Business Supports and Services
TRAINING CENTRE
62 Water St. East, Little Current
The Training Centre (accessible space) can be made available to any women entrepreneur who needs a private office for a meeting, a day to work on their own uninterrupted, or host a meeting (the room can accommodate up to 8 around the board table), the seating area for a casual meeting can host an additional 8. The training centre can provide mount dog professional lighting for video recording if required. There is access to internet and to TV for presentations as well as whiteboard. Access to a laptop and printer can be provided upon request. The training centre also contains a kitchen. Contact Barbara at 705-368-3114 to book.
Business Benefits Finder
A series of easy drop down selection boxes to get you to what you need
LINK
Ontario Business Registry
Overview
Online government services are critical, not only to individual citizens, but also to businesses and not-for-profit corporations of all sizes.
To serve Ontario better, we are launching the Ontario Business Registry, which will offer simpler, faster, and more convenient access for organizations that are registered, incorporated or licensed to carry on business in Ontario.
This new online registry will be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and will make it easy to interact with the government. Businesses and not-for-profit corporations will be able to complete over 90 transactions through the new online registry, including registering a new business and dissolving an existing one.
Sign up and stay up to date with information about the new business registry.
BizPal Ontario
BizPal OntarioThe Permit Finder
made in ontario branding
750,000+ strong…
The best of everything is made right here in Ontario…
Including cars, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, technology, food, clothing, and more.
Your purchase matters. By simply buying Ontario Made products, you are directly supporting incredible manufacturers, makers, retailers, and their employees in your community.
This helps us grow a stronger economy for Ontarians. Let’s all do our part to celebrate and support these companies and their Ontario-made products.
Ontario is home to some of the world’s greatest manufacturers, representing 750,000 workers.
For generations, Ontario manufacturers have designed, created, and assembled innovative products, such as cars, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, technology, clothing and more right here, every day.
PARO
‘PARO‘ is Latin for “I Am Ready“ – A support organization for any woman entrepreneur in Ontario
Recipient of “ International Peace Award for their efforts in support of women living in Canadian Communities during Covid19”
As we shift into the ‘New Normal,” all of PARO’s amazing programs and services have stayed the same – we have just shifted our approach to delivering our services to you! PARO Zooms around Ontario giving women money and business supports!” From access to the GoForth program to ensure you have all the skills you need to run a business, the B2B Database listing for your business, JetSetter and other programs, any women entrepreneur can be assured the support and information they need is available through a PARO Business Growth Advisor.
Paro offers a 3 pillar program 1) Growing Women’s Companies, 2) Accessing New Growth Opportunities 3) Expanding Access to Export Markets
PARO also offers a Wednesday on-line seminar series with speakers providing a series of information and education for your business. You can check out the upcoming Wednesday topics on this website under the events calendar
Manitoulin Culinary Tourism
Manitoulinculinarytourism.ca
The Manitoulin Culinary Tourism website provides information on all things food. Does your business provide an opportunity for people to come to your business, be it selling eggs and showing people your chickens and how they are raised, to tours in your sugar bush and watching maple surup being made. Maybe you have an apiary and you allow the public to see the honey being collected. Tourists love to be able to do things. If your business provides a tourist opportunity and you are not listed reach out to manitoulinculinarytourism@gmail.com to get your business and your program listed. If you are hosting a culinary events, Island Summer Market, Community Suppers please ensure you let me know and I will get it listed. As part of the Taste of Manitoulin, all eateries from restaurants to food trucks on Manitoulin Island have been identified, make sure your business is on the list and if your hours have changed since you were visited, let me know.
WOMEN and Attractions Ontario have partnered to bring you a great advertising opportunity
If you have an accommodation business, a restaurant, food truck or eatery, if you are hosting events or if you have things for visitors to do or a township with a number of attractions you can get on the Manitoulin Island section
Individual businesses $50 (regularly $150)
Townships $200 (regularly $600).
NOTE THIS IS OPEN TO ALL BUSINESSES NOT JUST WOMAN OWNED BUSINESSES
Reach out to me at info@manitoulinwomen.ca for application forms.
Destination Northern Eastern Ontario “The Seven”
Northeastern Ontario Tourism (NeONT) is a not-for profit organization dedicated to promoting the region as a premier travel destination with the goal of increasing tourism revenue for our Partners, and the region as a whole. We nurture productive relationships with Partners and industry by listening to industry feedback and developing targeted marketing initiatives that speak to the region’s (RTO 13A) key travel markets.
