by Stella Shepard
Brandon and Dayna Canning were frequent visitors to PEI with a desire to raise their two young children in the freedom of rural PEI.
They opened a flooring store in 2018 in Montague and with time, they transitioned and focussed on home décor, offering handmade gifts, and refinished furniture. “We renamed the business, Pigeons,” says Dayna.
While living on Vancouver Island, Brandon was self-employed as a certified flooring inspector and a flooring technician. Dayna worked as an accounting assistant and as a general manager of a golf course. The couple decided to combine their skill sets and become entrepreneurs working side-by-side.
Help from Rural Action Centre (RAC)
The couple says the journey to self-employment on PEI would not have been possible without the assistance of the RAC in Montague.
Before they moved to PEI, Brandon and Dayna connected with Martina MacDonald, General Manager. They received business-related information about resources available to assist entrepreneurs on PEI through telephone conversations and emails with Martina and Helen Antle, Business Loans Officer.
Martina also assisted with finding a storefront location for their business. They secured funding through an incentive program for first-time entrepreneurs offered through the Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC) housed at the RAC in Montague.
For more information about Pigeons, contact Brandon and Dayna Canning at 902-326-0075. Visit them at www.facebook.com/pigeonsmontague or on Instagram.
For more information about Rural Action Centres across the Island, call toll free 1-855-297-9898. Visit www.ruralactioncentres.ca
For more about the programs and services offered at Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC), visit www.cbdc.ca and click Programs or Resources.