The Starter Company PLUS program is available for residents from Cornwall, Akwesasne, and SD&G who are aged 18 or older. The program provides applicants with the highest assistance in starting, growing, or acquiring an existing small-scale company. The grant is provided through seminars, business development workshops, local business leaders’ mentoring, and eventually, funding.
“Understanding how to go from a business concept to launching a successful business is the primary goal of the Starter Company PLUS program,” said Shauna Baggs, a Business Consultant at the Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre. “CBEC employees work with participants to assist them in developing essential knowledge and skills to ensure that entrepreneurs have the necessary tools to establish and sustain a profitable business. Through our association and The Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade we can provide financial assistance to those who qualify with a micro-grant of up to $4,500.”
Applications are accepted between April 1 and April 15, 2024. Applications are accessible online via the Cornwall Business Enterprise website.
Entrepreneurs interested in starting a business are encouraged to go to the CBEC website to read the description of the Starter Company Plus program and access the online application. CBEC staff will collaborate with entrepreneurs approved by the program to schedule required training sessions and then develop an initial business plan, a start-up budget, and a two-year budget.
Starter Company PLUS Info and Application
Eligible entrepreneurs include those starting their own company, buying an existing company, or expanding their current business. To allow an expansion of a business to qualify for grants, an additional product or service must be identified clearly and should include hiring employees. After training is completed, the applicant will be asked to present their financial and business plan before a grant panel to be eligible for a micro-grant amounting to $4,500 and $4,000. There is no funding available to participants in the course.
Its Starter Company program was launched in 2014 to help young entrepreneurs. It was revived in 2017 under the name Starter Company PLUS – opening the program up to a broader audience. Since its beginning, The Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre has collaborated with over 200 participants and assisted in distributing more than $550,000 in micro-grants that local entrepreneurs can receive across the region.
Quick Facts
Entrepreneurs who are starting, growing, or buying a business within Cornwall, Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, and Akwesasne, are eligible to apply for the program Starter Company Plus by sending a request to the Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre.
- To be eligible, applicants must be Ontario residents of Ontario, old or older, and not in school.
- Successful applicants may receive a $4,500 grant to help launch/purchase/expand their business.
- Applications are open from April 1, 2024, and will close on April 15, 2024, at 4:00 4:45 pm ET.
About the Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre
The Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre helps entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses achieve success throughout Cornwall, Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry & Akwesasne by providing information, tools, and assistance in the start-up and expansion phases of business operations. This includes the administration of Summer Company and Starter Company Plus programs. Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre is run through Cornwall Economic Development and funded partially by The Government of Ontario.
