BoQ Entrepreneur: Chantal Fraser – Building Community, One Conversation at a Time

BoQ ENTREPRENEUR: CHANTAL FRASER

Building Community, One Conversation at a Time

For Chantal Fraser, the Bay of Quinte region isn’t just where she lives—it’s where she lives her truth.

“Some people say I wear rose-coloured glasses,” she says. “But somebody has to believe we can create a future where everyone belongs.”

Creating a stronger, more inclusive community isn’t a side project for Chantal—it’s at the heart of everything she does. “There are a lot of people here who genuinely want to build a more inclusive and welcoming region,” she says. “That gives me hope.”

Written by Ashley Foley, Foley Communications

Read time: 3 min

Leading With Values Through Empowered Path Inc.

A proud Métis woman, Canadian Armed Forces Veteran, and founder of Empowered Path Inc., Chantal blends her values with action. Through workshops, keynote talks, mentoring, and consulting, she helps people discover ideal career paths and supports employers in creating inclusive workplaces.

“I believe everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive,” she explains. One of the workshops Chantal delivers is called Introduction to Cultivating Safe Spaces, which helps people to create more inclusive workplaces and foster a sense of belonging, connection, and safety.

“My work is really about showing people what’s possible and helping them get there.”

Her approach is rooted in respect and possibility. “I don’t tell people what they should do—I offer them options,” she says. “And I always ask, how can I support you?”

Life in Balance—In Work and Community

Chantal first came to the Bay of Quinte region through her military career and has since made it home. Now an empty nester, she’s found a new rhythm that balances purpose, connection, and joy.

“I try to spend most of my time doing things I love,” she says, “whether that’s paid work, volunteering, or just enjoying the view while sipping coffee on my back deck.”

Her love for the region is personal. “The people here are phenomenal. There’s kindness, and people look out for one another,” she says. “Even if we don’t all have the same political or religious views, we can still show up for each other.”

Advancing Equity and Belonging Locally and Globally

That mindset fuels her community work. She’s an active member of the Quinte Cultural Innovation Committee, where her company, Empowered Path Inc., is also a corporate member. She also serves on the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee in Quinte West, and is Treasurer of the Business and Professional Women (BPW) Hastings & Prince Edward chapter.

Her connection to BPW runs deep. “I went to my first BPW meeting back in 2007 when I was still in the military,” she recalls. “What hooked me was the global vision—that you could be part of something local and also make a difference for women around the world.”

BPW Canada is a non-sectarian, non-profit, and non-partisan organization that works to improve the economic, political, social and employment conditions of working women in Canada. Its goal is to empower “women to lead, learn, advocate, and collaborate.”

Chantal has remained involved with BPW ever since, helping the local chapter deliver programming that supports professional growth, mentorship, and advocacy for women’s equality.

This past March, her leadership took her all the way to New York, where she spoke at a parallel event during the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Supporting Entrepreneurs and Building Connections

Chantal also provides her expertise one day a week to the PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise, helping support entrepreneurs through training, mentoring, and access to community networks.

For Chantal, lending her time and insight to advocacy groups and non-profit organizations across the region is second nature. She focuses her energy on the causes she cares most about—equity, entrepreneurship, and community building.