Over the years, women have come a long way in the world of entrepreneurship. In Saskatchewan, one of the main organizations that has supported women on that journey is WESK, or Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan. 

CEO Miriam Johnson says WESK was started by the federal government in 1995 with a goal of helping women get involved in boosting Canada’s economy, as opposed to preventing them from participating in the conversation.   

“And the reason why I say prevent, is that it wasn’t until 1974 in The Credit Act that a woman could receive a business loan with a male cosigner. It wasn’t until 1988 that a woman could receive a business loan without a male cosigner.”

Even today, Johnson says government contracts are often awarded to male-owned businesses, and financial institutions still show biases in their loan approval processes. 

For example, she says they tend to ask women, “How are you raising a family and running a business? They ask more questions for women, which does have a bit of that gender bias compared to male business owners.”

Now, WESK offers an array of programs and services for business owners at any stage in the game, such as networking events, webinars and learning modules, mentorship, business advising, and loans.  

“We have provided $47 million in loans, and the economic impact in Saskatchewan is over half a billion dollars that women business owners have done.”

Provincially recognized Women Entrepreneurs Week kicked off Monday, coinciding with the opening of nominations and applications for the WESK Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. Johnson encourages the public to take time to recognize a powerful woman in business for her dedication.

The WESK Gala takes place in Saskatoon on September 16th. For more information, click here.