I always find this time of year to be particularly challenging. We are long past the holiday festivities. Changes in our climate means that we have far less freshly fallen snow and far more freezing rain and ice pellets. As I looked out the window earlier this week, almost all the snow in the yard was gone. The driveway had almost dried out. But we’re facing periods of rain, followed by freezing rain and then more snow over the next few days. On the calendar, spring is so close and yet it seems so far away.
image by Julia Carle
In March, many Island businesses are knee-deep in preparations for the upcoming tourist season. I have served on the Marketing Committee of Central Coastal Tourism Partnership since 2016 and on their Board since 2019. This year, I am serving in the role of President. The passion and energy that everyone brings not only to their own businesses but also to the growth and health of the tourism industry as a whole is truly inspirational. It is such a supportive business community. Serving this community in a volunteer capacity really helps to drive away those March doldrums.
In Canada, 18% of businesses are majority-owned by women. And, small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) account for 99.8% of these women-owned enterprises. Did you know that 99.9% of tourism-related businesses are SMEs?
The tourism industry here in PEI contributes approximately 6.2% of the Island’s total GDP, close to $500 million in economic activity. If 99.9% of tourism-related businesses are SMEs, that means that women-owned businesses contribute immensely to the economy of PEI!
Why all of these facts and figures? Is this even important? Why yes, it is. We celebrate International Women’s Day on Friday, March 8th. The theme for IWD 2024 is “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”. We have travelled a long way towards gender equality. Women have historically faced many more challenges when it comes to financing business projects and having their voices heard in the business community. Serving on a Board of Directors where 90% of the Directors are women, including the Past President, President, 1st and 2nd VPs, Secretary and Treasurer as well as the Executive Director clearly demonstrates the progress we have made. Innovation PEI, The Desjardins Group and Staples Canada all showed their belief in Knit Pickers PEI’s wool pellet project by providing financial support to this 100% woman-owned small business. I am so grateful.
As we look at the world today, we still see such a continued need for equality – gender, racial, socio-economic. Social media often seems to magnify the hate and biases. But I still fully believe in the overall goodness of humanity. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that International Women’s Day and spring, the season of hope and renewal, go hand-in-hand. Let’s celebrate our successes, work always towards improving the world and breath in the beauty and optimism of spring.
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