News Release: 2025-08-07

This September, the Manitoba LGBT* Chamber of Commerce will launch EMERGE, the Chamber’s Queer Entrepreneur Development Program for 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneurs living and working in Manitoba. Thanks to funding from Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce and the Government of Canada, the Chamber will run its first-ever six-month program cohort specifically designed for Manitoba entrepreneurs in the 2SLGBTQ+ community to gain essential business skills and strategies and build a supportive network of mentors and colleagues in the process.

“We are thrilled to announce this pilot program, the first of its kind in Manitoba,” says Jenny Steinke-Magnus, Executive Director of the Chamber. “We have been working on plans for the program for a long time, but we have finally been able to make it come to fruition now with funding and increased internal capacity.”
 
Through workshops, networking events, group discussions, and regular one-on-one meetups with their mentors, EMERGE participants will increase their confidence and knowledge to start or grow their businesses. Along the way, they can expect to build connections with other new or early-career queer entrepreneurs, as well as more seasoned ones. “If there’s one thing the 2SLGBTQ+ community does well, it’s building community, and that’s really what is at the heart of this program,” says Steinke-Magnus.
 
Ultimately, the program aims to support the participants in creating long-term, sustainable pathways for success in the Manitoba business ecosystem. “Although a lot of progress has been made in recent years, queer entrepreneurs still face unique challenges,” Steinke-Magnus says. “One in four 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneurs have lost out on business opportunities or have experienced discrimination in the past because of their identity. And one in three people report being unable to access mentoring and coaching because of their queer identity.”
 
With EMERGE, the Chamber seeks to address the lack of mentoring and networking support for 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. The program cohort will begin September 24 with a launch event presented in partnership with Creative Manitoba, and will conclude mid-March with a celebration of the achievements and growth of the EMERGE participants. A series of evening workshops will be offered during the course of the program, and regular mentor-mentee meetups and group check-ins will be facilitated based on participant schedules.
 
While the program will be based in Winnipeg on Treaty One Territory, with in-person workshops and sessions held in various locations throughout the city, virtual participation will also be available. Participants from rural Manitoba and more remote areas of the province may take part in video, phone, and/or email check-ins with mentors and will have access to the workshops via livestream and/or video recordings following each event.
 
The Chamber is now accepting applications for the cohort and encourages individuals who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ to apply to be a volunteer mentor or a participant. There is no cost to participate, and applications will be accepted until September 5, 2025.
 
More information on EMERGE can be found at mb-lgbt.biz/emerge.


The Manitoba LGBT* Chamber of Commerce exists to support, connect, and empower 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, professionals, and businesses across Manitoba, by:

• Fostering connections and partnerships between the 2SLGBTQ+ and business communities
• Promoting business opportunities for its members
• Providing relevant and impactful programs, training, and resources to its membership
• Advocating for inclusive business practices and diversity within the Manitoba economy