Building Transformative Black Entrepreneurship Capacity Alliance (BT-BEC) Program

After the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada have focused on entrepreneurship to create jobs and stimulate growth across its various regions but is yet to bring many underrepresented groups into this vision. Black Canadians, among others, face unique and significant barriers to entrepreneurship, especially with handling finances. They already suffer many socio-economic disadvantages tied to racism. The newcomers from Africa who are more familiar with financial transactions in cash, have a harder time dealing with the credit-based financial system of Western nations like Canada. Black organizations, like the Africa Centre, seek to develop and support Black entrepreneurs as one way to reduce poverty but do not have enough data and skill to do so. To generate data and build skills, we will partner with the Africa Centre to: 1) asses current knowledge and collect data from previous relevant organizations and professional expertise; 2) develop a culturally sensitive program with a wide range of support that will empower organizations who have taken on the task of equipping Black communities with the relevant financial skill sets and tools to manage personal and family finances and benefit from Canada’s entrepreneurial opportunities.

Faculty Supervisor:

Philomina Okeke-Ihejirika;Angelique Slade Shantz

Student:

Partner:

Africa Centre

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

University of Alberta

Program: