Diversity Institute and Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub welcomes new House of Commons Bill to recognize Women Entrepreneurship Day

TORONTO, Nov. 18, 2022 /CNW/ - The Diversity Institute, which leads the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) and other entrepreneurship and innovation research and social innovation projects, is pleased that Women's Entrepreneurship Day is one step closer in being formally established as a Canadian national day of recognition by the House of Commons. Rechie Valdez, MP for Mississauga-Streetsville, rose in the House of Commons to introduce the bill entitled An act to establish national women's entrepreneurship day.

"This is great news and an important step towards officially recognizing Women's Entrepreneurship Day at a national level," said Wendy Cukier, Diversity Institute founder. "Of course to the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH), every day is women's entrepreneurship day, as diverse women across the country in every sector work to build their businesses, innovate and advance sustainability. We need to celebrate  their success, crush stereotypes and other barriers to create an inclusive innovation ecosystem. Having an official day recognized will allow us to acknowledge the achievements of women entrepreneurs every year but also to take stock on our commitments and progress."

On November 19^th annually, the United Nations and 140 countries around the world including Canada, celebrate Women's Entrepreneurship Day. The movement which started nearly a decade ago accelerates and educates the world on the importance of why it's pivotal to empower women in business globally.

When introducing the Bill, MP Valdez said, "supporting them is not only the right things to do, it's the smart thing. Our government not only recognizes that fact, but continues to look for ways to stand by these innovative leaders as they break down barriers. Women are smart, creative, and driven; and they already know how to reach success. We'll be there to give them a hand when needed, as we work towards solving the problems of today and build a brighter tomorrow."

Research from WEKH's The State of Women's Entrepreneurship in Canada 2022  confirms the incredible economic and societal impact of women entrepreneurs, finding, in part, that the number of new women-founded start-ups with a valuation of more than US$1 Billion ("Unicorns") in Canada has almost doubled since 2019. And despite the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women-owned businesses, women entrepreneurs have demonstrated incredible resilience, ingenuity, and ability to innovate amid uncertainty.  

In recognition of Women's Entrepreneurship Day, the Diversity Institute and WEKH are participating in or hosting events, sharing news and partnering with other entrepreneurship ecosystem partners to highlight the challenges that women entrepreneurs face, celebrate their success and best practices in supporting them. You can learn more or subscribe to our newsletter at www.torontomu.ca/diversity.

SOURCE Diversity Institute