Business Info Guides

_{Business info guides (listed alphabetically) are designed to help you navigate through federal and provincial government programs services and regulations that may apply to entrepreneurs. All links and copy used with permission of Canada Business Ontario.}

_{Aboriginal Business Info-Guide}

_{Aboriginal business owners are a growing segment of Canadian entrepreneurs. This Info-Guide provides information on a variety of resources for Aboriginal entrepreneurs; including tax and employment information, financing, as well as on various associations and online publications. The information provided in this guide is intended to help Aboriginal entrepreneurs to establish and grow their businesses.}

_{Arts and Artists Info-Guide}

_{There are over 52,500 artists in Ontario and 44% of these artists are self-employed entrepreneurs. ("A Statistical Profile of Artists in Ontario: Based on the 2001 Census", Prepared by Hill Strategies Research Inc. for the Ontario Arts Council, March 2005). The vocation of an artist can be very demanding but also very personally rewarding. Starting up and running an art-based business can pose very unique and sometime complex challenges. This guide aims to give artists and artisans useful information drawn from other government departments, industry associations and art organizations to help start and run an art-based business in Ontario.}

_{Business Regulations Info-Guide}

_{This document is intended to provide general business licencing information for a number of specific industries and is best used as a starting point when researching regulations.}

_{Business Start-Up Info-Guide}

_{There are three common ways to get into business. You may wish to start the business as a new enterprise, you could buy an existing business, or you may decide to purchase a franchise. Regardless of which type of ownership you are thinking about, there are some basic questions you should ask yourself to assess whether you are ready.}

_{Closing or Selling Your Business - A Succession Plan Info-Guide}

_{Throughout the life of a business there are many changes that can happen, one of the most important is the decision to no longer continue with your organization. Once you have decided that you will no longer be responsible for a business there are some choices to make, whether you plan on selling the business, passing it along to family member or partner, or just closing the business down outright. This info guide will point you towards some of the more common issues and concerns that an entrepreneur faces when their business is in transition.}

_{Co-operatives Info-Guide}

_{A co-operative is owned by an association of persons seeking to satisfy common needs (access to products or services, sale of their products or services, employment, etc.).Corporate Taxation Info-Guide}

_{Corporate Taxation Info-Guide}

_{E-Business Info-Guide}

_{Electronic Commerce is any commercial activity, such as the buying and selling of goods and services, conducted over electronic networks (e.g. local phone lines, high-speed digital cable, etc.) that link electronic devices (e.g. fax machines, computers).}

_{Emergency Preparedness for Your Business}

_{The purpose of this document is to provide Ontario entrepreneurs with government and non-government resources that can assist a business in handling and preparing for various emergencies.}

_{Emergency preparedness has become an increasingly important subject for the Canadian business community, as it has for all Canadians. Recent events, such as the power black-outs of 2003, S.A.R.S and the possibility of terrorism, have shown the need for all levels of government to provide the appropriate precautionary information before an emergency occurs and respond quickly to existing emergencies.}

_{As our business community becomes more global, emergencies around the world become increasingly important to Canada. The events of September 11, 2001, for instance, had serious and immediate consequences for many Canadians and the Canadian business community, including border closings and delays. For this reason, a section involving international trade and emergencies has been added.}_{Employment and Training Assistance Programs Info-Guide}

_{When considering questions of staffing many business owners look for programs that can assist them in the hiring and training processes. Below is some general information on different issues that affect a small or medium size business owner as well as some of the programs available that can direct business owners to these employment services. This info guide also provides some information on associations both private and public as well as some listings of publications and various resources on a variety of employer topics.}

_{Employment Regulations Info-Guide}

_{Almost every worker, supervisor, employer and workplace in Ontario is covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Act and regulations. As an employer in Ontario, you have a number of obligations, including a duty to instruct, inform and supervise your workers to protect their health and safety.}

_{Exporting - Entering World Markets Info-Guide}

_{Deciding to export is a serious step towards the growth of your business. It requires careful market research and planning to assess the risks and benefits of taking your product or service to new markets. Getting your product to other countries, currency exchanges, domestic and other foreign competitors in that market, standards and making arrangements for payment are all important considerations once your potential markets have been identified. Finding support in Canada for exporting may also play a crucial role.}

_{Exporting - Preparing for World Markets Info-Guide}

_{Exporting presents opportunities and challenges. The global marketplace presents a great opportunity for Canadian entrepreneurs who wish to look beyond their domestic sales and begin promoting and selling their products and services internationally. The challenges involved can be overcome with proper preparation and planning.}

_{Exporting to the United States Info-Guide}

_{The American market offers great potential to the Ontario exporter. As our wealthy neighbour and our largest trading partner, the US market offers more than 300 million potential customers known worldwide for their purchasing power, brand loyalty and consumer savvy. While American companies provide for many of their own consumers, there are tremendous opportunities for progressive and innovative firms to gain a foothold in the market.}

_{Financial Support - Science and Technology}

_{Excluding government grants, tax-based allowances, and employment subsidies, other forms of financial support for business in the technology and innovation sector are still available both for general and specific purpose. The aim of this document is to provide an overview of some of these other financial options presently available for businesses in Ontario.}

_{Financing for Established Businesses Info-Guide}

_{When looking into applying for a loan for your business, it is important to study different avenues of financing. We have included a few brief definitions of various sources of financing.}

_{Financing for Starting a Business Info-Guide}

_{Starting a business can be a rewarding undertaking but it comes with challenges. Before starting a business in Ontario, it is wise to do your research. There are several issues to consider such as regulations, financing, taxation, managing your business, advertising and much more.}

