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Doing Business

Peterborough & the Kawarthas is a welcoming and collaborative community for New Canadians to do business, with many support services to get started. The Peterborough CMA boasts the highest rate of immigrant entrepreneurship in all of Canada at 36%. Newcomer entrepreneurs are finding the tools and support to be successful right here in our community.

Hear what newcomer entrepreneurs say about doing business in Peterborough

The following are organizations in Peterborough and the Kawarthas that will assist you as you get started on your path to entrepreneurial success in Canada:

Invest Peterborough & The Kawarthas

Invest Peterborough & The Kawarthas‘s Business Advisory Centre (BAC) is often an entrepreneur’s first point of contact with the Business support community.

The BAC offers free and confidential business support services. It connects small business owners with the tools, training, consultations and programming that they need to succeed. The BAC is funded by the Government of Ontario and is a resource centre for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Their team of friendly business experts provide the following services:

  • Free business consultations for start-up and existing businesses
  • Business plan review and support with market research tools
  • Workshops with tangible takeaways and networking opportunities for new and existing businesses
  • Provide connections to local legal and accounting professionals and firms
  • Business resources library: suppliers, sales and marketing, business plans and more

Additionally, the BAC proudly administers two entrepreneurship programs:

Starter Company Plus provides business training for entrepreneurs aged 18 and over in the City and County of Peterborough who are launching a business or expanding an existing business (that has been operating for five years or less). This program connects participants with business training that will focus on business planning fundamentals including financial literacy, operations and market research.

For full information and eligibility criteria please visit their website.

Summer Company provides an opportunity for students between the ages of 15-29 to create their own summer job by opening a small business. This program connects participants with training, mentorship and funding up to $3000 to get started.

Click here for full information and eligibility criteria.

Starter Company Plus and Summer Company are funded by the Government of Ontario and proudly administered for small business owners in Peterborough & the Kawarthas by PED’s Business Advisory Centre. Please note that to qualify for these programs, you must be a permanent resident or Canadian Citizen.

Looking to expand or relocate an existing business into Canada? PED’s Business Development Team also supports newcomer entrepreneurs as they get started in Canada.

Learn more about the support offered for expanding and relocating businesses.

Innovation Cluster

The Peterborough Innovation Cluster supports innovative entrepreneurs in the formation and growth of their technology-driven companies. Focusing on four key sectors, cleantech, agtech, healthcare and digital. The Innovation Cluster’s dynamic programming ensures that startups find their best path to market. The Innovation Cluster runs a number of programs including FastStart and the Cube. The Cube is a full-service business incubator located at Trent University and in downtown Peterborough.

Peterborough Kawartha Chamber of Commerce

The Peterborough+Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce (PKCC) advocates for the concerns of Peterborough area businesses and acts as a source of information for members and the general public. It has over 1,000 registered members.

Joining the PKCC allows you to connect with representatives from all sectors of business including retail, service, manufacturing, agricultural, tourism, financial and professional. Membership is open to all persons who share a common interest in the community, business and free enterprise system. Additionally, the PKCC hosts a series of monthly events that allow its members to network and learn about their business activities.

The following are services and websites where you can find information and advice about starting a business. Settlement.org answers the question ‘Where can I get help to start a business?’ through various resources and links.

It is best to ensure that you start your business following the proper steps concerning taxes and registering your business. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is a federal agency that administers tax laws for most provinces and territories, and various social and economic benefit and incentive programs delivered through the tax system.

When starting your own business, there are some aspects you need to determine. CRA provides full detail on how to register your business. You will also need to register your business and obtain a Master Business License to operate a business in Ontario. CRA is the federal agency to register your business. Service Ontario is the provincial agency to register your business. After defining all the requirements to register your business you can proceed to get your Business Number via the Internet.

Find out how a recent newcomer started her very first business in Peterborough in this link from Ontario East Economic Development.

Community Futures Peterborough

The Community Futures Peterborough (CFP) is an agency dedicated to helping small businesses in the City and County of Peterborough. They provide access to capital, strategic community planning & development, economic development, and business consulting and planning.

They have assisted more than 1000 businesses in Peterborough since 1985.

They provide information on: