RE3: Rebuild, Reopen, Revive is a government funded program that provided non-repayable performance based contributions up to $5,000 to assist Southern Ontario women-led SMEs to rebuild, reopen and revive their businesses.
With the support of FedDev Ontario and the Government of Canada’s Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF), Invest WindsorEssex and Northumberland CFDC delivered the RE3: Rebuild, Reopen, Revive program to advance women-led SMEs across Ontario, effectively positioning them for rapid and positive post-pandemic economic recovery.
Canadian women entrepreneurs are key to our economic success as a country, and they make invaluable contributions to our communities. However, women still face unique and systemic barriers to starting and growing a business, and they remain underrepresented in our economy.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women entrepreneurs. It has severely affected sectors such as retail, hospitality and food services — sectors where women entrepreneurs are most present.
For these reasons, RE3 focused on supporting and strengthening the position of Women-led SMEs in our economic recovery, reformation and revitalization. From 2020 to 2021, the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre at Invest WindsorEssex provided nearly $1.8 million in RE3 funding to 379 women-led businesses in southern Ontario (from Windsor to Toronto). There were 20 businesses in Windsor-Essex that participated in the RE3 program.
The RE3 program concluded in March 2021. No additional funding hasn't been announced at this time.