Small businesses are such an important part of Canada's economy, and there's an extensive network of organizations to prove it. Below you'll find a partial list of helpful organizations and contacts.
Associations and other resources
- Enactus — Non-profit organization servicing students interested in owning a business.
- Family Enterprise Xchange — Membership-driven organization that provides educational programs, peer advisory groups, mentoring, and networking opportunities to family-run companies.
- Canadian Chamber of Commerce — National association which delivers programs and services (such as training and networking opportunities) to its members to help them improve their market performance.
- Canadian Federation of Independent Business — National association that offers information and support to its members.
- Canadian Franchise Association — Provides assistance to those seeking franchise opportunities, and offers publications with information on franchising.
- Chartered Professional Accountants Canada — Sets accounting and auditing standards, publishes material and represents the profession. Its website provides information and answers accounting questions.
- Canada's Venture Capital & Private Equity Association — Promotes Canadian business through the use of venture capital and through networking, research and education.
- Futurpreneur Canada — A non-profit, private-sector initiative designed to provide mentoring, business support and lending to young Canadian entrepreneurs.
- Centre for Women in Business — Provides support and information to women who own, or are considering opening a small business.
- Retail Council of Canada — National trade association that offers information and support to its members, many of whom are small retailers. A sister association is Le Conseil Quebecois du Commerce de Détail.
- The Funding Portal – A bilingual portal for accessing information and services related to government funding for business.
Federal government
- Aboriginal Business and Entrepreneurship Development — Provides services and support to Indigenous entrepreneurs, youth and organizations to promote the success of their businesses in Canada and the world.
- Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency — By helping people to set up new businesses or expand existing ones, ACOA’s goal is to improve the Atlantic Canada’s economy.
- Business Development Bank of Canada — Offers a complete range of services, particularly financial, management training and specialized consultation services, to assist small- and medium-sized businesses.
- Canada Business Network — CBN is a collaborative effort between federal, provincial and private-sector organizations which provide information on government services, programs and regulations. Centres distribute videos, publications and offer seminars. A CBN is in a major urban centre in each province — check your telephone directory, contact your nearest Industry Canada office or visit the website.
- Canadian Commercial Corporation — As an export facilitator, the CCC provides Canadian companies with access to market opportunities and a wide range of export contracting services.
- Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (Quebec) — Through offices in regions around the province, CED provides a range of services for Quebec SMEs. Check your telephone directory, or for program information call the Info-Entrepreneurs hotline at 1-800-322-4636, (514) 496-4636.
- Canada Revenue Agency — Offers useful information booklets and services, such as seminars designed to help new and existing business owners better understand taxation and tax requirements. Call your local Canada Revenue Agency office or visit its website (search the main menu for the Small Business Page). The CRA is also offering businesses the opportunity to pay their business taxes online. Visit www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/make-a-payment-canada-revenue-agency.html for more information.
- Employment and Social Development Canada — Operates human resource centres across Canada which offer information on a variety of programs and services for small business as well as counselling, training and assistance with hiring new employees. Initiatives also available to help the unemployed wanting to start a business. Provides info on The Student Business Loan Program. Check your local telephone directory.
- Export Development Canada — Provides a full range of trade finance services that help exporters and investors do business in up to 200 countries, including higher-risk and emerging markets.
- Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) — Helps northern Ontario businesses and economic development organizations access capital, information and markets.
- Global Affairs Canada — Supports the development of trade by providing services to exporters, developing policy, and by attracting investment in the Canadian economy.
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada — Offers a wealth of information, programs and services. Refer to its website or publication Guide to Government of Canada Services and Support for Small Business for contact points and details on everything from getting started to accessing new markets.
- National Research Council Canada — Oversees The Industrial Research Assistance Program, which helps small- and medium-sized Canadian firms create and adopt innovative technologies, offering technical assistance, expertise and resources, as well as cost-shared financing of innovative technical projects.
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada - Provides information on meeting the requirements set out in federal privacy legislation.
- Public Safety Canada — Provides a guide to help business owners take steps to protect themselves and their businesses from cyber threats.
- Statistics Canada — Collects and disseminates data on social and economic issues. Its Small Business and Special Surveys Division provides information such as small business profiles, up-to-date details about financial expense and operating ratios, balance sheet information and provincial data for most industries. Regional offices listed in telephone directories.
- Western Economic Diversification Canada — With a delivery network of some 90 points of service across Western Canada, SME’s in most rural and urban centres can access a range of business services. This Western Canada business service network includes Community Futures Development Corporations, Women’s Enterprise Initiative offices and regional offices. Check out the website for information and links to these services.
Bank websites
The banks have excellent small business sections on their websites: