Digital Main Street

Digital Main Street is an innovative program designed to help main street small businesses achieve digital transformation. The program is built around an online learning platform, structured training programs, and Digital Service Squad teams of street-level experts that help main street small businesses manage and grow their operations through technology adoption

Digital Service Squads

The Digital Service Squad (DSS) is a free digital resource to help you grow your business by adopting and implementing digital tools and technologies. Now, thanks to funding of the Ontario Digital Main Street Initiative by FedDev Ontario and the Province of Ontario, in partnership with OBIAA, we are thrilled to offer this free resource to your business.

A DSS is comprised of trained specialists that go to Ontario main street small businesses, like yours, to help them adopt new technologies and embrace digital marketing. A DSS can show you how to build a basic website or how to improve your existing online presence through tools such as Google My Business and social media. A DSS can also help you optimize your website for search, setup a Point-of-Sale solution, and create customer databases. In addition, Digital Service Squads provide advice and recommendations to streamline your fundamental business operations (including back office processes) and can help you find local digital vendors for potential projects.

Team members from five squads will be visiting small businesses in downtowns across Leeds Grenville to conduct digital-readiness assessments and assist businesses in applying for funding.

ShopHere

ShopHere is a program that provides independent small business owners and artists with a quick, easy and no-cost way to get selling online right away.

Businesses must fit some requirements - they must be a registered business, registered non-profit or an artist. They must either have a commercial location or be home based. They must have fewer than 10 employees or fewer than 25 if a restaurant/bar. And lastly, they must not be a corporate chain or franchise. Visit the ShopHere website.

Future Proof

Future Proof is a FREE program that assists businesses with identifying new markets and developing and implementing a deep digital transformation plan. The program is meant as a detailed deep dive to support businesses that require assistance in either transforming their business model or developing and implementing an advanced digital transformation plan. Businesses will be asked to commit to working with a team of 5 specialists for approximately 6 weeks. If you are interested in learning more about this program and how it could help to launch your business, contact your local Digital Service Squad or visit the Future Proof website.

Augusta, Edwardsburgh Cardinal, Prescott

Dana Valentyne, Economic Development Officer
Town of Prescott
T: 613-925-2812 x 6221
E: dvalentyne@prescott.ca

Gananoque & Leeds and the Thousand Islands

McKenna Modler, Business Support & Marketing
Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands
T: 613-453-2656
E: businessadmin@townshipleeds.on.ca

Westport, Merrickville-Wolford, Athens,
Front of Yonge, Elizabethtown-Kitley, Rideau Lakes

Jim Hutton, Business Development Officer
United Counties of Leeds and Grenville
T: 613-342-3840 x 5361
E: econdev@uclg.on.ca

Brockville

Haley Veronyak, Executive Director
Downtown Brockville
T: 613-345-3269 x 101
E: director@downtownbrockville.com

North Grenville

Hilary Geneau, Economic Development Coordinator
Municipality of North Grenville

www.investnorthgrenville.ca/dss
T: 613-258-9569 x 162
E: hgeneau@northgrenville.on.ca