Alexandria, ON, July 27, 2022 – Business Sisters | Consœurs en Affaires is pleased to announce it has received $100,000 from Desjardins Ontario Credit Union’s Community Development Fund to launch a new Centre for Rural Women Entrepreneurs which will deliver entrepreneurial training, mentorship and events, in both official languages, in the five counties of Eastern Ontario.
“We are delighted to work with the Desjardins team in making this innovative project a reality for our region. Women and women-owned businesses have been disproportionally affected by the pandemic. Desjardins’ contribution from their Community Development Fund helps us significantly reduce, and even eliminate, the barriers for women to start and grow a business. This will create much needed business activity in our villages and small towns throughout the region,” asserted Doreen Ashton Wagner, Founder and Executive Director of Business Sisters | Consœurs en Affaires.
“Creating this hub for women brings together aspects of entrepreneurship and the development of our local and regional economy. Therefore, investing in this project came as a very natural fit for Desjardins and we are thrilled to be part of this journey,” said Karine Foster, Regional Vice-President, Eastern Ontario.
The Centre will be based in Alexandria. Events will happen throughout Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott, and Russell. The funding will support activities over the next five years.
About the Desjardins Ontario Credit Union
Present in Ontario for over 100 years, the Desjardins Ontario Credit Union has recorded the largest growth in Canada for the second year in a row. Member of Desjardins Group, the largest financial cooperative in Canada, the credit union offers complete banking services for all types of clients and various needs. Because of its cooperative nature and financial strength, it shares a portion of its surplus earnings with its member-owners. In 2021, over $12 million in dividends were distributed to individuals and communities in Ontario and hundreds of projects were supported.
About Business Sisters | Consœurs en Affaires
Founded in 2018, Business Sisters | Consœurs en Affaires is a bilingual social enterprise dedicated to building happy, resilient rural communities by connecting women business owners so they can learn and thrive. It connects over 400 women business owners in Eastern Ontario with live and online events, plus a growing list of learning and mentorship activities. For more information, please consult https://business-sisters.ca/.
For more information, please contact Doreen Ashton Wagner at 613-362-4474 or doreen@forloveandbusiness.com.
