Meet Erika Shea, RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards Social Change — Regional Impact Finalist

With over fifteen years of experience in community development, Erika Shea is the President and CEO of New Dawn Enterprises. After earning degrees at Carleton University, Saint Mary’s University, and working across Canada, she moved to Cape Breton. She joined New Dawn in 2012 as the Director of Communication and External Relations.  

Over the last decade, Erika has led countless meaningful community projects, including the opening of the Cape Breton Island Centre for Immigration, the development of Pine Tree Park – the region’s first net-zero solar community — and the purchase and renovation of the Holy Angels High School property, now the Eltuek Arts Centre and New Dawn Centre for Social Innovation. This space now houses arts organizations, event spaces, forty independent artists and artist collectives, over thirty small businesses, and more.  

Erika’s work is guided by the ethos of building communities that uphold the dignity, worth, and well-being of all people. She has served on the boards of the Social Enterprise Network of Nova Scotia, ACAP Cape Breton, and is a director with the Highland Arts Theatre and Community Foundation of Nova Scotia. Her great joy remains her two beautiful children, Frances and Charlie, and her partner, Rob.

My mission aims to create a positive impact by… identifying projects like the Good Food Bus, businesses like New Dawn Homecare, nonprofits like the Cape Breton Island Centre for Immigration, charities like New Dawn Meals on Wheels, and development projects like Abbey Ridge Youth Supportive Housing, the Pine Tree Park Solar Array, and the Eltuek Arts Centre. These projects respond to a community need, lessen suffering, or increase community vibrancy, and can be operated in a financially sustainable manner. 

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a change leader is… that our most important work is finding the brightest people who are full of heart, and supporting them in the ways they want to change the world.

My proudest accomplishment is… my two beautiful children and their unique ways of [experiencing] and seeing the world. 

The biggest risk I took that paid off was… asking the community to join us in challenging our local council’s decision to send $5 million in funding for affordable housing back to the federal government. It has since been used to create 25 units of supportive housing for homeless community members, which will open in December.

One of the most important lessons I’ve gained from my experience within the sector is… that leading from a place of love is the secret. 

I surprise people when I tell them… that I worked with a construction company, repairing US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) helicopter hangars in the Bahamas. 

If I had an extra hour in the day, I would use it to… sit in the sun, listen to the waves, and watch the birds.

If you googled me, you still wouldn’t know… that the topic of my graduate research paper was the subversive nature of body art on women through time. 

The future excites me because… with every day, every project, and every conversation, we are discovering how to be more compassionate. The future vibrancy, justice, wellbeing, and spirit of our community is not limited by our past or communities further along in their development, but only by our imagination.  

Connect with Erika on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.