The Business Sustainability stream supports enhancements for brick-and-mortar businesses located on main streets across southern Ontario.

Support has been provided for businesses located on eligible main streets that demonstrate their sustainability and provide a business case on how the funding will strengthen their existing capacity and support their continued growth alongside their main street community.

Applications for the Business Sustainability stream are now closed. All applicants have been notified of their results via email.

In addition, businesses within each of the participating communities have access to a range of supports.

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Market Research

Local businesses have access to customized market research reports to assist them in understanding their customers and growing their business.

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Business Opportunities

Based on market data collected from each community, new business opportunities will be identified for local entrepreneurs to explore and initiate.

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Business Training

Local businesses can access a range of on-demand and live virtual training sessions to support their operations.

The My Main Street Business Sustainability Stream focuses on the following pillars:


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Customized Data, Market
Research and Analysis

My Main Street focuses on the impact of deep data analysis and market research into a main street community to understand demographics and market gaps, and to identify growth opportunities for new and existing businesses.

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Community Economic
Development

My Main Street focuses on the principle that investing in local main streets should create and retain wealth in the community by ensuring residents benefit from the economic opportunities available along their main street.

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Prioritizing Equity
Deserving Groups

My Main Street seeks to prioritize equity-deserving groups and historically marginalized communities through all aspects of program delivery to encourage local economic opportunities to diversify local main streets.

Evaluation

Applications will be assessed based on the following criteria, in relation to their identified business need:
  • Business model overview
  • Proposed use of funds
  • Goals and objectives of proposal and how they will be measured
  • Impact on the main street
  • Improvements to business productivity
  • Impact on increasing jobs
  • Innovation
  • Project impact on business sustainability and long-term business strategy
  • Capacity and resource analysis

Once applications have been scored, they will be assessed for equitable regional distribution, rural distribution, and distribution to traditional underrepresented and equity-deserving groups.

If you have any further questions about the Business Sustainability stream, we encourage you to contact us.

PARTNERS

My Main Street is operated by the Canadian Urban Institute and funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.


Canadian Urban Institute
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