The Canadian government has announced a $5.6 million investment to strengthen Black-owned businesses in Alberta through training, mentorship, business advisory services and improved access to markets under the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP).
- +Canada commits $5.6 million to boost Black-owned businesses in Alberta
The funding, unveiled at the Black to the Future Summit in Edmonton by Eleanor Olszewski, Canada’s Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), will support three Alberta-based initiatives aimed at helping Black entrepreneurs launch, grow and scale their businesses.
The funding, unveiled at the Black to the Future Summit in Edmonton by Eleanor Olszewski, Canada’s Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), will support three Alberta-based initiatives aimed at helping Black entrepreneurs launch, grow and scale their businesses.
The investment is designed to address longstanding barriers that Black entrepreneurs face, including limited access to financing, mentorship and business networks, which have constrained business growth despite the sector’s growing contribution to Canada’s economy.
According to the Canadian government, the funding is expected to strengthen Alberta’s entrepreneurial ecosystem while creating new employment opportunities and supporting inclusive economic growth.
Speaking at the announcement, Olszewski said Black entrepreneurs continue to play a critical role in Alberta’s economy through innovation and job creation, adding that the investment would help eliminate barriers that prevent many businesses from reaching their full potential.
She noted that equipping entrepreneurs with better access to mentorship, business development services and professional networks would make Alberta’s economy more competitive and resilient.
Canada’s Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State for Small Business and Tourism, Rechie Valdez, also said supporting Black-owned businesses remains central to the government’s broader strategy for inclusive economic development.
The largest share of the funding, $2.6 million, will go to the Council for the Advancement of African Canadians (Africa Centre) alongside co-recipients Canadian Imperial Advantage and The Nod Foundation to implement the ACT project.
The Black Entrepreneurship Program provides targeted support for Black business owners by improving access to capital as well as business support services such as mentoring, advisory services, networking and training.
Its Ecosystem Fund, administered by Canada’s regional development agencies, supports Black-led non-profit organizations that provide entrepreneurship programmes across the country. In Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the initiative is delivered through PrairiesCan.
The Canadian government estimates that funding for the three Alberta projects will help create 280 jobs, support 950 businesses, train 720 entrepreneurs, and lead to the creation, expansion or sustainability of 302 businesses by the time the projects conclude. The current funding round is expected to run through March 2030.
In 2022 Nairametrics reported that the Canadian Government donated the sum of N2.6 billion to advance the participation of women in Nigeria’s politics.
The donation was announced by James Christoff, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria in Abuja at a dialogue with traditional leaders, organised by the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator to Nigeria and the UN Women. Christoff noted that the funds would be contributed for a period of four years under Canada’s Advance Women Political Participation in Nigeria project.
