Starter Company Plus Grant

General Business Stream

Eligibility and Requirements

Applicant Requirements

This stream of the Starter Company Plus Grant is available to entrepreneurs that meet the following criteria:

• 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 ability to demonstrate proof of physical address.

Business Requirements

Eligible entrepreneurs must also have small businesses that meet the following criteria:

• Must be a registered business at the time of application (Sole Proprietor, Partnership or Corporation) and this business registration documentation (Master Business Licence or Articles of Incorporation) must show a Toronto address,
• Must have a commercial business bank account at the time of application which corresponds with Business Registration documentation,
• Must have been in operation for minimum 6 months and up to 10 years and be able to demonstrate financial activity statements for this period,
• Must have majority ownership and the ability to demonstrate proof of ownership and/or shareholder agreement,
• Must be located in Toronto with ability to demonstrate proof of physical address,
• Must not be a past recipient of the Retail Accelerator Program and any stream of the Starter Company Plus Grant or other funding from a Small Business Enterprise Centre within Ontario,
• Businesses that require certification and/or license must be current at the time of application,
• Businesses that operate year-round i.e. not seasonal businesses) with consistent revenues month over month,
• Must be able to commit to in-person and/or virtual entrepreneurship training,
• Must have already invested 25 per cent of the grant amount ($1,250) into the business at the time of application (cash, marketing efforts, equipment, commercial rent or other legitimate startup expenses).

Ineligible Businesses

The following businesses are ineligible for a Starter Company Plus Grant:

• Nightclubs, lounges, cabarets, discotheques, music festivals and events or other similar activities,
• Online businesses that are resellers of existing products from other manufacturers (e.g. resellers of beauty and/or fashion accessories, phones and phone accessories, tablets, computers, etc.),
• Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), retirement homes, and long-term care homes,
• Technology applications which are not market-ready,
• Student housing and other property rentals,
• Childcare centres, including daycares,
• Home care for elderly and/or vulnerable populations,
• Quasi-financial institutions or money service and money transfer businesses (including 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 (including 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,
• Franchises,
• Collection agencies,
• Businesses that raise investment capital for other businesses,
• Businesses that include or promote financing from equity crowd funding (share capital),
• Any businesses that produce and/or primarily retail products whose ingredients include any derivatives of marijuana/cannabis, psilocybin or any other substances included on Schedule I, II, III and/or IV of the Canadian Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (S.C. 1996, c. 19),
• Recording artists and other similar ‘self-promoting’ artists and activities.

How to Apply

Applications are currently closed.

Subscribe to the BusinessTO newsletter to stay informed about future rounds of funding.

For questions about this grant, please contact the Small Business Enterprise Centre at 416-392-6646 or startercompany@toronto.ca.

Evaluation Process

Applications for the Starter Company Plus grant are evaluated by a review committee of experienced City staff based on the following selection criteria:

• Application should meet business and applicant requirements
• Business viability based on:
  
  • Proof of concept: showing evidence that your business product or service has been tested or demonstrated in a real-world scenario, indicating its feasibility and potential for market success.
    
  • Customer validation: demonstrating demand for your product or service in the market.
    
  • Clear revenue model: identifying one or more revenue/sales channels.
• Proposed business’s potential for growth and its ability to create jobs
• Startup budget and financing requirements of the business
• Contribution of 25 per cent of the grant amount as monetary investment towards the business

Trade Accelerator Stream

This stream provides businesses with targeted training and support to help them build export capacity and accelerate growth in international markets.

Eligibility and Requirements

Applicant Requirements

This stream of the Starter Company Plus Grant is available to entrepreneurs that meet the following criteria:

• 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,
• Reside in the Province of Ontario with the ability to demonstrate proof of physical address.

Business Requirements

Eligible entrepreneurs must also have small businesses that meet the following criteria:

• Must be incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-44) or the Province of Ontario’s Business Corporations Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. B.16);
• Be a for-profit company;
• Must be located in Toronto with ability to demonstrate proof of physical address;
• Must have an active Business Number (BN) at the time of application (The nine-digit BN is a unique account identifier associated only with your business. It streamlines how your business deals with the federal government of Canada and gives entrepreneurs access to important Canada Revenue Agency accounts. The BN is issued by the Canada Revenue Agency.)
• Must have a commercial business bank account at the time of application which corresponds with Business Registration documentation,
• Must have majority ownership and the ability to demonstrate proof of ownership and/or shareholder agreement,
• Must have been in operation for minimum two years and be able to demonstrate financial activity statements for this period,
• Must have generated over $50,000 in annual revenue,
• Must not be a past recipient of the Retail Accelerator Program or any stream of the Starter Company Plus Grant or other funding from a Small Business Enterprise Centre within Ontario,
• Businesses that require certification and/or license must be current at the time of application,
• Businesses that operate year-round i.e. not seasonal businesses) with consistent revenues month over month,
• Must be able to commit to in-person and/or virtual entrepreneurship training,
• Must have already invested 25 per cent of the grant amount ($1,250) into the business at the time of application (e.g. cash, marketing efforts, equipment, commercial rent or other legitimate startup expenses).

Ineligible Businesses

Ineligible entities include:

• Individuals,
• Other financial support programs or funds, either public or private,
• Public relations agencies or marketing agencies,
• Entities or subsidiaries of a parent company,
• Past recipients of the Retail Accelerator Program or any stream of the Starter Company Plus Grant or other funding from a Small Business Enterprise Centre within Ontario,

The Small Business Enterprise Centre reserves the right to determine the types of businesses accepted into the Starter Company Plus Grant Program. The eligibility of each applicant is assessed, including their business, proposed project and related expenses.

Please note that only successful applicants will be contacted. Participation in the Trade Accelerator Stream is highly competitive and submitting an eligible application does not guarantee funding.

Information Sessions

Interested applicants are encouraged to attend an online information session, co-hosted with World Trade Center Toronto, Toronto Region Board of Trade. Register for a session below:

• Monday, December 8, noon
• Monday, December 15, noon
• Monday, January 5, noon
• Thursday, January 8, noon

How to Apply

Applications are now open. Deadline to apply is January 12 at 4:30 p.m.

Apply Now

For questions about this grant, please contact the Small Business Enterprise Centre at 416-392-6646 or startercompany@toronto.ca.

Evaluation Process

Applications for the Starter Company Plus grant are evaluated by a review committee of experienced City staff based on the following selection criteria:

• Application should meet business and applicant requirements
• Business viability based on:
  
  • Proof of concept: showing evidence that your business product or service has been tested or demonstrated in a real-world scenario, indicating its feasibility and potential for market success.
    
  • Customer validation: demonstrating demand for your product or service in the market.
    
  • Clear revenue model: identifying one or more revenue/sales channels.
• Proposed business’s potential for growth and its ability to create jobs
• Startup budget and financing requirements of the business
• Contribution of 25 per cent of the grant amount as monetary investment towards the business