_{Foreign Investment Info-Guide}

_{The governments of Canada and Ontario, along with local governments and partner organizations, provide services and information to assist you in choosing Canada and Ontario for investment. This guide will provide an overview of these services to help you target Ontario for your company.}

_{Government Procurement Info-Guide}

_{Procurement is government purchasing of goods and services required to serve the needs of the public. Procurement policies have been developed by government for two main reasons. First, government strives to make all opportunities available to interested businesses. They allow government officials to purchase supplies and services in an unbiased atmosphere. Second, procurement generally results in more cost effective purchases for the government, thus saving taxpayer dollars. It is also used by government organizations for budget control purposes. Procurement is sometimes referred to as government bidding, government opportunities, and tenders.}

_{The needs of government bodies are widely diversified: from the procurement of office supplies to the construction of hydroelectric power stations; from shoelaces to remote sensing equipment. Government buyers procure more than 17 000 different types of products.}_{Grants, Subsidies and Contributions Info-Guide}

_{Although a grant or subsidy is only available for specific situations or industries, there are a number of government financing options available for Ontario entrepreneurs.}

_{Grants, Subsidies and Contributions - Agriculture}

_{Grants, Subsidies and Contributions - Arts and Media}

_{Grants, Subsidies and Contributions - Employers}

_{Grants, Subsidies and Contributions - Science and Technology}

_{Greening Your Business}

_{Eco-efficiency is rapidly becoming an important element of success in business. According to The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), "eco-efficiency" is described as "a management strategy of doing more with less". Eco-efficiency can be achieved through: Increasing product or service value, Optimizing the use of resources, Reducing environmental impact.

Because there is an opportunity for savings with each of these objectives, applying them makes "good business sense". In some cases, companies that adopt eco-efficient technologies and practices can stimulate productivity and innovation, increase competitiveness and improve environmental performance.}

_{Growing Your Business}

_{If you have been operating a successful business for some time and feel that you have moved beyond the start-up phase, it may be time to start considering a number of areas that can help grow your business. Sections of this guide that deal with marketing and advertising, market research, financing and export will provide you with a number of resources to help you in the area of growth.}

_{A section on management practices has been added to aid an entrepreneur that has spent time and energy in developing their new business but may need to now find resources on how to more effectively manage their business to ensure future success and stability.}

_{Importing Info-Guide}

_{The Importing Info-Guide is designed to help you navigate through the federal and provincial government programs, services and regulations that may apply to individuals and businesses starting to import in Ontario.}

_{Intellectual Property Info-Guide}

_{This document is intended to provide intellectual property information, including trade-mark, copyright and patent information, to businesses in Ontario.}

_{New Media Info-Guide}

_{The New Media Info-Guide will provide you with a definition of new media, information on financing and associations for New Media businesses, and information on how to use new media tools to advertise and market your business.}

_{Non-Financial Support - Science and Technology}

_{Excluding financial support, other kinds of support and assistance are still available for business in the technology and innovation sector, both for general and specific purpose. The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of some of the non-financial supports presently available for businesses in Ontario.}

_{Not-for-Profit Info-Guide}

_{Not-for-profit organizations are created to benefit the community. Activities of a not-for-profit organization may be of a patriotic, national, charitable, philanthropic, religious, professional, or athletic nature without monetary gain. Directors, officers and/or members of a not-for-profit corporation do not own the corporation or its assets. The organization may not be operated for financial gain for its members, officers or directors.}

_{In certain circumstances a not-for-profit organization may engage in revenue producing activities and earn a profit, however these activities are to be conducted solely to further the principal objectives of the organization. For example, a not-for-profit theatre club may hold a bake sale to raise money, which would then be used to buy costumes for the club.}_{Retail Business Info-Guide}

_{The retail sector is one of the most important sectors in the Canadian economy. It is defined as the retailing of merchandise in small quantities to the general public generally without transformation, and rendering services incidental to the sale of merchandise. The retailing process is the final step in the distribution of merchandise.}

_{Start Up Info-Guide for Newcomers to Canada}

_{This guide will help navigate through the federal and provincial government resources that would be of interest to immigrant entrepreneurs in Ontario looking for information on starting a business.}

_{Taxation Info-Guide}

_{Technology and Innovation Info-Guide}

_{This Info-Guide is designed to help you navigate through the technology-related federal and provincial government programs and resources available to businesses in Ontario that are interested in developing technology.}

_{Tourism Business Info-Guide}

_{Working in tourism can be a challenging, but extremely rewarding venture. There are many things you need to know if you're starting up or running a tourism business. This document aims to provide you with useful information sourced from other government departments, industry associations and tourism partners to help you start and run your tourism business in Ontario.}

_{Women in Business Info-Guide}

_{In Canada, the business landscape has changed over the years. Industry Canada has reported the number of women who head companies in Canada has doubled since 1990. As a result, women partially or wholly own nearly half of Canadian small businesses. Most women entrepreneurs in Canada work in either the service and retail sectors, however this is changing, as women are now beginning to own larger numbers of small and medium sized companies in emerging fields of technology and manufacturing.}

_{Your Business and the Environment Info-Guide}

_{Canadian business and industry are the backbone of our economy and fundamental to our quality of life. However, as they create new economic opportunities, new markets and new jobs, environmental issues increasingly become a part of business operations, and as a result new ways of doing business with the environment in mind are emerging. This guide covers some of the resources available to your business with environmental concerns in mind.}

_{Youth Entrepreneurship Info-Guide}

_{This Info-Guide provides information on a variety of resources for young entrepreneurs; including tax information, hiring, financing, as well as on various associations and online publications.}