At the beginning of every year, I take a moment to reflect on the conversations I’ve had with entrepreneurs and ecosystem support organizations across the country and think about how we can work together to improve the small business landscape across Canada.
This year, the Startup Canada team had the unique opportunity to fly across the country and connect in person with over 1,600 entrepreneurs on our Startup Canada Tour. Stopping in Whitehorse, Halifax, Vancouver, Calgary, and Brampton, we heard the unique stories and challenges impacting Canadian business owners in different regions – as well as their collective experiences. In Whitehorse, the geographical location was holding many entrepreneurs back from desired growth, while in Halifax, many entrepreneurs were seeking more diversity in entrepreneurial support spaces and events. In Vancouver, we heard many entrepreneurs’ frustrations over limited funding opportunities, Calgary echoed this sentiment with the added need for more support for 2SLGBTQI+ and women entrepreneurs. Our fifth and final stop in Brampton echoed the need for increased resources for equity-deserving founders and increased access to funding nationwide.
While we heard the diverse challenges and needs of entrepreneurs, we also got to witness the strength of the Canadian entrepreneurship ecosystem in each of these cities. Community support and uplifting and celebrating fellow business owners was a common theme shared at every stop of Tour. We saw how support organizations worked tirelessly to develop new resources for local entrepreneurs to build and grow their businesses. Both in on-stage panels and off-stage conversations, we heard small business owners champion one another and work together to rebuild after the impacts of COVID-19 and recent financial crises.
This year, we are continuing Startup Canada Tour, visiting four new cities, building on the power of community, and connecting the entrepreneurship ecosystem from coast to coast to coast. We know that when we work together, we can make Canada the best country in the world to be an entrepreneur.
You can explore more insights from our 2023 Startup Canada Tour and get the latest updates on our upcoming Tour stops by visiting www.startupcanadatour.ca.
Kayla Isabelle
CEO – Startup Canada
Kayla Isabelle is the Chief Executive Officer of Startup Canada, the gateway to Canada’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Startup Canada’s mission is to connect Canada’s entrepreneurs with the tools, community, and support they need to start and build their businesses. Kayla has dedicated her career to supporting entrepreneurs and is passionate about leveraging the power of storytelling in the business community, particularly for women entrepreneurs, as the host of the Startup Canada Podcast.
