Why feminist entrepreneurship is everyone’s business

Vinaya dreamed of starting her own pastry business. But as a newcomer to Canada who also had a newborn baby, her path was riddled with obstacles and questions. How would she access a commercial kitchen? What licenses did she need? What about packaging? 

That’s when she found The Dream Cuisines Food Business Program at Flavours of Hope.

This social enterprise in Vancouver, BC, supports newcomer women to become food entrepreneurs, helping them overcome multiple barriers to launch their products and services.  

It was instrumental in helping Vinaya get started. 

“The program gave me and other newcomer women a runway to take off and fly, empowering us with business skills, confidence, and community,” says Vinaya, who now runs her own business, Elaichi Patisserie.  

With supportive, community-based programs and resources like this, diverse women can pursue entrepreneurial pathways that help them move toward the power, safety, rights, and support they deserve.  

Trixie Ling, founder of Flavours of Hope, says it’s inspiring to see how the impact of programs like Dream Cuisines goes far beyond individual participants, rippling out in various ways. 

“The kids get to see their mom being confident and being a leader in the community,” she said. “Other women in the community see them with their own business and say, ‘If you can do it, I can do it too.’”

Barriers are bad for business 

Dream Cuisines is one of many programs funded by the Canadian Women’s Foundation to help women overcome economic barriers.

In Canada, gendered poverty remains a significant challenge, and it’s one everyone has a stake in addressing. 

Canada has the potential to add $150 billion to its GDP by advancing gender equality and increasing women’s participation in the workforce. This growth stands to benefit everyone.

Entrepreneurship offers a powerful path for women and gender-diverse individuals to overcome barriers to traditional jobs and workplaces, and women entrepreneurs often prioritize social impacts like sustainability, inclusion, and community-building, bettering our social structures.

However, challenges remain — such as limited access to capital, business networks, mentors, and supportive communities. Currently, women-owned businesses make up just 18 per cent of all businesses in Canada and typically start with 53 per cent less capital than those owned by men.  

Investing in feminist entrepreneurship 

There are, however, growing opportunities to make a difference, and community-focused organizations are helping to lead the charge. 

Through the Partnering for Feminist Entrepreneurship project, the Canadian Women’s Foundation is working with seven partner organizations throughout Canada to provide education, training, mentorship, and networking opportunities to women and gender-diverse founders. 

So far, the project has reached more than 2,000 diverse entrepreneurs, including Félicité Donyo and Lisa Noto, whose ethical clothing company, TUKUAN, is based in Montreal. 

“As feminists representing a B corporation, we value and support women in our community,” they said. “We support principles of equality and respect for the community and the environment.” 

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Join the movement for gender equality 

Success stories like these are just the beginning. Together, we can create even more opportunities where women and gender-diverse people can thrive. 

But the Canadian Women’s Foundation relies on support from individuals like you to drive community-level, long-term change. 

Just last summer, feedback from our community helped shape recommendations to modernize the Employment Equity Act, centering women, girls, and Two Spirit, trans, and nonbinary people facing diverse barriers to employment. And for International Women’s Day this year, we will be hosting Thriving at Work, in partnership with The Globe and Mail on March 6. The conversation will focus on how employers can better support women’s mental health. Experts will share what factors lead to increased stress at work and strategies for creating a supportive environment. 

When you join our community, you support this work and participate in initiatives that resonate with your values. 

We all have a role to play in building a gender-equal future: it starts with us. 

Join the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s community today at yescountmein.ca.