Total Mom Inc. celebrates fifth year helping moms in business

Canadian mom entrepreneurs can now apply for $50,000 in grant and services

By Chadd Cawson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Total Mom Pitch is celebrating five years of helping mothers becoming business owners and is now accepting applications for their entrepreneurship program until March 20.

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February celebrates women in business. Total Mom Inc., a professional community network (established in 2017) aims to help ambitious women begin and grow their businesses while juggling motherhood. Canadian moms are encouraged to submit their business vision to Canada’s Total Mom Pitch (an award-winning entrepreneurship, business pitch and awards program). Celebrating its fifth year providing support to Canadian women, this award-winning Total Mom pitch has officially launched across the country. It is accepting applications to its entrepreneurship program and will be accepted online through totalmompitch.ca until March 20.

“Total Mom Inc. exists because it’s simply unrealistic to expect women to have to choose between their career and raising a family,” said Anna Sinclair, founder and chief executive officer (CEO),Total Mom Inc., in a February press release. “We are dedicated to building an organization that supports working women, and we plan to grow our programs and events and Total Mom Pitch is an exciting program that fuels our dedication to women.”

With over 6,000 applicants to date, Total Mom Inc. allows moms across Canada to be recognized in-person at a 250+ gala with industry champions. The five top finalists will be invited to pitch their business idea in front of leading companies, executive judges, media, and influencers at the Canadian Women Entrepreneur Industry Gala on May 30. The judges are some of Canada’s most successful women executives from major brands, as well as influential coaches. Total Mom Inc. has partnered with the newly launched fintech company huumans, bookkeeping inc. to offer participants bookkeeping support.

“Our daily mission is to elevate entrepreneurs and support small business ownership, making it as accessible as possible,” said Paula Festas, chief executive officer (CEO), huumans, in press release in February. “We’ve seen firsthand, the obstacles that women – and especially mothers – face when starting a small business. We are grateful to work alongside Total Mom Inc., which understands the importance of equitable access to entrepreneurship.”

Through a voting process, the top 100 small businesses will go through a business accelerator program and get the opportunity for national visibility and media recognition. Prizes will include non-dilutive funding, business services, with more to be announced. This year, Total Mom Inc. also begins a new two-year partnership with Bell Media to share the success stories and voices of entrepreneurial mothers across Canada.

“As an organization, we admire how Bell is advancing how Canadians connect with each other and the world, while also championing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging,” said Sinclair. “Bell’s desire to support the personal and professional advancement of women entrepreneurs is why we will be working together over the next two years through Canada’s Total Mom Pitch initiative, and a new scholarship program that provides business education for hard-working women raising a family.”

PUBLIC NOTICE – PARCEL TAX ROLLS

The Regional District of East Kootenay is updating parcel tax rolls for the following service areas:

• Tie Lake Water Level Control

• Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund

• Elko Water

• Moyie Water

• Moyie Water – 2006 Project

• Lazy Lake Water Level Control

• Wasa/Ta Ta Creek/Skookumchuck Mosquito Control

• Rushmere Water

• Edgewater Sewer

• Edgewater Water

• Windermere Water

• Windermere Water Treatment

• Holland Creek Sewer

• Holland Creek Water

• Spur Valley Water

• Baltac Sewer

• Timber Ridge Water

• Wasa Recreation Contribution

Owners of property located in these parcel tax areas may request that the roll be amended, in relation to their own property, on one or more of the following grounds:

• there is an error or omission respecting a name or address on the assessment roll;

• there is an error or omission respecting the inclusion of a parcel;

• there is an error or omission respecting the taxable frontage of a parcel (for water or sewer service areas that use frontage for taxation); and

• an exemption has been improperly allowed or disallowed.

The parcel tax rolls are available for inspection, at the Regional District of East Kootenay office in Cranbrook during regular office hours.

Requests for amendments must be made in writing to the Regional District of East Kootenay, 19 - 24th Avenue South, Cranbrook BC V1C 3H8, on or before Tuesday, March 14, 2023 at 12:00 pm. If requests are received, a Parcel Tax Roll Review Panel will meet at 1:00 pm on Friday, March 11, 2022 in the RDEK Board Room.

With Theo Wilson and Nick Buttle guarding the net it will always be a close game. Please come support this team by getting an online 50/50 ticket in support of the team - or just come down and cheer. We can always use more support, and the kids love it!

The U15 team was a testament to the hard work of their coaches and volunteers keeping the team going when it seemed they may not have enough players at times, to keep going. Carl Kinsey, Laura Kipp, Greg Nyuli, and Grant Kelly did a wonderful job keeping a fun atmosphere, and the kids focused.

U18 Girls recently has their home tournament as well. This is a team to watch in the near future as it is a very young team who were competing against more senior teams. Veteran coaches Craig Wilcock, Jody McConnachie and Doug Schick helped create a team based on fun and learning, to build on for the years to come. We are all very proud of all of you!

U18 Boys are on their way to provincials next month to bring home the gold! Coaches Jody Brooks, Jens Dubreuil and Jason Pike have this veteran team playing well and ready to go.

The season will end with our year-end celebration at the Invermere Community Center on April 12th for all players and families to attend. It’s an awesome way to recognize the hard work of a special group of volunteers and kids who make this all happen. I am proud of every one of the players, coaches, managers and volunteers who make hockey in the valley a truly special group to belong to.

Registration for next season will begin on July 1st. Remember to sign up early to get the discounted rate!