Saskatchewan could see an economic boost of $17.6-billion a year if more women were encouraged to start, run and grow their own businesses.
That’s from a report from the Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan organization which received funding from the province to explore avenues of scaling up women-owned businesses.
Some of the recommendations in the report include new financial and mentoring supports for women entrepreneurs, streamlining access to data, programs and networks, and more awareness and support.

WESK CEO Prabha Mitchell says one of the recommendations is to enhance access to capital.
She says according to research, women are less likely to be able to secure capital because they are evaluated differently due to bias towards their performance and success, and this creates a significant funding gap between men and women.

The report from the WESK Advisory Committee cites that women entrepreneurs contributed $23.1-billion to the province’s economy last year and were responsible for almost 192-thousand jobs, but more than 80 per cent of Saskatchewan’s women-owned businesses have fewer than 10 employees.

Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Office, Tina Beaudry-Mellor, says Saskatchewan has one of the highest rates of female entrepreneurship among all of the provinces with one of every eight women employed running her own business, so this report will help to build and this to become one of the best places in Canada for female entrepreneurs.

Top: WESK CEO Prabha Mitchell

Below: Minister Tina Beaudry-Mellor