Women entrepreneurs play a critical role in Canada’s economy, generating over $100 billion in annual revenue and supporting more than one million jobs.
This research from the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) explores the business banking experiences of Canadian women entrepreneurs, highlighting key challenges in accessing financing, navigating lending processes, and building relationships with financial institutions.
Based on a national survey conducted between June and September 2025, the study reveals that 83% of women entrepreneurs experienced at least one barrier when dealing with financial institutions, including gender-related bias, higher collateral requirements and unclear loan denials.
The report also examines financing preferences, reasons entrepreneurs may avoid seeking credit, and opportunities for financial institutions to better support women-led businesses through inclusive advisory services, mentorship and improved banking processes.
This study was conducted by the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, part of the Diversity Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University on behalf of TD Women in Enterprise.
