Press Release

For Immediate Release

More New Brunswick Women Business Owners Ready to Do Business with the Government of Canada

August 16th 2018

Fredericton, NB – Thanks to an initiative led by Women in Business New Brunswick, more than 40 women business owners now have the information and skills they need to sell their products and services to the Government of Canada. Organized in partnership with the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME) in Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), Women in Business New Brunswick hosted a procurement event on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 at the Wu Centre in Fredericton. The 11 participants, who were pre-selected prior to the event, all had goods and services that the Government of Canada purchases and the capacity to bid on tenders. 

Every year, the Government of Canada purchases between $15 and $20 billion of goods and services. OSME assists small medium-sized businesses in better understanding how the government buys goods and services and by raising awareness of Buyandsell.gc.ca, which provides procurement information and free seminars and webinars and one-on-one sessions to assist suppliers in understanding federal procurement.

“One of our objectives at OSME is to increase the number of women-owned businesses that sell their products and services to the Government of Canada,” indicated Liette Lavallée, Senior Outreach Officer for New Brunswick with OSME. “To do so, we need to connect with these women entrepreneurs to help them understand the procurement process and how they can obtain small and larger contracts. Continuing to work in collaboration with Women in Business New Brunswick will definitely yield positive results. ”  

Prior to the event, two Webinars (one in French and the other in English) were offered to all women entrepreneurs to increase awareness and to provide general information on selling to the Government of Canada. Held on May 30th and 31st, the sessions provided key information and attracted over 40 participants.

Development Officers with Women in Business New Brunswick played a role in selecting women business owners that possessed the capacity to provide goods and services to the Government of Canada. In addition to group training on key topics, OSME outreach officers met with the pre-selected participants one-on-one to help address their unique needs.

About the Women in Business Initiative 
Through the financial support offered by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the New Brunswick Association of CBDCs provides services to businesswomen through the Women in Business Initiative (WBI). The WBI is managed by Development Officers who work directly with women business owners. These officers provide personal support to women entrepreneurs who live in rural and urban areas, and ensure they have access to the products and services they need to grow their business. 

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For more information: 
Line Doiron, Executive Director, New Brunswick Association of CBDCs
Phone: (506) 548-2406
Email: line.doiron@cbdc.ca