The Saskatoon Open Door Society is pleased to be accepting support from the Government of Canada to expand activities of the Women’s Business Hub (WBH), an incubator for the start-up businesses of immigrant women.

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) is investing $1,020,463 under their Community Economic Development and Diversification (CEDD) program. This new support builds on an earlier contribution of $242,904 to the Saskatoon Open Door Society under PrairiesCan’s Jobs and Growth Fund to help start the Digital Literacy Program. With a mandate to diversify the economy across the Canadian Prairies, PrairiesCan leads in building a strong, competitive Canadian economy by supporting business, innovation and community economic development unique to Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.  Through the CEDD program, PrairiesCan makes targeted investments that aim to generate sustainable, inclusive economic growth and help communities across the Prairies fully participate in and benefit from economic opportunities. 

The financed project’s primary focus is to develop digital literacy among women entrepreneurs who will be marketing their products and services using the Global Marketplace, an online e-commerce platform launched by the WBH in November 2022 that currently has 58 registered vendors

“Our Government is committed to building a strong and diversified economy that works for everyone. Programming from the Saskatoon Open Door Society’s Women’s Business Hub to support digital literacy among immigrant and refugee women helps them develop and grow start-ups in their new communities,” said the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister responsible for PrairiesCan. “We are supporting the full participation of all women in our economy, so that they can create sustainable, successful businesses and share their knowledge and skills in their new communities to help strengthen the Saskatchewan economy.”

“Since the beginning of our program, we’ve seen the significant challenge that comes with a lack of digital literacy for immigrant women. This training has been crucial for their success in setting up an online presence in a competitive market, easing worries about digital skills, marketing and selling products,” explains Ashraf Mirmontahai, Director of Employment Services at SODS. “We sincerely appreciate the funding provided, as it plays a key role in addressing this challenge and helping these women navigate the digital world with confidence.”

Tina, a client of the Women’s Business Hub and a business owner, tells us, “The WBH Global Marketplace makes it easier for my clients to pay online for yoga courses, which has boosted my business tremendously. Their social media and marketing workshops also helped me significantly, as they taught me about social media and marketing -- especially how to focus on social media, such as Instagram, that my potential clients in Canada use. Their help was a big boost for my business!”

Since the Digital Literacy Program was launched in 2023, more than 100 clients have benefited from these WBH training programs. They fill a gap in the entrepreneurship ecosystem left by mainstream providers for this client group and establish valuable connections between newcomer women entrepreneurs, community organizations, and businesses in Saskatoon.

The official announcement was made by Ali Abukar, SODS CEO, during the bi-annual Dream to Reality Business Pitching Competition held in the Women’s Business Hub on Friday, February 9 in Saskatoon.

Thank you to Global Saskatoon for coverage of this story and funding. Read the article here.