Starter Company Plus Grant
Starter Company Plus Grant – General Business Stream provides businesses with further training to assist them in building and growing their businesses.
If you are a business in the City of Toronto, the Starter Company Plus Grant – General Business Stream can provide the following support:
- Over 20 hours of Business Training workshops provided
- Starter Company Plus Grant of $5,000
- Further advisory services for up to 6 months.
Applicant Requirements:
- be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- be 18 years of age or older
- not be attending school or planning to return to school while enrolled in the program
- be devoting a minimum of 35 hours per week to their small business and not employed anywhere else
- not be enrolled in any other government-funded employment program
- be a resident of Toronto with the ability to demonstrate proof of physical address
Business Requirements:
- Business must be registered at the time of application (Sole Proprietor, Partnership or Corporation), and this documentation must show a Toronto address.
- Must have a commercial business bank account which corresponds with Business Registration documentation.
- The applicant must have majority ownership and the ability to demonstrate proof of ownership and/or shareholder agreement.
- Business must be located in the City of Toronto with the ability to demonstrate proof of physical address.
- Businesses that require certification and/or license must be current at the time of application.
- Business must have been in operation for a minimum of 6 months and be able to demonstrate financial activity statements for this period.
- Can provide a 25% investment of the grant amount ($1250).
- Must be able to commit to one week of virtual entrepreneurship training.
The Following Business Types will NOT be Eligible for the Starter Company Plus Grant – General Business Stream:
- Nightclubs, lounges, cabarets, discotheques, music festivals and events or other similar activities
- Online businesses selling jewelry, apparel or cosmetics
- REIT’s, Retirement homes, Long Term Care homes
- Technology Apps which are not market-ready
- Student housing and other residential rental accommodation
- Childcare Centres, including Day-cares
- Home Care for Elderly and/or Vulnerable Populations
- Quasi-financial institutions or Money Service and Money Transfer Businesses (This also includes Insurance Companies and Financial Services Companies)
- Cryptocurrency (e.g. bitcoin) businesses and traders.
- Businesses brokering funds or taking on a fiduciary duty handling funds for clients. This includes Investment, Insurance, and Real Estate brokers who handle funds in trust for clients.
- Brokers (Insurance, Real Estate, Investment, etc.) who are working for an existing firm are not seen to be creating a new business.
- Businesses and platforms that raise funds for charities
- Charities and Non-profits and Social Enterprise
- Franchises
- Collection Agencies
- Businesses that raise investment capital for other businesses
- Businesses that include or promote financing from Equity Crowd Funding (Share capital)
- Medical Marijuana and Cannabis Retailers are not supported due to the complex regulatory requirements.
- Recording Artists and other similar ‘self-promoting’ artists and activities.
Enterprise Toronto reserves the right to determine the nature of business types to be accepted into the Starter Company Plus Grant – General Business Stream. Only successful applicants will be contacted.
A few notes to consider before starting your application:
- You will receive a confirmation email with a copy of the submitted application.
- You will also receive an anonymous survey after the form submission. This survey is used strictly for information purposes and is entirely voluntary.
- If you have questions about this application or would like accessibility supports, accommodation and/or a different format, please call 416-396-5243 or email smallbusiness@toronto.ca using your business email account.
