(MISSISSAUGA) 13 March 2017 – In an effort to combat Nunavut’s high rate of social assistance and unemployment rates (2x the national average), students from the University of Ottawa launched a social enterprise that gives entrepreneurs access to the tools, affordable space and resources needed to successfully launch their businesses.
In Windsor, one of the most ethnically-diverse cities in the country, students from the University of Windsor operate a one-on-one consulting program that aims to support immigrants and other people that have struggled to secure employment, develop a sustainable food business.
In an effort to move farmers up the value chain and reduce malnutrition in Zambia, students from Lambton College worked with locals to build a peanut butter production facility with products to be sold in the town of Monze.
The Enactus University of Ottawa, Enactus University of Windsor and Enactus Lambton College teams have been named 2017 TD Entrepreneurship Challenge Regional Champions by Canada’s largest experiential learning platform, Enactus Canada, and program supporter TD Bank Group.
Through Enactus University of Ottawa’s Project Iqaluit Innovation Hub, four community partnerships have been established to ensure long-term sustainability of the program, 42 people have been exposed to entrepreneurship as a viable career path, and 4 people have started their own businesses.
CookStart has established partnerships with the OPIRG Community Kitchen, Public Health Services Association (PHSA), Canadian Mental Health Association and Walmart Canada and is a multiple award winning project for its impact in the community and for empowering women in the Windsor-Essex region. Twenty-nine people have been empowered to turn their passion of food into a means of financial independence, 16 new businesses have been created, and $431,951 in revenue has been generated through Project CookStart.
Through Enactus Lambton College’s Hippy Peanut Butter, eight jobs have been created to-date and a leading grocery chain in Zambia has agreed to stock 2,000 jars per week, which will allow the project to scale and employ more than 100 farmers.
“Entrepreneurship drives innovation, job creation and employment” said Nicole Almond, President of Enactus Canada. “Through this challenge, we empower students to use their own entrepreneurial skills to help ensure the ongoing growth of entrepreneurial ventures across Canada.”
The TD Entrepreneurship Challenge is a national competition empowering post-secondary students to develop and deliver projects that teach entrepreneurial skills to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs. Since 2007, 13,018 students have exposed 67,875 people to entrepreneurship as a viable career path and have positively impacted 15,893 entrepreneurs.
Student teams demonstrated the impact of their entrepreneurial projects to panels of business executives on March 10 in Mississauga as part of the Enactus Canada Regional Exposition – Central Canada.
The three teams will now move on to the national level of competition taking place May 9-11 at the 2017 Enactus Canada National Exposition in Vancouver.
ABOUT ENACTUS CANADA: Enactus Canada, the country’s largest post-secondary experiential learning platform, is shaping entrepreneurial leaders who are passionate about advancing the economic, social and environmental health of Canada. Guided by academic advisors and business experts, more than 2,734 entrepreneurial post-secondary students led 280 community empowerment projects and business ventures last year in communities coast to coast. As a global network of 36 countries, Enactus uses the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. For more information, visit enactus.ca.
Media Inquiries:
Jennifer Falzon
Director, Marketing & Strategic Growth, Enactus Canada
jen@enactus.ca | 416.304.1566 x222 | 416.315.2099