Business support organizations 

You don't become an expert business manager overnight. Seeking the advice of peers, professional business counsellors and coaches can help your transition from new business owner to experienced entrepreneur.

Some financing organizations also offer networking, coaching, and other business support services. Visit our Grants and Finances section for more information.

• Grants and financing
  Find out how to access money for your business.
• Contact Canada Business
  The Canada Business Network has centres across the country that offer guidance, information and resources to help make your journey in business a successful one.
• Accredited Professionals
  Do you need professional help for your business? Access this national, online database of accountants, legal professionals, valuators and auditors.
• Business Consultants
  Find business consultants, development organizations and specialists in the areas of exporting, financial services, human resources, marketing, and more.

Start-up and business development

Access a wide range of business support services that can guide you in starting or growing your business.

• Aboriginal Business Development Services – The Business Link
  Information and resources to help your aboriginal business in Alberta.
• Aboriginal Business Service Network - Saskatchewan
  Find the business information you need as a First Nations or Métis entrepreneur in Saskatchewan.
• Alliance of Manitoba Sector Councils
  Get information on business start-up and growth, networking, and training from the sector council that represents and promotes your industry.
• Atlantic Association of Community Business Development Corporations
  If you live in a rural region of the Atlantic provinces and want to start or grow your business, you can get business counseling, financing and training from a Community Business Development Corporation in your area.
• BDC Ask a professional
  Get free advice on monthly business topics from a BDC Consulting professional.
• BDC Consulting
  Find out how BDC's customized consulting services can help your business at all stages of development.
• Business Support Officer Program
  If you are an aboriginal entrepreneur, take advantage of the free business advice, workshops and training offered in British Columbia.
• CoopZone
  Find resources and consultants to help you start and run a co-operative in Ontario.
• Innovate Calgary
  Access programs, services, and other resources to help start and grow your innovative technology-focused business.
• Invest Yukon
  You can obtain information about doing business in the Yukon, including government funding and programs, and details about different industries.
• Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship — University of Manitoba
  Is entrepreneurship your calling? Access small business courses, programs, and networking events through the Centre.
• Toronto Business Development Centre
  Take advantage of a range of programs and business support services to start and grow your business.

Networking and chambers of commerce

Find out about business opportunities and specific networking forums.

• Alberta Chambers of Commerce
  Discover the business benefits of joining a chamber of commerce in your community and learn about your local Alberta chamber.
• British Columbia Chambers of Commerce
  Visit your local B.C. Chamber of Commerce to access information on membership benefits, partnerships and networking opportunities in your local community.
• Canadian Chambers of Commerce
  A strong community business network can benefit your company. Access your local Chamber of Commerce.
• Entrepreneurship Centre (Montréal)
  Access a wide range of business support services created to respond to the particular needs of women entrepreneurs who own small and medium-sized businesses.
• Jeune Chambre de commerce de Montréal
  As a young entrepreneur in Montreal, you can develop your personal and professional network and find a mentor.
• Lambda Business and Professional Association of Manitoba
  Are you a gay, lesbian, bisexual or gay-friendly business? Find out how Lambda can help you.
• Manitoba Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce
  As an Aboriginal entrepreneur, you have access to networking opportunities, seminars, events, membership discounts, a chamber directory and a business centre.
• Manitoba Chambers of Commerce
  Find out how the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce can help grow your business.
• Purchasing Management Association of Canada
  Find out how to get training and accreditation in supply chain management, post your jobs, update your skills or access procurement tools.
• WEConnect Canada Certification
  Find out how your company can be certified as a Women Business Enterprise to increase your access to contract opportunities in Canada and abroad.
• Yukon Chamber of Commerce
  Find out how the Yukon Chamber of Commerce can help your business prosper. Available services include: referrals to government, association and private sector specialists; library reference and research materials to assist you with your market research and business planning; and a group insurance plan for the employees of member organizations.

Coaching, mentoring and training

Connect with experienced business advisors who can help develop your skills and achieve your business goals. 

