In Toronto on March 20, The Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub presented the key findings from WEKH’s 2023 State of Women’s Entrepreneurship Report.

"Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for almost 90% of private sector employment in Canada. Entrepreneurs play a critical role not only in job creation and driving innovation and growth, but also in advancing social development and sustainability. Women entrepreneurs often face heightened barriers and have borne a disproportionate burden of the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impact; however, government, industry and other stakeholders worldwide are committed to advancing their success.

New research this year highlights the importance of rethinking how we assess the economic impact of SMEs generally and women entrepreneurs in particular. Additionally, there is continued evidence of broader contributions to the United Nations sustainable development goals and net-zero priorities. Canada’s unique Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) has provided a “whole of government” approach to support diverse women entrepreneurs. The strategy focuses on three major components: access to capital; strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem; and knowledge and research, which includes the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) to provide evidence to shape policy and practice."

Above:  OWIT Toronto Board Members, Cathy Williamson, Jessica Horwitz, Justine Namara and Audrey Ross, with Minister Mary Ng.