Federal budget confirms $14M investment in Futurpreneur Canada
Investment will help non-profit support 2,700 new entrepreneurs with the potential to create 10,800 jobs
For immediate release
TORONTO – (April 21, 2015) – Today’s federal budget confirmed that the Government of Canada will support young Canadian entrepreneurs who are launching small businesses through a $14 million dollar investment in Futurpreneur Canada over two years. The federal government’s investment, along with the generous contributions of corporate, government and other partners, will help an estimated 2,700 young entrepreneurs access financing and programs to help them build businesses, create jobs and contribute to a more robust Canadian economy. These entrepreneurs have the potential to create new 10,800 jobs[1].
“Futurpreneur Canada appreciates the Government of Canada’s continued support for the bold and creative young Canadians who are starting small businesses and strengthening our economy,” said Julia Deans, CEO, Futurpreneur Canada. “This investment is a vote of confidence in Futurpreneur Canada’s financing, mentoring, business tools and learning resources for young entrepreneurs. We look forward to working with all of our partners to help even more small businesses launch and grow over the next two years.”
“Futurpreneur Canada is coming off a record-breaking year in which we supported the launch of more businesses than ever before,” said John Risley, Chair, Board of Directors, Futurpreneur Canada and President and CEO, Clearwater Fine Foods Inc. “The federal government’s investment will help the organization build on this incredible momentum and will support the young people who are propelling the Canadian economy forward by starting new businesses and creating new jobs.”
The federal government’s commitment is timely; Futurpreneur Canada is seeing more young people turning to entrepreneurship as a career option. In the organization’s last fiscal year, it supported the launch of 995 new businesses – a 24% increase from the previous fiscal year and an over-70% increase over the year before that[2]. Futurpreneur Canada is aiming to break this record over the next twelve months, but in order to do so the organization requires the additional support of other levels of government, corporate supporters and community partners.
Since its inception in 1996, Futurpreneur Canada has invested in 7,800 entrepreneurs[3], who have created an estimated 31,000 jobs[4]. For more information about Futurpreneur Canada, please visit staging.futurpreneur.ca, like Futurpreneur on Facebook and follow @Futurpreneur on Twitter.
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About Futurpreneur Canada
Futurpreneur Canada (formerly the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, or CYBF) has been fueling the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for nearly two decades. We are the only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39. Our internationally recognized mentoring program hand matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,800 volunteer mentors. Futurpreneur Canada is a founding member of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance, the Canadian member of Youth Business International, and the Canadian host of Global Entrepreneurship Week. staging.futurpreneur.ca. Facebook: Futurpreneur Twitter: @Futurpreneur
For interview opportunities and media inquiries, please contact:
Meghan Paton
Manager of Public Relations and Social Media
Futurpreneur Canada
416-408-2923 x 2207
mpaton@futurpreneur.ca