• Aboriginal Business Mentorship Program
  As an Aboriginal business owner and a member of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, you could get a mentor to help you develop your skills.
• Best business practices available in French only
  Improve your knowledge of business practices with custom-made practical courses, workshops and seminars offered by this program.
• Business Advisory Centres
  If you are an Aboriginal entrepreneur, you can access free business advice and other services for business start-up, expansion, partnerships, and planning.
• Business Advisory Services
  Are you of Métis ancestry and thinking of starting a business? The SaskMetis Economic Development Corporation provides general business information, consulting services and business development workshops.
• Business Advisory Services (Ontario)
  Access expert help to expand your small to medium-sized business into new local or international markets.
• Business Services — Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities
  Access a wide range of services to business in French. Tap into expertise to create or grow your business.
• Canadian Executive Service Organization — Aboriginal Services
  Are you a small aboriginal company that is looking for advice on business start-up?
• Canadian Women in Communications
  Are you a woman entrepreneur in the communications sector who is looking for mentorship or guidance? Find out how leadership development and mentoring services can help you achieve your business goals.
• Centre d'entreprises et d'innovation de Montréal
  Get specialized advice to start up and develop your information technology, industrial technology, multimedia or life sciences business.
• Centre for Management Development — UR Business
  If you need professional consulting services to meet your business goals, this centre may be able to help you.
• Community Business Resource Network — Nova Scotia
  Get help starting or expanding your business from any of 15 Community Business Resource Network partners in Nova Scotia.
• Community Futures Development Corporations — Western Canada
  If you live in a rural region of Western Canada and want to start or grow your business, you can get business counseling and training in your area.
• Community partners — service location finder
  Find in-person assistance to help you start and grow your business.
• Conseil de développement économique de l’Alberta
  If you are francophone and live in Alberta, you can get counselling and training to help you start or grow a business.
• Détail formation available in French only
  Take advantage of training services for your retail, service, food, restaurant or tourism business.
• Economic Development Officers
  Obtain business support services for entrepreneurs operating in the Northwest Territories.
• Enterprise Network
  Want to start or grow your business in New Brunswick? Your local Enterprise Agency may have some advice, programs or services that can help.
• Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Network — Business Support
  If you are a Nova Scotia entrepreneur with a disability, you can access business support, training, and opportunities for networking.
• Entrepreneurs’ Forum Advisory Services
  Obtain free advice from business advisors for your innovative or knowledge-based business.
• Entrepreneurship Centre (Montréal)
  Access a wide range of business support services created to respond to the particular needs of women entrepreneurs who own small and medium-sized businesses.
• Eskasoni Business Support
  Eskasoni Band members can get free business support for entrepreneurial ventures.
• Fondation de l'entrepreneurship available in French only
  Find a mentor or join the network. Learn about entrepreneurial culture in Quebec.
• Fondation du maire: le Montréal inc. de demain
  If you are a young Montreal entrepreneur, you could receive a grant of between $5,000 and $30,000 to start up your business as well as advice or training.
• Guest Advisor Program
  Talk to an expert about your business' growth strategy, legal issues, accounting, tax questions, and financing options.
• Guest Advisor Program — Saskatchewan
  Would you like to meet with a lawyer, an accountant, business consultant or trade-mark agent for a free consultation to discuss your business concerns?
• Jeune Chambre de commerce de Montréal
  As a young entrepreneur in Montreal, you can develop your personal and professional network and find a mentor.
• Métis Youth Program
  Are you between the ages of 18 and 35 and a Saskatchewan resident of Métis ancestry? You could get advice and financing to start your own business.
• Manitoba Marketing Network Business Mentoring Program
  Find out how this valuable business-to-business mentorship program can help you evolve your business.
• Marketing Booster Program
  Find out how to market your small business and get up to 40 hours of individual business coaching when you participate in these interactive marketing workshops.
• Northern Business Service Centre
  If you live in northern Saskatchewan, get help with your new or existing business needs.
• Nova Scotia's University Business Development Centres
  Access training, guidance and expert advice to start or grow your business at one of six University Business Development Centres located across Nova Scotia.
• PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise
  If you are a woman entrepreneur in Northern Ontario, you can find coaching, training and peer lending programs to help you start or grow a business.
• Queen's Centre for Business Venturing
  Take advantage of business training and find financial resources for your innovative business.
• Réseau des SADC du Québec - SADC Network
  If you live in a rural region of Quebec, you could access business counseling, financing and training to start or grow your business.
• RECOMEX available in French only
  Are you thinking of exporting? Get expert advice and access to international contacts through this network.
• Regional Access Partners — Saskatchewan
  Get help starting or expanding your business from any of the 14 Regional Access Partners that are members of the business infosource network.
• Regional Development Authorities - Business Support
  Receive support and counselling on starting your business or making it more profitable.
• SEED Winnipeg Inc.
  Are you looking to grow your economic vitality? Get business management training, individual consultations, access to small business loans, and more.
• Saskatchewan Indian Equity Foundation Inc. Business Services Office
  As an Aboriginal entrepreneur, you can take advantage of learning opportunities and advisory services offered in many areas such as accounting, management, financing, business planning.
• Small Business Enterprise Centres (Ontario)
  Get help to start or grow your small business in Ontario.
• Small business training
  Check out the following training sessions in Alberta that can help you start or grow your business.
• Starting a business available in French only
  You can obtain highly qualified professional support to start up your business and training tailored to your business project.
• TEC Edmonton
  Find the resources and services you need to bring an invention or business to market, including mentoring, business planning, market analysis, and much more.
• Ulnooweg Business Services Program
  If you are an Aboriginal business owner, you can get free business advice during any development stage of your product or service.
• Winnipeg Entrepreneur eXchange
  Share, learn and network with like-minded entrepreneurs and small business supporters. Access programs and events and fill your business toolkit.
• Women Entrepreneurial Center of Québec
  Are you a woman entrepreneur starting or expanding a business? You could maximize your entrepreneurial potential and attain financial independence.
• Women’s Enterprise Centre of Manitoba
  Business information, guidance and financing for women entrepreneurs

