The Agency delivers a whole range of programs aimed at meeting the needs of the Francophone and Acadian populations of the Atlantic provinces. It works with individual businesses as well as whole communities. Business Development Program Community Based Economic Development Program ACOA is also working very actively on the implementation of section 41 . Its action plan is accessible on line. ACOA funded a major study on Acadian entrepreneurship, and the study report will soon be available for consultation on-line.
Women become entrepreneurs at a younger age than men and have less experience in business.
Their businesses are smaller, but grow quickly. The problem of personal collateral was not raised any more often by women than by men in Acadia. In all four maritime provinces, the proportion of self-employed individuals is higher among Acadians than among Anglophones. The Atlantic region is catching up with the rest of the country in the area of self-employment. One quarter of Atlantic businesses sell their products and services outside the region, while one eighth export them outside Canada.