The 40th edition of BDC Small Business Week (SBW), to be held coast to coast from Oct. 20 to 26, will bring together entrepreneurs at hundreds of events across the country to learn and network with their peers.
As part of SBW 2019, BDC’s president and CEO Michael Denham and chief economist Pierre Cléroux will meet with entrepreneurs in cities across the country to present the findings of a new report looking at how the Canadian entrepreneurial landscape has changed in the past 20 years.
Cities to be visited include Surrey, Vancouver, Edmonton, Saskatoon, London, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax.
BDC will also make public a survey that takes a closer look at the people behind the businesses, to find out who Canada’s entrepreneurs are, what challenges they face and what specific skills have allowed them to succeed.
“Canada is one of the most entrepreneurial nations in the world; our history is full of great men and women who built globally competitive businesses,” states Denham.
“This year, we want to showcase their hard work and successes and explore the key entrepreneurial skills that have underpinned their growth.”
Mary Ng, minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, stated, “Thanks to the hard work of BDC, Small Business Week has become an anticipated annual recognition of the backbone of the Canadian economy: small businesses!
“When small businesses succeed, our economy grows, and middle-class jobs are created, which is why our government is working hard to reduce red tape and make it easier for businesses to start up, scale up and access new markets.”
As well, during SBW and throughout the fall, BDC will invite entrepreneurs and the business community to celebrate the bank’s 75th anniversary.
“Since 1944, we’ve been at their side, helping them build and grow their businesses. As we celebrate our 75th anniversary we look forward to everything we can still achieve together,” Denham stated.
