Melanie Antoine Named Successful Applicant of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Fund

The Fund is a $20-million investment which aims to assist women entrepreneurs to grow their existing businesses, and enable them to mature to a state where they can pursue opportunities in domestic and global markets.

As one of more than 200 approved applicants, Antoine will receive funds to aid in a barge addition that will enable her business, A.P.E. Maintenance, to haul additional freight to the remote community of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta.

“I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. I am a proud member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, and currently live in Fort McMurray where I run A.P.E. Maintenance with my husband, Lloyd,” said Melanie Antoine, C.E.O. of A.P.E. Maintenance. “This grant will enable our business to expand our reach within our region, especially to the more remote areas.”

“Our government believes that women’s economic empowerment is not just the right thing to do; it’s good for the bottom line. That’s why we launched the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, a strategy that seeks to double the number of women-owned businesses by 2025,” said the Honourable Mary Ng, Canada’s Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion. “Our investments in women-led businesses like A.P.E. Maintenance will help us achieve this goal.”

Through initiatives such as the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, Canada is addressing women’s economic enpowerment, and is positioning itself to add $150-billion in incremental GDP by 2026, as well as reaching its goal of doubling the number of majority women-owned businesses by 2025.

"I feel honoured to be working alongside other members of our communities, in collaboration with the Government of Canada through this funding, to achieve additional resource capacity within our transportation network to enable sustainability for our remote, historic hamlet of Fort Chipewyan. This will mean increased opportunities for the residents and businesses of our region," said Antoine.

For more information about the Women Entrepreneurship Fund visit https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/128.nsf/eng/home .