DivE In: July 2023

DivE In is your monthly source to learn about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) news, events and stories. Follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter to be notified when a blogpost is published. If you have any opportunities or news to share, please email programs(at)venturelabs.ca


📰 Funding/Investment Resources for Women-led Businesses

The State of Women’s Entrepreneurship

The State of Women’s Entrepreneurship (SOWE) annual report is a go-to resource for the most complete picture of research on women’s entrepreneurship in Canada. The SOWE report highlights the growing number of women-owned businesses in Canada. Approximately 18% of all businesses in Canada are majority-owned by women, with the majority being small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Despite this growing number, women face difficulties in accessing credit through financial institutions. The challenges are even greater for women with intersecting identities. Indigenous women encounter systemic exclusion and barriers when accessing financial services, while Black women entrepreneurs face financing and borrowing difficulties along with systemic racism and a lack of networking, mentorship, and training opportunities.

Want to learn more about the barriers, enablers and progress in women’s entrepreneurship? These and many more essential insights—and proposed solutions—can be found in #SOWE2023. Explore the findings .

BDC’s one-of-a-kind $100M Thrive Lab launches first $35M co-investment phase with call for partners, aims to propel women-led social impact businesses

Over the next five years, BDC’s Thrive Lab aims to provide $100M in equity investments and support to at least 100 ambitious women-led businesses aligned with United Nations Social Development Goals, promoting a more sustainable economy. The Lab seeks partners with a history of supporting women entrepreneurs to join their initiative. Read more here.


📰 GENERAL DEI NEWS

How communities are putting a spotlight on anti-Asian racism

CPAC organized an event in Toronto to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act and honor those fighting for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) to combat racism. Teresa Woo-Paw and Dr. Wendy Cukier received the CPAC EDI award for their significant contributions to human rights and EDI. The event shed light on the historical struggles against racism and highlighted the underrepresentation of Chinese Canadians in leadership positions. Cukier emphasized the importance of initiatives like the federal government’s 50-30 Challenge to promote diverse leadership teams and create a more equitable society. Read more here.

Decolonizing Business & Entrepreneurship — A Starter Guide

The article is co-created by a team of Indigenous women and non-binary individuals from WEKH, SFU VentureLabs, and the Indigenous LIFT Collective on decolonizing business. Read more here.


🗓 UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES


⭐️ COMMUNITY

Could engaging mature adults in skills training be the key to addressing Canada’s labour shortage?

  • Engaging mature adults in skills training could play a vital role in addressing Canada’s labour shortage, but it requires overcoming various challenges related to perceptions, stereotypes, and ageism in the workplace

Arca removes carbon dioxide from our atmosphere, one mine at a time

  • Bethany Ladd co-founder and Head of Operations of Arca Climate Technologies is doing exceptional things with her award-winning carbon dioxide removal company, pushing forward the importance of diversity in senior leadership positions

  • The Diversity Institute (DI) is facilitating the creation of a Publicly Available Specification (PAS) for the 50 – 30 Challenge on behalf of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and the Standards Council of Canada. The PAS will provide guidance for self-assessment and the tools to enable participating organizations to demonstrate their compliance and/or progress toward compliance with the 50 – 30 Challenge. The purpose of the Online Public Review is to ensure that organizations that have signed /or are considering signing onto the Challenge can comment on the proposed self-assessment framework. To go give your feedback, click

👤 SEE IT. BE IT.

The WEKH See It. Be It. Database spotlights the stories of women entrepreneurs making an impact.

Brenda MacIntyre is a motivational speaker, singer, and mental health advocate based in London, Ontario. She runs a business called Medicine Song Woman Creations, a service where she offers private wellness sessions and speaking engagements. Her main focus is on women and organizations who are interested in connecting with Indigenous wisdom, mental well-being, and self-care. Brenda has been offering wellness and speaking services for over 22 years, and she has been a professional singer for over 35 years. Her sessions often include healing music for her clients. In 2021, she presented Medicine Song Woman Creations at the Ontario Pow Wow Pitch, where she finished as a semi-finalist.


VentureLabs has partnered with Toronto Metropolitan University’s Diversity Institute as a BC partner for the 50 – 30 Challenge.

WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE?

The Challenge is aimed at advancing gender parity and increasing diversity on boards and in senior leadership roles. The aim:

  • 50% of board seats and leadership roles held by women and non-binary people
  • 30% of board seats and leadership roles held by members of other under-represented and/or equity-seeking groups (including racialized, Black and/or people of colour, people with disabilities, LGBTQ2+ people, and Indigenous people)

VentureLabs is proud to be the Regional Hub for the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) in BC. We are driven to create a more inclusive and supportive environment to grow women’s entrepreneurship in Canada. We challenge stereotypes, overcome barriers, and bring resources together in support of women entrepreneurs.

WEKH is a Government of Canada initiative that brings together service providers, programs, partners, and research across Canada in support of women entrepreneurs.

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