The Government of Saskatchewan, in co-operation with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), is pleased to proclaim October 19-25 as Small Business Week 2014 in the province.
Small businesses make up more than 98 per cent of all businesses in Saskatchewan, which translates to more than 107,000 businesses in all corners of the province. Each year that number grows and Saskatchewan now has the highest concentration of small businesses in the nation, with 97 small businesses per thousand people.
"Small businesses are essential to Saskatchewan; they employ nearly 150,000 people, produce a third of the province's annual economic output, and contribute to the stability and vibrancy of countless communities across the province," Economy Minister Bill Boyd said. "We are always pleased to celebrate small businesses and the entrepreneurs behind them by proclaiming Small Business Week in Saskatchewan."
Each year, the Government of Saskatchewan invests in a number of initiatives and programs that support small businesses, entrepreneurs, and learning and development opportunities for the next generation of entrepreneurs and business owners.
Some of this year's highlights include:
The Junior Achievement's Rural Expansion Initiative, which will expand rural programming, fostering entrepreneurial attitudes and business understanding for rural students;
Junior Achievement's Student Venture program that provides hands-on entrepreneurship experience for Saskatchewan students by allowing them to establish real-life companies;
The SASKBIZ GRID, a directory of service providers that can assist entrepreneurs with everything from start up to succession;
Futurpreneur Canada's Skilled Trades Training Program that offers entrepreneurial workshops geared toward skilled tradespeople to teach the basics of starting a business and entrepreneurial skills that can be applied to any employment situation; and
The Canada Job Grant, which helps businesses of all sizes train the employees they need.
"While we call them small businesses, collectively they contribute huge amounts to our province," Boyd said. "We will continue to work hard to support small businesses in Saskatchewan, and create a positive business climate for the hard working men and women who run them."
To learn more about small businesses in Saskatchewan, and the impact they have on our province, please see the newly-released 2014 Saskatchewan Small Business Profile at www.economy.gov.sk.ca/startingabusiness.
