2026-03-19 • Moncton • Staff
The Queer Atlantic Business Hub, QABH, was launched last week in Moncton. It's a "chamber of commerce" for Q folk in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The website reads, "Being an entrepreneur is hard. Being a 2SLGBTQIA+ entrepreneur can be extra hard. The unique things we love about ourselves and each other as queer and trans folks can sometimes make it tough to find opportunities, money, and each other. We want to help change that."
The creation of the Atlantic organization concluding with the launch, was a nine month project of the Canadian Queer Chamber of Commerce, funded by the federal government and executed by Halifax's Sea Change CoLabs.
The launch was held in Moncton's Aberdeen Cultural Centre with just over 40 people attending in person and 13 more online. Presentations were equally in French and English, and simultaneous translation in both, plus ASL was available in person and online.
Friday March 13 began with an overview of the state of queer entrepreneurship in Atlantic Canada and then a "World Café" -- a series of fifteen minute icebreaker conversations discussing specific questions.
Activist Fae Johnstone delivered a firey keynote, touching on a changing world and the rise of hate in Alberta and elsewhere, and what to do about it. "Our communities are under attack," said Johnstone, "rights are being stripped away from some of our most vulnerable. We have whole governments coming for us. It won't stop with trans people, because its not really about us. We are a means to an end: to put a politician in your family doctors office, to divide communities so a powerful few can maintain their influence, to weaken human rights frameworks, and to poison our culture." Johnstone encouraged us to learn from history, from the work of our elders building the world we have now - contributing to community, culture and economy. "Elders organized when the world was against us." She delivered some calls to action, "What a time to be visible!" and ended with words of hope and power: "We are big and strong. Lean into advocacy and movement building."
[Editor: we will have more from Fae Johnstone a few days before International Transgender Day of Visibility. Links to ways to be notified are at the very bottom of this page, look for the red SUBSCRIBE graphic.]
For another hour, owners of several businesses from various parts of Atlantic Canada described their organizations and pitched their goods and services, followed by a panel answering questions from lived experience, then a reception for more networking. That panel, and the new board of directors for QABH includes Wayves publisher Dan MacKay.
Here are notes from some of the inaugural board members:
- Dr. Alice Curitz (she/they) is the Founder and Director of Our Landing Place, a 2SLGBTQIA+ and Neurodivergent mental health clinic supporting clients across Canada. Residing in Epekwitk (PEI), they are excited to highlight Queer businesses and entrepreneurs in their community and facilitate meaningful connections and relationships across the Atlantic provinces through their role as the Chair of the QABH's Programming, Partnerships, and Events Committee.
- Dan MacKay (he/him) has been publisher of Wayves Magazine for a few decades, is on the Finance Committee and will be doing bookkeeping for the organization... and other related duties.
- Emma Kennedy from Conception Bay South, Newfoundland Labrador. "I am an artist and chair of Membership! I strive to end isolation and lonely marginalized groups and bring people together with my work with the board members, all supporters, and you!"
- Mica Daurie (she/her) from Halifax, Nova Scotia, will be serving as the inaugural Chair of the Queer Atlantic Business Hub and hopes to see a space for queer entrepreneurs, organizations and community leaders to come together, form powerful partnerships and collaborations, and bolster queer business in the Atlantic Region.
- Nic Sánchez (she/they/iel/ella) is a multicultural creative consultant based in Moncton, NB. The change they wish to see in Atlantic Canada is that community building, pride and prosperity go hand in hand. They are a poet, artist, advocate and mom with a career dedicated to economic development for those who need it most. Nic loves human connection and is usually seen deep in conversation in coffee shops, hamming it up on stage, posting #shoplocalNB stories online or thrifting.
- Sam Del Duca is an American newcomer and resides in Menahqesk/Saint John, New Brunswick. They are Chair of the Governance Committee. Sam looks forward to building more 2SLGBTQIA+ community and helping to create a thriving 2SLGBTQIA+ business ecosystem across Atlantic Canada.
- Tori Yeomans (she/they) is a small business owner of 7 years, now based in Dartmouth Nova Scotia. She has worked as a Spa and Salon Owner, Master Esthetician, and now a solo-esthetician in a private studio called Luxe Loft. Tori is on the membership and funding committee and is excited to advocate for small business owners within the queer community and help build a business space for people to grow their careers.
- Vanessa Burns, GPC (she/her) is founder of Vanessa Burns Grant Consulting. She lives in Kjipuktuk (Halifax), NS and is a member of the Funding and Membership Committee as well as the Programming, Partnerships, and Events Committee. Ensuring 2SLGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs have a safe and truly inclusive space to gather is her primary reason for joining the QABH.
The QABH has plans to:
- Deliver bilingual training and regional networking events
- Support 2SLGBTQIA+ supplier readiness
- Launch a member-based hub with 100+ founding members
- Connect allies, sponsors, and funders across Atlantic Canada
The website reads: "2SLGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs are essential. You are essential. And we know there’s magic when we can show up authentically, as our full selves, and share what we have to offer with each other and the greater community. Join the Queer Atlantic Business Hub and find your people!"
For more information or to join the organization, here's the website.
