WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
18
JUNE 2018
BUSINESS BANK OFFERING PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS Business Development Bank of Canada
K
ELOWNA – The bank created specifically to support and develop business, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) has dramatically evolved and adapted to more effectively match the changing face of the Canadian business community. Today, with access to the latest in financing and advisory services to support modern entrepreneurs, the BDC has the tools in place help business owners survive and to prosper during changing times. One of the fastest growing and most dynamic segments of the Canadian business com mu n ity a re women entrepreneurs – with the BDC offering tailored advice and financial solutions specifically geared toward aiding female business owners. “This office has a real focus of working with women entrepreneurs. The BDC has set itself a target to deploy $1.4 billion to Canadian women entrepreneurs over the next three years, so obviously women are a major focus group for us,” explained Martine Hickman, the Business Centre
“The BDC has set itself a target to deploy $1.4 billion to Canadian women entrepreneurs over the next three years.” MARTINE HICKMAN BUSINESS CENTRE MANAGER, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA
Manager for BDC’s Kelowna branch. “We want to make sure that women have access to the support and to the capital that they need to make their businesses succeed.”
Martine Hickman is the Business Development Bank of Canada Business Centre Manager in Kelowna One of 118 BDC business centres in Canada, the Kelowna branch (in one form or another)
first began serving the Okanagan region in 1962, and has evolved over that time to better
serve the changing make up of its clientele. With a national staff count of more than 2,200, the Business Development Bank of Canada (a financially sustainable Crown corporation) is directly responsible for helping more than 49,000 entrepreneurs through financing, advisory services and capital. Thanks to this announced emphasis on supporting the nations’ female business leaders through its funding target of $1.4 billion, the BDC is hoping to energize an entirely new generation of entrepreneurs – individuals who will help power the economy forward in the years to come. “The construction industry in particular sees growing companies having working capital constraints. We can assist them by providing working capital that in turn can be used to hire new employees, build inventory, explore new markets, and to acquire new equipment,” she said. BDC wants to make sure that these businesses have the resources to bid on new construction projects or local infrastructure plans. “In the past three years we’ve deployed over $700 million to women entrepreneurs. With this new effort we will be doubling our commitment to this important segment of the marketplace.” www.bdc.ca
The bank of built to last At BDC, your business is our priority. That’s why we make it our business to understand what you’re up against. Whether it’s protecting cash flow or boosting performance, as the only bank exclusively devoted to entrepreneurs, we can help you find the solution that fit your needs. Kelowna Business Centre Martine Hickman, Manager martine.hickman@bdc.ca 1-888-INFO-BDC
Call us at 1-888-INFO-BDC or go to bdc.ca BDCad_Construction_Kelowna_9.8x6.2_051418_en.indd 1
2018-05-14 3:20 PM