Small Business Week, October 16-22, will host a packed schedule of events for Island business people, says Premier Robert Ghiz.

“Small businesses are the backbone of the Prince Edward Island economy, and make a significant contribution to jobs and growth,” said Premier Ghiz. “Small Business Week is a wonderful opportunity for small business owners from all over Prince Edward Island to make contacts and gain knowledge from veteran entrepreneurs and business operators.”

Small Business Week is a national celebration of entrepreneurs created by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). A full week of activities will span the province from east to west featuring an assortment of forums, luncheons, workshops presentations and trade shows. There are over a dozen different events to choose from including, Doing Business on Prince Edward Island: Opportunities and Challenges; Lunch and Learn: Work Place Safety; Strategies for Growth Oriented Business; Online Business Tools; Q&A Business Café; Prince Edward Island Craft Forum 2011; the Biz2Biz Expo and more. A two-hour radio show and an information luncheon are among the French and bilingual sessions offered this year.

“Small Business Week is a time to prepare for new challenges and opportunities,” said Terry Quinn, Senior Vice President, Atlantic Region at BDC. “The success of small- and medium-sized companies is vital to the province’s economy and BDC’s mission is to provide entrepreneurs on Prince Edward Island with the support they need to succeed.”

This event provides an opportunity for small business owners to share experiences and expand connections.

“I find Small Business Week beneficial because sharing information is essential to growing a strong artisan community,” says BJ Sandiford, owner and operator of Happy Glass. “The annual Craft Forum is always a supportive and encouraging event that provides a rare opportunity for artisans to get together and share stories and ideas.”

Small Business Week is supported by all levels of government with participation from Island businesses and service providers. Sessions will be held in Souris, Montague, Charlottetown, Kensington, Summerside, Wellington and Alberton. For a complete list of times, locations and events visit www.smallbusinessweekpei.ca.

Background:

Small Business Week began in 1979 when BDC business centres in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland pooled their resources to organize a series of business management training sessions. This first event and a follow-up event in 1980 were so successful that BDC officially launched Small Business Week across Canada in 1981. The initiative was quickly adopted by Canada’s business community. Small Business Week is a BDC flagship event that celebrates entrepreneurship at the local, provincial and national levels. The 2011 edition of Small Business Week is sponsored by Cisco.