Sagehill Community Futures took a look back at the previous year with their annual event on June 20.
Small business growth in the region has been going steady over the past year, Sagehill stated in their annual report, with nearly $1.4 million and 29 business loans being given out to support small business in the region.
Small business numbers are growing in the region and matching the national average for small business growth rates, reported Sagehill’s annual report.
Part of this growth can be seen in the use of services available through Sagehill, says Sagehill CEO Dianne Olchowski, with advisory and financing service use on the rise with over 1,400 inquires made to Sagehill in the past year, nearly triple their historic average.
The Sagehill region has a tremendous amount of assets both in businesses and tourism opportunities, she says. It is for this reason that Sagehill invited Joan Wassil of the Wheatland Express Excursion Train to speak about their recent opening and the collaboration it took to open up the new attraction to the Cudworth/Wakaw region.
Olchowski says the express is a great example of small community innovation and creation.
“It’s always interesting to us that communities get together, put their heads together and come up with unique and innovative ways to increase the profile of their community, create jobs and economic opportunity. Wheatland Express is certainly one of those things.”
Two contracted services are great additions to the Sagehill list of services this past year, says Olchowski, with Elevate, business development for persons with disabilities, and the Indigenous Business Development Services Program both becoming tools for local businesses through Sagehill as well as services across the province for those using the indigenous business program.
Both programs are designed to help entrepreneurial minorities get into the small business markets and provide additional services, says Olchowski.
Especially in rural and reserve communities, services can be difficult to come by compared to major centres. Together with fellow partners, they are working through these challenges.
“The economic space that indigenous entrepreneurs want to take up is increasing and so it’s important to support that so they do understand that, like any other business owner, that business planning and developing longer term strategies are important.”
Part of Sagehill’s role with the Indigenous Business Development Service is to ensure the tools and resources are available to all indigenous entrepreneurs. says Olchowski.
