Judges and participants gathered as the 2011 Nicol Business Plan competition winners were announced earlier this month. Pictured are Ted Skiffington (left), Larry Andrea, Ron MacGillivray, Kyle Bevan, Allison Lemoyre, Alex Dorward, AJ MacQuarrie, Jeff Wilson and Leo Gallant. (Contributed photo)

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St. F.X. Enterprise Development Centre (XEDC) was involved in a couple of recent announcements that further demonstrate its dedication to helping young entrepreneurs get off the ground and help the local economy.
Early in March, XEDC released the winners of the 2011 Nicol Business Plan competition including top entry Jeff Wilson and his business Garage Pro. Wilson will travel this week to Ottawa to compete in a national competition.
The winners received a cash prize.
Melissa MacMaster, youth entrepreneurship coordinator with XEDC, talked about the benefits of the competition.
“(It) provides participants with an opportunity to gain valuable business development experience, and they benefit from the expertise of the many knowledgeable professionals that provide mentoring and other support throughout the competition process.”
She also talked about the business plans put together by students who came from numerous disciplines and at different stages of their studies.
“The business plans demonstrate well-researched marketing potential and solid operations plans through which student entrepreneurs aim to achieve ambitious goals for national expansion and market penetration.”
Youth Entrepreneurship Summit
March 24, Nova Scotia labour and advance education minister Marilyn More announced the provincial government will invest $30,000 to the Atlantic Canada Youth Entrepreneurship Summit, which is being hosted by XEDC at St. F.X. from May 13 to 15.
“Youth employment and the associated out-migration is a major issue in Atlantic Canada,” MacMaster said. “This summit will give youth the opportunity to engage in discussions around entrepreneurship and long-term community economic development.”
As part of the summit, participants will be making comments and giving actual direction to provincial action plans for rural Nova Scotia. MacMaster talked about the opportunity.
“Participants will be directly involved in making rural communities places where young people want to stay.”
The governments of P.E.I, Newfoundland, St. F.X., the Town of Antigonish and County of Antigonish have also all contributed to the summit.
Participants can register at www.xedc.ca/atlanticyes or can call 902-867-5162 for more information.