CEDEC asked Wendy Curtis, Executive Director of Northumberland CFDC, Founder of StrikeUP, and Devon Girard, Program Lead, Women Entrepreneurship Strategy at Northumberland CFDC and StrikeUP founder, what are some of the important ways that they see women-owned businesses contributing to local economies? How do they think women-led businesses can help Canada "build back better" in the post-pandemic recovery phase? And finally, what kind of support do women need to excel?

Communities are stronger and more resilient when women play an active role in economic development and growth. CEDEC is pleased to present the series "Leveraging the Power of Women to Rebuild Canada's Economy" in honour of International Women's Day 2021. The series celebrates women’s important economic contributions and shares the perspectives of women who have been part of CEDEC's community hub collaborations. For more about this series, visit https://cedec.ca/leveraging-the-power-of-women/