Monday October 19, 2015 – Every year during BDC Small Business WeekTM, we celebrate entrepreneurs and Canada’s small and medium-sized enterprises. Since 1979, BDC Small Business Week has been dedicated to celebrating entrepreneurs in cities all across Canada. From Oct. 19 – 23, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and community partners: the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC)/Thunder Bay & District Entrepreneur Centre (EC), Thunder Bay Public Library, PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise, Thunder Bay Ventures, the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre, Lakehead University, Confederation College, Keynote Events, SHIFT Young Professionals Network, and Nishnawbe-Aski Development Fund, bring you an exciting calendar of events and activities to recognize our small businesses and their contributions.

“The Thunder Bay & District Entrepreneur Centre (EC) is committed to assisting local entrepreneurs” said Stacia Kean, Development Officer for the Entrepreneur Centre. “The continued growth of small businesses in Thunder Bay is important to our economy.  BDC Small Business WeekTM shines a spotlight on the resources where business people can find the assistance they need”.

“Entrepreneurship is a viable career option in Thunder Bay,” said Doug Murray, CEO, CEDC. “City Council and the City of Thunder Bay are strong supporters of youth entrepreneurship development. We are pleased to support  BDC Small Business WeekTM with other community partners to assist young people in creating their own employment.”

“Staying ahead of the competition is never an easy task,” said John Guarasci, Business Centre Manager at BDC. “No one knows this better than Canadian entrepreneurs. Business owners can gain valuable insights by studying the example of other successful, innovative companies. BDC Small Business Week activities provide an opportunity to do just that”.

Visit our website for the events organized during  BDC Small Business WeekTM  at: www.thunderbay.ca/smallbusinessweek
Tweet us: #TBSBW2015
Like us: facebook.com/TBSBW

Small businesses represent 99.8% of all companies and employ 64% of private sector workers. They are the engine of our economy. Around 10,000 business people attend BDC Small Business WeekTM events each year all across Canada. Don’t miss this excellent opportunity to build valuable business networks. Great things happen when entrepreneurs get together. Come learn, share ideas and find business opportunities.

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Contact: Stacia Kean, Development Officer for CEDC and EC, 807-625-3972 or skean@thunderbay.ca

About CEDC: The CEDC is responsible for business development, retention and expansion, entrepreneurial support, opportunity promotion, and the collection and assessment of key business data. The CEDC receives formal proposals for projects that will contribute to economic development. It responds quickly to new opportunities and initiatives to attract direct financial involvement from the government and private sectors. For more information, visit www.ThunderBayCEDC.ca.

About BDC Small Business WeekTM: BDC Small Business WeekTM is a Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) trademark whose origins date back to 1979 when BDC business centres in British Columbia’s Lower Fraser Valley pooled their resources to organize a week of activities for entrepreneurs. This first event and the one that followed in 1980 were so successful that BDC officially launched BDC Small Business WeekTM across Canada in 1981. The initiative was quickly adopted by Canada’s business community. In 2014, over 300 activities across Canada attracted close to 10,000 business people to BDC Small Business WeekTM. This BDC flagship event celebrates entrepreneurship at the local, provincial and national levels.

About BDC: BDC is the only bank dedicated exclusively to entrepreneurs. With more than 100 business centres and over 32,000 clients across Canada, it offers loans, investments and advisory services. BDC’s purpose is to support Canadian entrepreneurship with a focus on small and medium sized businesses. To learn more, visit www.bdc.ca.