Driving progress for women-owned businesses: announcing our 2022 BMO Celebrating Women grant recipients

Today BMO announced the 2022 recipients of our Celebrating Women Grant Program for women-owned businesses across North America, in collaboration with Deloitte.  

The 2022 grant program focused on supporting women-owned businesses that have new products and services, are expanding to new markets and have new hiring plans for 2023. 

Supporting women-owned business in Canada 

A total of $150,000 in grants have been awarded to support the high-level growth plans of twelve women-owned businesses across Canada. 

“In its third consecutive year this program has now supported 56 women-owned businesses with $530,000 in grant dollars in both Canada and the U.S. combined to help progress their businesses to the next level. Our commitment to removing barriers to all women’s financial progress is at the core of our BMO Celebrating Women programs and a driving force behind our Purpose to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life.”

– Christine Cooper
Executive Vice-President & Head, BMO Commercial Bank

The 2022 BMO Celebrating Women Grant Program Canadian recipients are below: 

• Corey McCusker, Muttz With Manners (Stouffville, ON) 
• Marlène Hutchinson, Evnia firme-conseil en écofiscalité inc. (Mirabel, QC) 
• Monique Hutson, Dom Productions (Brampton, ON) 
• Dr. Stephanie Van Deynze-Snell and Dr. Samyra Stuart-Altman, Central Veterinary Corporation (Oak Bluff, MB) 
• Arielle Lok and Sang Le, Peko Produce (Vancouver, BC) 
• Lubaina Rakla, LIVA Foods Inc. (Mississauga, ON) 
• Kim Deschamps, HPW Holistic Physiotherapy and Wellness Prof.Corp. (Saskatoon, SK) 
• Rebecca Mazzara, Calita Intimates (Ottawa, ON) 
• Catherine Clemerson and Caita Baioff, Stitch Happens (Chatham, ON) 
• Brooke Woboditsch, Closed Caption Services Inc. (Kingston, ON) 
• Nikky Starrett, Pomp & Sass Inc. (Oakville, ON) 
• Janet Hiebert, Samsara Cycle Inc. (Vancouver, BC) 

	Corey McCusker, Muttz With Manners (Stouffville, ON)		Marlène Hutchinson, Evnia firme-conseil en écofiscalité inc. (Mirabel, QC)
	Monique Hutson, Dom Productions (Brampton, ON)		Dr. Stephanie Van Deynze-Snell and Dr. Samyra Stuart-Altman, Central Veterinary Corporation (Oak Bluff, MB)
	Arielle Lok and Sang Le, Peko Produce (Vancouver, BC)		Lubaina Rakla, LIVA Foods Inc. (Mississauga, ON)
	Kim Deschamps, HPW Holistic Physiotherapy and Wellness Prof.Corp. (Saskatoon, SK)		Rebecca Mazzara, Calita Intimates (Ottawa, ON)
	Catherine Clemerson and Caita Baioff, Stitch Happens (Chatham, ON)		Brooke Woboditsch, Closed Caption Services Inc. (Kingston, ON)
	Nikky Starrett, Pomp & Sass Inc. (Oakville, ON)		Janet Hiebert, Samsara Cycle Inc. (Vancouver, BC)

Supporting women-owned business in the US 

A total of $80,000 in grants have been awarded to support the high-level growth plans of eight women-owned business in the United States. 

“These inspiring women business owners have shown incredible resilience and innovation during challenging times, from growing their teams and entering new markets to launching new products and services. Our commitment to removing barriers to women’s financial progress is at the core of BMO’s Celebrating Women Grant Program and a driving force behind our Purpose to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. Congratulations to this year’s recipients.”

– Ernie Johannson,
Group Head, North American Personal and Business Banking at BMO 

The 2022 BMO Celebrating Women Grant Program U.S. recipients are below: 

• Beth Templin, HouseFit Physical Therapy and Fitness (St. Louis, MO) 
• Christene Kamberis, Intentional Synergy (Burlington, WI) 
• Sara Edwards, Interpersonal Therapy LLC (Middleton, WI) 
• Lisa Marsh, MsP’sGFree Inc. (Chicago, IL) 
• Candance Chow, NextGroup (Evanston, IL) 
• Artika Tyner, Planting People Growing Justice Press and Bookstore (St. Paul, MN) 
• Teresa Ging, Sugar Bliss (Chicago, IL) 
• Letty Velez, Velez Global Enterprises (Lockport, IL) 

	Beth Templin, HouseFit Physical Therapy and Fitness (St. Louis, MO)		Christene Kamberis, Intentional Synergy (Burlington, WI)
	Sara Edwards, Interpersonal Therapy LLC (Middleton, WI)		Lisa Marsh, MsP’sGFree Inc. (Chicago, IL)
	Melanie Wright and Candance Chow, NextGroup (Evanston, IL)		Artika Tyner, Planting People Growing Justice Press and Bookstore (St. Paul, MN)
	Teresa Ging, Sugar Bliss (Chicago, IL)		Letty Velez, Velez Global Enterprises (Lockport, IL)

In addition to the grants, BMO is offering a comprehensive package to all BMO Celebrating Women Grant recipients that includes an invitation to an education series focused on business growth, a one-year membership with one of the bank’s partner advisory boards, a profile on the BMO for Women (Canada) or Women in Business (U.S.) webpage and other BMO social channels, as well as a BMO Celebrating Women Grant Recipient social badge. 

To learn more about the grant recipients and access tools and educational resources for women entrepreneurs visit the BMO for Women site and join the social conversation using #BMOforWomen.