Mayor Bevilacqua opens Vaughan Small Business Week
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Annual event supports entrepreneurs and small business owners with personalized learning and networking opportunities
The following is a statement delivered by Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua to open Vaughan Small Business Week. Mayor Bevilacqua was joined by Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill Member of Provincial Parliament, Michael Parsa, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (Small Business).
“On behalf of the City of
Vaughan, I wish to acknowledge the tireless, committed and inspiring
entrepreneurs on the occasion of Small Business Week. Vaughan’s economic prosperity
over the past term of council - and going back to 2010 - has been remarkable,
and we owe much of our enduring success and competitiveness to the hard work,
determination and vision of local entrepreneurs.
“Small businesses are the
backbone of our economy. More than 80 per cent of businesses in our city employ
fewer than 20 people, making local job creators a driving factor behind our
strong economic position. Since 2010, the Vaughan Business Enterprise Centre
(VBEC) has helped entrepreneurs start or expand nearly 3,300 businesses in our
community. Vaughan leads with an employment growth rate of 3.6 per cent - far
outpacing Ontario and Canada. Since 2010, nearly 55,000 new jobs have been
created in Vaughan. We have the highest employment in York Region. Vaughan is
home to nearly 12,000 businesses that employ over 218,000 people.
“VBEC works with small
business owners and entrepreneurs in our city by providing a support system
with one-on-one business advice meetings, information on starting a company and
the use of a business reference library. I am delighted to announce that VBEC is once
again hosting Small Business Week – an annual celebration of entrepreneurship
that has been celebrated in Canada for 39 years and is supported by the Ontario
Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.
“Vaughan, in collaboration
with partners, is hosting six events over three days to give local
entrepreneurs the opportunity to meet with experts, learn ways to grow their
businesses, discover government programs for small business owners and connect
with like-minded individuals.
“Beginning with today’s official
launch, Vaughan Small Business Week features Outside the Box: Portraits of Innovation - a professionally curated
photography exhibition that profiles Vaughan-based connectors, innovators and
faces of business. Our opening day programming includes a panel discussion on
innovation and business in Vaughan and a presentation on hiring incentives for
employers.
“On October 17, entrepreneurs
can meet marketing, social enterprise and export professionals to get
professional advice on specific issues and gain a better understanding of some
of the challenges small business owners face. Later that same day, VBEC is
hosting a Confab: a pitch-free networking and learning event for small business
owners to make real connections with their peers, to exchange ideas and
insights while building long-term relationships with others in the community.
“To close out the week’s
events on October 18, small business owners can learn about health and safety
laws – your responsibilities and legal obligations as an owner, along with ways
to keep your workplace healthy and safe.
“Finally, if you’ve always
wanted to join a mastermind, Vaughan Small Business Week gives you the perfect
opportunity: the York Mastermind Networking Group. This program helps business
owners and entrepreneurs connect to discuss business challenges and think of
solutions in a collaborative, supportive environment.
“Vaughan Small Business Week
would not be possible without the programming and support from multiple groups,
including Vaughan Chamber of Commerce, COSTI Employment Services, ONE – Ontario
Network of Entrepreneurs, Centre for Social Innovation, The McMichael Canadian
Art Collection and Vaughan Public Libraries. We are grateful for their
contribution.
“As we look toward the future,
we remain committed to ensuring that we continue to take action that creates
the right environment for budding entrepreneurs and established small
businesses to invest, expand service offerings and achieve unrivalled success.”
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