Four PEI testimonials featured on national site

CHARLOTTETOWN – Dec. 13, 2019 - Any newcomer or any Francophone Canadian wishing to start a business in Canada can now access a new comprehensive bank of resources, tools and contacts to support them in their entrepreneurial journey. RDÉE Canada and its 12 provincial and territorial partners have just launched the new Entrepreneurial Passport Canada web portal.

This platform, which can be accessed at https://espaceentrepreneurs.com/, offers entrepreneurs not only start-up tools but also a variety of testimonials from immigrant entrepreneurs from each province and territory.

In the Prince Edward Island testimonial section, immigrant entrepreneurs Rafaël Aguirre of EastCode Ecommerce Solutions and Pam Arora of Pam & Joe Handcrafted brilliantly describe their journey by text. Immigrant entrepreneurs Philippe Guidon of Belgo Transport and Pierre Basseler-Merpillat of SmartCatch Systems offer very informative testimonials in video format. (The site should also soon feature a podcast of Gideon Banahene from Kaneshii Vinyl Press.) RDÉE Prince Edward Island was pleased to collaborate in the collection and production of these testimonials.

Provincial and territorial RDÉEs understand that it is not always easy to start a business in a new country; regulations, laws, practices and even entrepreneurial culture can be very different from one country to another. The platform was therefore designed to better equip immigrant clients with the steps they need to follow when starting a business in Canada.

The site is divided into the following sections: Socio-economic context, Becoming an Entrepreneur, Starting a Business, Support Ecosystem, Preparation Tools and Testimonials. Each section is divided into many more specific sub-sections. Everything from sectoral market trends to business plans, financing and market research can be found on the site.

A sub-section even helps the entrepreneur complete a self-assessment of his or her entrepreneurial potential and business idea.

Admitting that there is no magic recipe for entrepreneurship, the site points out that “a spirit of adaptation and flexibility will be essential to navigate the process and its surprises, especially in a new country.”

The site, which is unilingual in French, directs interested parties to the provincial and territorial RDÉEs to obtain more support in their efforts. For assistance in navigating the site, people already in PEI or wishing to settle there may contact Robert Maddix at the RDÉE PEI office in Charlottetown at (902) 370-7333, ext. 403, or Velma LeBlanc at the Wellington office at (902) 854-3439, ext. 228.

The Passport was produced by RDÉE Canada, RDÉE Prince Edward Island and the other members of the Working Group on Economic Issues in Immigration. The project was funded by the Government of Canada.

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PHOTO: Robert Maddix, RDÉE PEI's business development officer, presents the new Entrepreneurial Passport Canada website, which can be accessed at https://espaceentrepreneurs.com/ to learn how to start a business. The site is aimed primarily at Francophone newcomers.

For more information:
Robert Maddix
Business Development Officer
RDÉE Prince Edward Island
(902) 370-7333, ext. 403
robert@rdeeipe.org