Kingston has the distinction of being the No. 1 place in Canada to be a woman.
Kingston has the distinction of being the No. 1 place in Canada to be a woman by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The survey bases its findings on access to economic security, personal security, education, health, and leadership positions. Other noteworthy distinctions include the No. 1 small city for foreign direct investment by Financial Times UK, and the top place to live in Canada (Money Sense Magazine). Supplied
Rebecca Dinelle always knew that Kingston was the perfect place for her and her husband to build their own environmental consulting business. She grew to know the city well during her time at Queen’s University.
Dinelle is also among many women in the city who are actively involved in supporting other businesses and networking with female professionals.
The city has the distinction of being the No. 1 place in Canada to be a woman by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The survey bases its findings on access to economic security, personal security, education, health, and leadership positions.
“This is an impressive accolade that is easily reflected within the entire community,” says Shelley Hirstwood, business development officer, Kingston Economic Development Corporation. “Women currently head up a number of crucial industries and services, such as the Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Kingston Police, City of Kingston, economic development, tourism, school board and Providence Care Hospital, not to mention many owner-operated businesses.”
Another is the abundance of educational institutions and research facilities, including Queen’s University, St. Lawrence College, and the Royal Military College, where there is plenty of skilled talent to be found. Statistics Canada reports that Kingston has the smartest workforce in Canada with the most PhD graduates
Other noteworthy distinctions include the No. 1 small city for foreign direct investment by Financial Times UK, and the top place to live in Canada (Money Sense Magazine).
Peng-Sang Cau, president and CEO of Transformix Engineering Inc., a developer of automated assembly systems, has been a prominent voice in the Kingston business community for over two decades. “Founding a company here was the best decision I ever made,” she says.
While she is looked upon by many as a role model for women in business, Cau makes a point of championing the efforts of all entrepreneurs that have established themselves in the city.
The universities and colleges also provide a broad range of highly skilled engineering talent. And because 95 per cent of her company’s business is exports, the proximity to U.S. markets is an extremely important benefit.
“We stay in Kingston not because our customers are here, but because it is central to everything we need. Being strategically located between Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Syracuse has been critical to our success over the years.”
Melissa Eapen and her business partner relocated to Kingston from the Kitchener-Waterloo area to found Improbable Escapes Inc. in 2015. Unlike Dinelle and Cau, she says they had never been to Kingston before.
“All we knew at the time was that Queen’s University was there. But when we visited, we realized it was the perfect place to open our first location.”
They now have two permanent locations within the city. “The small business climate in Kingston has allowed me to make great connections,” Eapen says. “We’ve developed some really great relationships with the Department of National Defense, Parks Canada, St. Lawrence Parks Commission, and several museums.”
Even though they will be looking to set up other locations in other cities, Eapen says, “Kingston will always be our headquarters because it’s such a fantastic and welcoming city.”
Kingston Economic Development Corporation: https://www.kingstonecdev.com
This article is sponsored by Kingston Economic Development Corporation and this story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of the Kingston Economic Development Corporation.
This article is sponsored by Kingston Economic Development Corporation and this story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of the Kingston Economic Development Corporation.
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