Industry sector resources

Learn about organizations that offer support services to businesses in your industry.

• Alliance numérique
  Get training on business intelligence in the digital industry and access the information you need for an exploratory approach.
• Arts and Cultural Industries Association of Manitoba Inc.
  Are you an artist entrepreneur or is your business in the creative sector? Find out how this association can help you.
• BioEnterprise
  If you are introducing an agriculture or agri-food innovation product or service into the market, you may be eligible for support to help grow your business.
• Business tools, strategies, reports and resources for the tourism industry
  Access tools, publications and industry resources to help start and run your tourism business in Ontario.
• Innovate Calgary
  Access programs, services, and other resources to help start and grow your innovative technology-focused business.
• Canadian Women in Communications
  Are you a woman entrepreneur in the communications sector who is looking for mentorship or guidance? Find out how leadership development and mentoring services can help you achieve your business goals.
• Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec
  Benefit from the help of experts to certify a product, test a concept, verify a manufacturing procedure or implement a business intelligence service.
• Centre francophone d'informatisation des organisations available in French only
  Consult the CEFRIO to obtain survey results, reports on major recurring studies as well as information on the state-of-the-art information technologies.
• Consulting Engineers of Ontario
  If you are an engineering consultant, this organization can help you access networking, professional development, education and more.
• FrontCounter BC
  If you have a business in mining, forestry, agriculture or land and water, you can get help with applications, licenses and permits.
• Manitoba Irrigation Development Program
  Is irrigation your business? Access support and liaison services to help you meet market demands for irrigated crop production.
• Manitoba Management Plus Program
  If you are a farmer, you can access user-friendly crop production and management information to improve on-farm decision-making.
• Music Nova Scotia
  Join this organization to find out about industry funding programs, development opportunities, workshops and more, to help grow your music business.
• Northern Film and Video Industry Association
  If you want to produce a film or video in the Yukon, become a member to access equipment rental, get information on production crews and more.
• Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association
  If you are a visual artist in Nunavut, you can get help to promote your work.
• Quebec liaison and transfer centres available in French only
  Get liaison officers to help you enter into strategic alliances with Quebec universities and finance your research and development projects.
• Tourism Intelligence Network
  Are you looking for value-added information to enhance your competitiveness in the tourism sector? The Network's researchers can help you.
• Wilderness Tourism Association of the Yukon
  Do you provide wilderness adventure services? If so, find out how membership in this association will allow you to access business support, advocacy and networking opportunities.
• York Technology Alliance
  Find help to grow your technology business and connect with other technology leaders in the Greater Toronto Area.
• Tourism Industry Association of the Yukon
  Find out how these business development programs and services can help your tourism business.