Spring Economic Update 2026 Statement
Statement from the Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC)
The Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC) welcomes the Government of Canada’s 2026 Spring Economic Update and its continued commitment to supporting a strong, resilient, and competitive economy.
Women entrepreneurs are already key contributors to Canada’s economic growth. As Canada advances a more investment-driven economic model, ensuring their full participation will be essential to strengthening the country’s long-term competitiveness. This work reflects a strong and ongoing partnership between the Government of Canada and the women’s enterprise ecosystem across the country.
Building on this foundation, WEOC plays a key role in advancing the goals outlined in the Spring Economic Update. As the government focuses on strengthening productivity, building resilient communities, and ensuring long-term economic prosperity, WEOC’s national coordination and support for women entrepreneurs directly contribute to these priorities.
Through its network of more than 50 women’s enterprise organizations and centres across every region of Canada, WEOC helps ensure that women-owned businesses can start, scale, and grow. Working through this national system, more than 50,000 women entrepreneurs are supported each year, with over $100 million in loan funds deployed across the country. This system forms a critical foundation for Canada’s competitiveness by strengthening entrepreneurial infrastructure and enabling participation in emerging opportunities created by major national investments.
WEOC’s delivery of the Women Entrepreneur Loan Fund of more than $33 million to over 720 women entrepreneurs, demonstrates ecosystem readiness for targeted national deployment that drives innovation, job creation, and regional economic resilience. WEOC’s national convening efforts, including initiatives such as the National Pathways Working Group, help align partners across the ecosystem to deliver programs more effectively and expand access to tools such as WEOC Loans and Maïa.
As the government advances nation-building projects, supports workers, accelerates housing solutions, and invests in strong communities, WEOC is well positioned to help ensure women entrepreneurs are fully engaged in, and contributing to, these efforts. By strengthening the ecosystem that supports women-owned businesses, WEOC supports inclusive economic growth and contributes to Canada’s long-term prosperity.
WEOC stands ready to continue working alongside the Government of Canada and partners across the ecosystem to support implementation, strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem, expanding access to capital and opportunity, and helping ensure women entrepreneurs are fully engaged in Canada’s next phase of economic growth.
We look forward to working with the government to support their mandate in “Building Canada Strong,” and supporting an economy that works for all Canadians, including women.