Regional Spotlight: Manitoba Women Entrepreneurs
On May 13, the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) held its Manitoba Roundtable, bringing together regional ecosystem stakeholders focused on supporting women entrepreneurs in the province. The event opened with remarks from Debra Jonasson-Young and Dr. Suzanne Gagnon, Co-Leads of WEKH Manitoba. This was followed by a presentation from Dr. Wendy Cukier, Academic Director of the Diversity Institute (DI) and WEKH, who shared preview findings from the upcoming 2025 State of Women’s Entrepreneurship in Canada (SOWE) report. The presentation highlighted the economic contributions of women entrepreneurs and outlined key challenges and opportunities in Manitoba.
Women Entrepreneurs in Manitoba: Driving Growth Amid Gaps
Small and Medium Entreprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the Canadian economy and women now own 20% of SMEs across the country generating more than $90.6 billion in revenue and supporting over 865,000 jobs in 2020. More recent insights shared at the roundtable suggest that number has now surpassed one million jobs, which is more than three times the employment provided by Canada’s largest banks. These businesses are not only revenue generators but also leaders in sustainability. Women-led companies are more likely to implement environmental practices, including waste reduction and green innovations.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represent 99.7% of all businesses in Manitoba, forming the backbone of the province’s economy. Yet, according to data shared at the WEKH Manitoba Ecosystem Roundtable, only 12.1% of these businesses are majority-owned by women, below the national average of 17.8%. However, this masks an important difference. Men are majority owners of only 56.7% of SMEs compared to the national average of 64.9%. In Manitoba, a large proportion of SMEs are equally owned by men and women 31.1% compared to the national average of 17.2%. This may be the result of the important role of agriculture and family businesses where joint ownership is more typical.
Spotlight on Manitoba: Diversity and Opportunity
Manitoba’s entrepreneurial landscape reflects the diversity and complexity of the province. Indigenous Peoples represent 6.8% of majority business owners in Manitoba, well above the national average of 4.0%, while immigrants account for 17.4%. This diversity is reflected in the top industries for majority women-owned SMEs, which include professional, scientific and technical services (25.7%), retail trade (22.8%), and health care and social assistance (16.5%).
An Ecosystem That Is Evolving
The roundtable reinforced the importance of a coordinated and inclusive ecosystem. With artificial intelligence, inflation, and global trade shifts reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape, Manitoba must continue to invest in infrastructure, capacity-building, and access to markets. WEKH’s ongoing leadership, supported by data, networks, and regional partnerships, remains central to this work.
Women entrepreneurs are not just building businesses, they are building Manitoba. As Cukier emphasized, “investing in women entrepreneurs isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s the smart thing to do.” With the right support, Manitoba’s women-led SMEs can unlock new opportunities for inclusive and sustainable growth across the province and beyond.