in with both feet and take on my own business. 

Lisa: I’ve experienced many challenges relating to stereotypes, including being called “young lady” in a condescending tone.  Because of my gender, I also am frequently underestimated in my knowledge and negotiation skills, particularly when working with industry suppliers and sales representatives

Meghan and Cristie: Women are consistently underestimated, particularly in business. As women, we have qualities that make us strong leaders, and those qualities are often underutilized. It is important to have more women in leadership roles so we can serve as role models and inspire the next generation of future women leaders.

Meghan and Cristie: As women, we need to support other women entrepreneurs, but also consider them our equals. By approaching every interaction as though we are equally qualified, we can help others to see our strengths as women. Know your worth and recognize the hard work you have put in to get where you are today! Let’s celebrate our successes!

Lisa: We need to continue to work together toward the same goal of equality. Women need to continue to push the boundaries and rise to leadership positions. We must support each other, encourage our peers, and mentor women coming up behind us.

ABOUT THE PRAIRIE GRAZER

The Prairie Grazer creates unique charcuterie experiences through hand-crafted artisan boxes and grazing tables featuring local products and ingredients. We strive to support local where possible and give back to our community. Learn more here.

ABOUT THE OPTICAL SHOPPE

The Optical Shoppe is a beautifully curated eyewear boutique in the heart of Regina’s downtown. For almost 40 years the store has been leading the way in finding unique frames and the best designer eyewear. We are on a mission to find the perfect frame for every person.  Learn more here.

To learn about other great women-owned businesses right here in Saskatchewan, visit our Women-Owned Business Database here.

If you’re a woman entrepreneur yourself and haven’t yet self-declared with WESK,  be sure to do so! Signing up is free, and gets you access to an exclusive woman-owned Saskatchewan business logo, social media template, and the opportunity to be listed in our Women-Owned Business Database. Learn more here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 5, 2021

Regina, SK – The City of Regina has signed the Saskatchewan Women Entrepreneurship Charter, becoming the first city in Saskatchewan to formally commit to supporting local women entrepreneurs. This initiative is led by Women Entrepreneurs Saskatchewan (WESK) to address the gender entrepreneurship gap in the province.

In May of 2019, the Government of Saskatchewan announced the creation of the WESK-led Saskatchewan Advisory Committee. A group of prominent business leaders advised on strategies, policies, and activities to help achieve gender parity for Saskatchewan women entrepreneurs. The final report, entitled Enabling Scale in Saskatchewan, includes ten recommendations. The launch of the Saskatchewan Women Entrepreneurship Charter is one of the first recommendations to be addressed.

The Charter affirms a commitment to advancing women entrepreneurship and building connections through four defining principles: 1) Procure with her; 2) Amplify her voice; 3) Share skills with her; and 4) Shatter a ceiling. Through signing, Charter Champions are not only committing to doing business with local women-owned companies, but they are also actively seeking and creating opportunities to support women entrepreneurs in practical and quantifiable ways.

“On behalf of City Council, it is important we provide all residents with an equal opportunity to succeed” says Mayor Sandra Masters. “The City of Regina is signing this Charter with WESK to provide procurement inclusion for women entrepreneurs and bolstering growth in our local economy.”

One of the priorities identified in the City of Regina’s Community Plan is fostering economic prosperity by supporting a vibrant and diverse economy, which aligns with the intentions of the established Charter. Through this alignment, there is an evident opportunity to stimulate women-owned business growth in Regina and in turn, the province. By signing the Charter, the City of Regina is creating space for other municipalities to declare their commitment to closing the gender entrepreneurship gap in Saskatchewan.

“The City of Regina’s commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs in our province is applauded,” commented Prabha Mitchell, CEO of WESK. “By being the first municipality in Saskatchewan to formally sign the Charter, the City of Regina is pioneering the way for other cities to convey their dedication.”

