Federal funding announced in Gore Bay, Ontario, is set to boost economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs in northern Ontario, according to the La Cloche Manitoulin Business Assistance Corporation (LAMBAC). Carol Campbell, LAMBAC’s Executive Director, stated that the continued support for the Northern Ontario Women (NOW) program will assist over 110 women-led businesses and contribute to the creation of nearly 145 full-time jobs.

“We are proud to lead this critical initiative, which empowers women to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams while fostering job creation, economic growth, and a resilient economy,” Campbell said in a statement issued by the federal government on Thursday.

The investment of $999,620 from the Government of Canada was announced by Nickel Belt MP Marc Serre. The funding will allow LAMBAC to continue administering the NOW program, which provides up to $5,000 in financial support to women-owned and women-led small businesses. This funding is intended to cover the costs of professional services and training, enabling these businesses to launch or scale up their operations.

The program aims to address specific challenges faced by women entrepreneurs, particularly in rural areas where access to services and training can be limited or prohibitively expensive. “Today’s announcement is fantastic news for our regional economy and sends an inspiring message to all women in northern Ontario considering entrepreneurship as a career,” Serré said.

All 24 of northern Ontario’s Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) are involved in promoting the NOW program and delivering local training events. Since its inception in 2019, the NOW program has supported nearly 400 women-owned and led businesses, resulting in the expansion and modernization of more than 260 businesses and the creation of over 300 full-time jobs across northern Ontario.

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