Women's Business Hub
A program of the Saskatoon Open Door Society

About the Program

The Story of the Women’s Business Hub

While serving our clients in the NEED program (Newcomers Enhanced Entrepreneurial Development), the Employment Services Unit at SODS noticed some educational and service gaps were not addressed by mainstream providers in Saskatoon. Thus the Women’s Business Hub program was created. The WBH is designed to serve as an incubator for immigrant women entrepreneurs, providing opportunities to learn, connect, innovate and network in order to launch or expand their businesses in a safe, supportive environment and prepare them to be part of the larger business community. The program was officially launched in September 2019, with our first cohort of eight local immigrant women.

The Program

The program runs for 12 months, with recruitment beginning in September and March each year. It consists of weekly 90-minute classroom sessions (with practical knowledge to help kick-start your business and one-on-one meetings with business professionals for mentorship and networking, along with bi-weekly group coaching sessions.

Through this program, participants are shown the most efficient ways to make their product a reality and compete effectively in the local market. They also have access to our commercial kitchen, sewing machines and other practical resources at reduced rates.

Joining the Program

Eligibility Criteria

The program is open to immigrant women who

  • are eligible to work in Canada
  • immigrated to Canada within the last ten (10) years
  • are either a Permanent Resident or a Canadian Citizen
  • have English language level CLB 4+
  • have the technical skills or certification required for your business
  • and have an entrepreneurial attitude.

International Graduate Entrepreneurs are also highly encouraged to apply.

Have questions or concerns? Check out our FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page, or email us at wbh@sods.sk.ca.

Application Process

  1. To apply for the program, we first encourage you to join us for a virtual information session over Zoom to determine if this program is right for you. You can register by emailing wbh@sods.sk.ca and will receive a link to the Zoom session.

    Our next upcoming information session is TBA

  2. Fill out and submit your application form for the program by the deadline specified in the Zoom meeting.

  3. A member of our program staff will be in touch about your application, and will arrange for the next steps.

Be sure to also check out our Upcoming Events and Classes!

Go to Our Events and Classes page

In Partnership With