Minister Lightbound announces additional funding for Agricultrices du Québec through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy Ecosystem Fund

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 15, 2026 /CNW/ -- Building the strongest economy in the G7 requires the full and equal participation of women. Through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), the Government of Canada is helping more women entrepreneurs access the financing, training and networks they need to succeed and help strengthen Canada's economy.

Today, the Honourable Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant, on behalf of the Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), announced that Agricultrices du Québec received an additional $628,501 for 2026–2027 through the WES Ecosystem Fund for its Dimension E program, which aims to strengthen women's entrepreneurship in the agricultural and forestry sectors across Canada. This additional investment brings the funding for Dimension E to a total of $3,397,617 since the program launched in 2023–2024.

Dimension E provides tailored bilingual services to women entrepreneurs across Canada, helping them start, grow and sustain agricultural businesses through mentorship, expert advisory services, training, networking opportunities and personalized business support.

The program was developed in response to barriers that disproportionately affect women agricultural entrepreneurs, including challenges in accessing capital, acquiring agricultural assets, balancing family and business responsibilities, and accessing entrepreneurial networks and business advisory services.

Key services include:

• one-on-one business support and coaching for women entrepreneurs
• entrepreneurial mentorship through experienced agricultural business owners
• free consultations with subject matter experts, including agricultural lawyers, tax and accounting specialists, financial planners, marketing advisors, agricultural management consultants, and notaries
• training workshops, conferences and peer-learning opportunities
• resources and tools related to agricultural entrepreneurship and business development
• specialized supports related to agricultural business succession and farm transfer planning

The project also promotes the visibility and recognition of women in agriculture through awareness initiatives such as the Femmes de terre, Femmes de tête campaign, entrepreneur profiles, digital content and other outreach activities designed to showcase role models and encourage greater participation by women in the agricultural economy.

Current projects under the WES Ecosystem Fund are scheduled to end on March 31, 2027. To continue its work to remove barriers faced by women entrepreneurs and to support women entrepreneurs, including in under-represented sectors, the Government of Canada announced in June 2026 that it was renewing funding for WES with a further $173.7 million over five years. A competitive call for proposals is currently under way--closing on November 9, 2026--to identify WES Ecosystem Fund projects for fiscal years 2027–2028 to 2030–2031.

Since its launch in 2018, WES has supported nearly 600,000 women entrepreneurs across Canada. Women entrepreneurs are also benefiting from the federal government's broader efforts to strengthen small businesses, including tariff relief measures, funding for AI adoption, red tape reduction and support for exporting to new markets.

Quotes

"This support for the Dimension E program will help ensure women entrepreneurs in the region and across Canada get the tailored services they need to thrive in the forestry and agriculture sectors. Women play a crucial role in these sectors, contributing fresh ideas and approaches that promote economic development, job creation and the sustainable management of resources."
– The Honourable Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant

"Women entrepreneurs are essential to building the strongest economy in the G7. More than ever, women need access to financing, networks and practical support to start, grow and sustain their businesses. When women succeed, they create jobs, strengthen communities and help build a stronger, more resilient Canada. Through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, we are helping more women turn their ideas into successful businesses and ensuring they have the opportunity to contribute fully to Canada's future."
– The Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)

"This financial support represents an important lever in continuing to help women farmers realize their entrepreneurship ambitions. By offering them opportunities to develop their expertise and skills, make connections and become more familiar with the resources available to them, we're helping develop to their full potential and contribution to the agriculture sector. The Women Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Fund is helping us develop a more inclusive industry where women can make their projects happen, bring new ideas forward and play a significant role in the future of our agriculture."
– Véronique Guizier, présidente Agricultrices du Québec

Quick facts

• The Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), the first of its kind in Canada, includes more than $7 billion in investments to strengthen women entrepreneurship across Canada.
• In June 2026, the Government of Canada announced that it was renewing funding for WES with a further $173.7 million over five years. The renewed funding includes:
  • $100 million for the WES Ecosystem Fund, which is helping women entrepreneurs access networks, training and mentorship to start up, scale up and access new markets
  • $59 million for the Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund, which funds partner organizations to deliver loans of up to $50,000 to women business owners and entrepreneurs
  • $7 million for the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, which serves as a one-stop source of knowledge, data and best practices for women entrepreneurs
  • nearly $8 million to support WES program operating costs
• The government is also investing in removing systemic barriers faced by diverse entrepreneurs through programs like the Black Entrepreneurship Program and the 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Program and organizations like Futurpreneur.

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Contacts: Erin Quevillon, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), [email protected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, [email protected]