THUNDER BAY – Ottawa’s commitment to supporting women-run businesses in Northern Ontario can make a big difference if done properly, says the executive director of PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise.
The federal budget, which was tabled this week, included $28 million over five years in new FedNor funding, of which $6 million is earmarked for what the government described as “nationally coordinated, regionally tailored, support for women entrepreneurs.”
"I'm hoping it will make a huge impact," PARO executive director Rosalind Lockyer said
But Lockyer said the federal government needs to do more than just dole out cash.
“It needs to be put out to organizations that are going to women and are in touch with women. It’s no good to just put an online program up and say, ‘hey women, you can apply for $50,000 here to help your business,’” Lockyer said.
“You can’t just sling money at people. It doesn’t work. They have to have the ongoing support.”
Lockyer said businesses need to develop the capacity to be able to take investment money successfully and maximize its effectiveness.
PARO, which serves an area extending from the Manitoba border to near the nation’s capital, has given out close to $6 million since 2009 to support women’s business development.
In addition, the organization operates workshops, business counselling and peer lending circles.
“We’re going to the women in the rural, northern communities and we can see the impact of our work,” Lockyer said, adding PARO works directly with as many as 800 businesses every year. “It’s a huge area. I think it’s really important for Northern Ontario.
Lockyer said supporting women entrepreneurs helps more than just the individual business owners and their employees.
“We all benefit when they expand their business and get larger contracts from areas like mining, government,” Lockyer said. “If they bring their business from making a product to manufacturing a product, then we all are better off. That increases the economy for everybody.”
