Starting a Business

Leeds & Grenville Small Business Enterprise Centre (LGSBEC)

The LGSBEC is a business resource centre offering information and advice on starting or expanding a small business. It serves the Grenville and South Leeds communities. Contact LGSBEC.

Small Business Advisory Centre

(Formerly Lanark-North Leeds Enterprise Centre)

The Small Business Advisory Centre is a business self-help office that provides professional and confidential advisory services to small business start-ups and ongoing support for existing small businesses. It serves the Lanark County and north-eastern municipalities in Leeds and Grenville. Contact SBAC

Prepare a Business Plan

A business plan is a written document that describes your business goals, why you think you can achieve your goals, and a plan for reaching your goals. Other items such as division of labour, research and development, general business information, location, launch date, and risks are also often included. A business plans helps to define your goals and give you a clear path for success. The LGSBEC and Small Business Advisory Centre can review and provide assistance with your business plan.

Sample business plans and business model templates are available to help make sure you are not overlooking any important areas when planning your business. To access these templates visit the Canada Business Network Sample Business plans and templates webpage.

Community Futures Development Corporations

Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) are non-profit organizations that receive funding from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario to assist businesses in rural communities get started and grow.

1000 Islands Community Development Corporation - Serving the Townships of Athens, Elizabethtown-Kitley, Front of Yonge and Leeds and the Thousand Islands, City of Brockville and Town of Gananoque.

Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation - Serving Grenville County, including Townships of Augusta, Edwardsburgh Cardinal, Municipality of North Grenville and Kemptville, Town of Prescott.

Valley Heartland Community Futures Development Corporation - Serving North Leeds and Lanark County, including Townships of Elizabethtown-Kitley and Rideau Lakes, Village of Westport 

CFDCs provide the following services to new and existing businesses:

• One-on-one business consultations at no cost
• Business plan assistance and assessment services
• Mentoring and entrepreneurial training
• Repayable business loans and loan guarantees up to $250,000
• Access to Eastern Ontario Investment Pool loans up to $600,000
• Access to the Eastern Ontario Development Program funding for business planning, skills training, youth internship, building retrofit and technology projects.

 Learn more about Community Development Corporations.

Canadian Intellectual Property Office - Create and protect it

• Canadian Patents Database
• IP Basics for business
• What is IP?
• Trademarks: learn, search, apply
• Patents: learn, search, apply
• Copyright: learn, search, register
• Industrial designs: learn, search, apply

An agency of Industry Canada.  Contact, toll free from anywhere in Canada and the U.S. by calling 1-866-997-1936. Visit the CIPO website.