While they might not get a lot of the headlines, local entrepreneurs drive the city's economy and are a key player in job creation.
Over the next week, Thunder Bay will take part in Small Business Week, a national initiative from the Business Development Bank of Canada, to celebrate small and medium businesses and encourage them to grow.
The week, which was declared Friday at city hall by the mayor, will host a number of workshops and speeches with a Back to Basics theme.
"It's a time where we try to get small and medium businesses to one reflect on what they're doing and two take opportunities and see what community partners have to offer for them," BDC Thunder Bay manager John Gaurasci said.
With around 5,000 small businesses from home offices to storefronts in Thunder Bay, Gaurasci said it's important to show people where a lot of its economic development comes from.
"A lot of these small businesses provide good jobs," he said.
Community Economic Development Commission CEO Doug Murray said his office has been growing lately with a focus on entrepreneurs in the city. Trying to attract businesses from abroad to come here is great but more often than not helping existing businesses expand or encouraging a recent graduate to stay in Thunder Bay and open up shop can go a long way.
"The bulk of job creation is coming from people who are already here," he said.
The CEDC can help a young business get a grant or get a business to expand by finding new markets, training employees or getting a new piece of equipment.
"It's important. We don't know who's going to be the next 10- or 15-person company that we're helping," he said.
Small business week wraps up next Friday.