Women entrepreneurs are major contributors to economic growth and job creation. In 2019, women entrepreneurs contributed $23.1 billion to the Saskatchewan economy and created 191,836 jobs. However, research indicates women entrepreneurs encounter unique barriers that hinder full participation in growing the wealth of our province. By understanding and addressing the unique barriers that women entrepreneurs encounter, Charter Champions can enhance opportunities to scale businesses and boost economic growth in the province.

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For more information, please contact:

Josie Fries, Marketing Advisor, WESK

T: 306-477-6286

E: jfries@wesk.ca

W www.wesk.ca

Click here to view our Newsroom page for media-related assets.

About WESK

WESK is a non-profit, membership-based organization that provides business advising, lending, mentoring, networking, and learning opportunities. WESK is supported by Western Economic Diversification Canada.

Since 1995, WESK has provided over $40.4 million in financing to women entrepreneurs and as a result, more than $3.43 million has been leveraged.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 26, 2021

Regina, SK – SaskPower has signed onto the Saskatchewan Women Entrepreneurship Charter, an initiative led by Women Entrepreneurs Saskatchewan (WESK). As a Charter Champion, SaskPower has committed to supporting women-owned businesses in Saskatchewan. 

In May of 2019, the Government of Saskatchewan announced the creation of the WESK-led Saskatchewan Advisory Committee, an influential group of respected business leaders responsible for advising on strategies, policies, and activities to level the playing field for Saskatchewan women entrepreneurs. In July 2020, the Committee released their final report of recommendations entitled Enabling Scale in Saskatchewan. The report includes ten recommendations, including the launch of a charter to build a pool of champions in support of women entrepreneurs.

The Charter affirms a commitment to advance women entrepreneurship and build connections through four defining principles: 1) Procure with her; 2) Amplify her voice; 3) Share skills with her; and 4) Shatter a ceiling. Through the signing of the charter, Champions are not only committing to doing business with local women-owned companies, but they are also actively seeking and creating opportunities to support women entrepreneurs in practical and quantifiable ways.

“SaskPower firmly believes in advancing women entrepreneurs in Saskatchewan and will continue to actively look for opportunities to do so, which is why we have signed onto the Charter,” said SaskPower President and CEO Mike Marsh. “SaskPower is committed to a sustainable supply chain and this partnership with Women Entrepreneurs Saskatchewan will allow SaskPower to continue to build a diverse chain of suppliers and help support women-owned businesses in Saskatchewan.”

“We are very pleased to see SaskPower join the ranks of those paving the way towards gender entrepreneurship parity,” commented Prabha Mitchell, CEO of WESK. “Notwithstanding that SaskPower is the largest crown corporation in our province, signing onto the Charter reflects a strong commitment to advancing equal opportunities for economic growth. Through the support of the Government of Saskatchewan, the province has positioned itself to lead the country as the preeminent place for women to start, grow, and scale their businesses.”

Women entrepreneurs are major contributors to economic growth and job creation. In 2019, women entrepreneurs contributed $23.1 billion to the Saskatchewan economy and created 191,836 jobs. However, research indicates women entrepreneurs encounter unique barriers that hinder full participation in growing the wealth of our province. By understanding and addressing the unique barriers that women entrepreneurs encounter, Charter Champions can enhance opportunities to scale businesses and boost economic growth in the province.

“This partnership fits so nicely with SaskPower’s Diversity and Inclusion strategy,” noted Kathy McCrum, Vice President, Human Resources & Safety at SaskPower. “We have put significant focus on changing our traditional norms to allow for more space and opportunities for women to succeed at SaskPower.  We know we have more work to do, but our executive leadership is committed to continuing to take intentional action to ensure women are more representative in our workforce and in our supply chain.”

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For more information, please contact:

Josie Fries, Marketing Advisor, WESK

T: 306-477-6286

E: jfries@wesk.ca

About WESK

WESK is a non-profit, membership-based organization that provides business advising, lending, mentoring, networking, and learning opportunities. WESK is supported by Western Economic Diversification Canada.

In the past 26 years, WESK has provided over $40.4 million in financing to women entrepreneurs and as a result, more than $3.43 million has been leveraged.