Why Partner With Us? – Click here to link to website
Together, through partnership, we can maximize exposure by maximizing partnership dollars, building positive outcomes for Northeastern Ontario.
As a partner-based organization, NeONT works with, and on behalf of its partners to develop engaging, bold, evocative messaging in an effort to inspire increased tourism activity throughout the region.
Tourism Excellence North (TEN) is the Workforce Development and Industry Training (WDIT) pillar of Destination Northern Ontario (DNO).
TEN is a suite of training solutions designed to strengthen the ability of tourism operations to respond to changes in the marketplace, adapt to quality visitor expectations, develop innovative experiences that raise the bar on visitor value and deliver increased returns for operations and the destination as a whole.
Tourism Excellence North is aligned to support priorities for tourism development in Northern Ontario, specifically those of Destination Northern Ontario (DNO).
Destination Northern Ontario – Supports and Services
2024 Northern Ontario Travel The Official Magazine
Is your business in this magazine? If not, why not? Check it out! Take advantage of all of the advertising you can. Wprk with DNO on things to see and do in your township if they are not part of what is in the list now. Many hands make light work, and working collaboratively will ensure all businesses can be represented to bring tourists not just to your township but to your business.
Destination Northern Ontario – Supports and Services
2024 Northern Ontario Travel Survey – 14,004 responses.
If you want to know what tourists had to say, what they like, what they want to see and do – take a look at the survey
The NOW Program is offering a choice of two HR packages (see below) which clients can apply for. Those whose applications are successful, will then be onboarded with HRdownloads from the time their application is approved, up until May 1, 2026. With HRdownloads, you can find the tools you need to complete your HR tasks and get back to doing what you love. NOTE THIS PROGRAM MAY HAVE REACHED ITS FUNDING LIMIT. However the HR downloads is available until July 2026, a great resource tool
For more information please see (english/french) flyers or click on https://www.hrdownloads.com/.
Package 1) HRdrive and HR Fundamentals
Package 2) HRdrive and HR Fundamentals and Online Employee Training
use Canadian when you can
It is easy to become complacent and use what we have always used
We have been given a nudge and maybe it is time to ensure we are using Canadian alternatives to our day to day business processes. Some we can’t move away from but others we can certainly try out.
Instead of Canva try Snappa (HQ Ottawa)
Instead of Mailchimp maybe give one of these a try
Cyberimpact (HQ Blainville, Quebec)
Envoke (HQ Toronto)
Cakemail (HQ Montreal)
SimplyCast (HQ Dartmouth, Nova Scotia)
And for your ticketing event requirements instead of Eventbrite or Ticketspice maybe try
Simpli Events (HQ Montreal)
We are Canadian Entrepreneurs, we want people to use our Canadian products and services, lets do the same. We are Canadian
Start up Canada
We connect Canada’s entrepreneurs with the tools, community, and support they need to start and build their businesses.
We know that Canada’s aspiring entrepreneurs have the talent, passion, and drive to succeed in today’s economy. We want entrepreneurs to manifest their own vision, faster
Women Entrepreneurship Strategy
The full and equal participation of women in the economy is not just the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing to do.
Studies show that by advancing gender equality and women’s participation in the economy, Canada could add up to $150 billion in GDP. Only 16% of Canadian small and medium-sized businesses are owned by women, and the Government of Canada is working to change that.
The government is advancing women’s economic empowerment with the first ever Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), a more than $6-billion investment that aims to increase women-owned businesses’ access to the financing, talent, networks and expertise they need to start up, scale up and access new markets.
LINK to information
The Brand is Female transforms workplace culture by fostering inclusion and equity, thereby granting women and other underrepresented leaders access to new opportunities.
Go to www.digitalmainstreet.ca
For Expert Tips, SEO Stragegies, email marketing, Ecommerce for beginners, funding opportunties and more.
Feast On® is North America’s largest and longest running local food certification program that recognizes businesses across the food tourism value chain committed to sourcing Ontario grown food & drink.
The program aims to eliminate greenwashing and “local washing” by auditing local spend.
To become certified, businesses are required to provide proof that their procurement and/or production practices contain a minimum standard of Ontario-grown or produced ingredients.
What is local food?
We use Foodland Ontario’s consumer and industry approved definitions of Ontario food products.
Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub
The Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) is a one-stop source of knowledge, data and best practices for women entrepreneurs.
In 2018, through a competitive process, the Government of Canada awarded Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) up to $8.62 million over three years to establish the Hub. In Budget 2021, the government committed a further $5 million to support the Hub’s work.
https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/women-entrepreneurship-strategy/en/women-entrepreneurship-knowledge-hub
Indigenous Business Navigator Services Available at ISC
Indigenous businesses, organizations, and communities can now access a new service available through Indigenous Services Canada: the Indigenous Business Navigator Service. This new service provides a single point of contact that connects Indigenous organizations and businesses to services and programs from different Government of Canada departments. As a one-window approach, the requestor can simply email navigator@sac-isc.gc.ca including their information and the type of help needed, and a representative will respond and help connect the client with the appropriate service or program.
Connecting Indigenous businesses and organizations with the right services and programs that fit for them, while making various Government of Canada departments more accessible, will help strengthen economic development options and open more windows of opportunity. Read the full news release to learn about the departments involved in this new service and more
Innovation Advisors
If you’re incorporated, ready to grow or scale, looking to create a new product, service or process — or just looking for advice — you might be eligible to connect with an Innovation Advisor.
Innovation Advisors are former entrepreneurs who understand what it takes to grow a business. They can leverage their extensive network of contacts to help you find, and take advantage of, all of the government programs and services at your disposal — from financing to technical advice to foreign market expertise.
Ready to get in touch?
Call us, toll-free in Canada, at 1-833-201-4358 |TTY: 1-866-694-8389, or send us your details and we’ll get back to you.
Reimagining Insurance
Are you hosting an event, attending at a market or festival and need one off insurance. I have used DUUO and it is excellent and easy to use. Barbara.
In a digital economy filled with limitless possibilities, we like to think of ourselves as enablers for a new breed of Canadians.
Our goal is to make purchasing insurance the easiest item to cross off your to-do list. With our digital, on-demand insurance platform, we’re making it easy to purchase a broad range of insurance products in minutes.
Get out there and be bold! We’ll provide the peace of mind.
INDIGENOUS BUSINESS ADVISORY PROGRAM
Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO)’s Indigenous Business Advisors (IBA) Program will assist Indigenous tourism businesses throughout the province to improve sustainability and resiliency and encourage success within their operations. This innovative training, coaching and mentoring model ensures that Indigenous tourism businesses have the support required to survive the COVID-19 storm, thrive post-pandemic, and ultimately increase market-readiness. The IBA Program uses a relationship-focused approach whereby businesses receive one-on-one support from industry leading Indigenous tourism professionals. This innovative program will be the first of its kind in Canada, and will set precedence through providing direct, one-on-one support to help businesses succeed.
Women of Ontario Social Enterprise Network
The Women of Ontario Social Enterprise Network (WOSEN) works to unleash the entrepreneurial energy and capacity of women who have solutions that put people and the planet first. Together, we are redesigning how business supports are provided so these entrepreneurs can build the skills, make the connections, and receive the coaching needed to achieve their missions.
WOSEN is dedicated to equity and inclusion as we seek to support women* entrepreneurs from underserved and underrepresented communities. This includes Indigenous women, women in rural or remote regions, racialized women, newcomer women, LGBTQ2+, women with disabilities.
*“Women” includes ALL women; programming is also inclusive of Two-Spirit and non-binary/genderqueer individuals.
Link to WOSEN Website for more details
EXPORTING Learn how to sell outside of Ontario
Ontario helps companies make business connections both internationally and across Canada. We can help your company sell to new markets by providing the expertise and contacts you need to grow your business.
The Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade helps Ontario companies expand their business within Canada and globally. The Digital Export Market Development Initiative (DEMDI) helps new and existing exporters in Ontario use digital tools to continue to create business partnerships and opportunities. We also have export specialists living and working in important international markets who help arrange local business connections for Ontario companies.
Questions about exporting? Contact us at trade.officer@ontario.ca.
indigenous entrepreneurs aged 18-39
At Futurpreneur Canada, we support Indigenous entrepreneurs aged 18-39, helping them launch or buy their own business. With up to $60,000* in financing, an expert mentor for up to two years, and access to resources, we’re here to help young entrepreneurs bring their business plan to life.
Take the first step in turning your dream into reality. Contact us today.