KELOWNA, BC – WeBC today announced the release of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Case Study, a report examining barriers and opportunities for greater inclusion among entrepreneurs in British Columbia.

Developed in partnership with research consultancy AND Implementation and funded by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) under the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, the report is now available to organizations and the public.

“We wanted to understand the real experiences of entrepreneurs in our community and share our learning journey so other organizations can do this work alongside us,” said Shauna Harper, CEO of WeBC. “Entepreneurs in BC are incredibly diverse, and we’ve learned that the resiliency required to overcome barriers makes for great entrepreneurial skills. This report is both a reflection of WeBC’s accessibility and an invitation for organizations to join us in advancing equity and belonging.”

Serving over 24,000 business owners annually, WeBC undertook this study to better understand the real experiences of women, non-binary, and gender-diverse entrepreneurs, as well as Indigenous, immigrant, and rural business owners. The research included surveys, interviews, and focus groups with a broad range of respondents, ensuring diverse perspectives and lived experiences were represented.

Rather than providing a plug-and-play toolkit, the report offers a framework for discovery—sharing WeBC’s learning journey and making its commitments public.

Shauna Harper added, “It’s not a plug-and-play solution. We’re sharing our process, our discoveries, and our commitments so other organizations can reflect, adapt, and build more inclusive ecosystems in their own way.”

The full report is available at go.we-bc.ca/DEICaseStudy