The Business Sustainability Initiative supports enhancements for brick-and-mortar businesses located on main streets.

Businesses are critical anchors on main streets and My Main Street supports businesses that demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability and present a clear business case for how the investment will strengthen their capacity, drive growth, and contribute to the vitality of their main street community.

The Business Sustainability Initiative is currently closed. Subscribe below to be the first to know of the next My Main Street intake.

SUPPORTED BUSINESS TYPES INCLUDE

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Food Services

Food services include restaurants, cafés, and bakeries, along with other establishments that offer meals, snacks, or beverages to the public.

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Retail

Retail establishments include clothing stores, specialty food shops, and other businesses that sell goods directly to customers in-store.

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Personal Services

Personal services may include hair and nail salons, health resources like physiotherapists and pharmacies, and much more.

My Main Street provides up to $250,000 in funding to bring entrepreneurial visions to life

Eligible applicants could receive up to 25% of their approved project costs in advance, ensuring financial support to jumpstart their initiatives.

Projects are selected based on their ability to support xxx and deliver lasting economic and social benefits, particularly for equity-deserving groups.

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN THE BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE

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Customized Market Research and Strategic Insights

Each business gained access to tailored market research reports that provided deep insights into local customer demographics, spending patterns, and market gaps—enabling data-driven decision-making.

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One-on-One Advisory Support From Portfolio Managers

Businesses were paired with experienced Portfolio Managers who offered personalized guidance on investment planning, ROI optimization, and strategic growth—helping maximize the value of the funding.

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Operational and Infrastructure Enhancements

Funding supported critical improvements such as storefront upgrades, leasehold improvements, and technology modernization—strengthening the customer experience and increasing competitiveness.

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Capacity Building for Long-Term Business Resilience

Business investments not only addressed immediate needs but also built long-term capacity—enhancing productivity, diversifying revenue streams, and strengthening resilience in the face of changing market conditions.

MY MAIN STREET BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY RECIPIENTS DEMONSTRATE

Vision

Successful recipients must clearly define their business model and long-term sustainability strategy, outlining how their operations will remain viable and competitive. Projects should demonstrate a clear vision for growth, innovation, and impact on the broader main street economy. The proposal should also highlight how the business contributes to a thriving, inclusive, and dynamic commercial environment.

Capacity

Applicants must showcase their ability to implement the proposed project effectively, detailing the resources, expertise, and team structure in place to support success. A fully costed budget and a clear plan for tracking outcomes are essential. Additionally, businesses should explain how the investment will enhance productivity, create jobs, and support long-term operational improvements.

Community Need

Proposals should demonstrate a strong understanding of the main street’s economic and social landscape, including the challenges and opportunities present in the community. Businesses must articulate how their project addresses local needs, contributes to economic growth, and supports equity-deserving groups. Applications will also be assessed for their alignment with equitable regional and rural distribution goals, ensuring that investments drive inclusive and lasting community impact.

Market Research Reports

Community organizations receive a customized Market Research Report on their community to support their application, and successful projects.

The data insights from the report can be leveraged to strengthen project applications with local context specific to their community. Within the report, community organizations will get insights into their community’s:

  • Demographic data
  • Household spending
  • Media behaviors of customers
  • Psychographic data
  • Mobile data

The research report can help the organization understand their community’s customer base, including where customers are from, their demographics, how to communicate to them through various media channels, and how they spend their money. Overall, the data within the report can help organizations uncover community needs, market gaps and improve their marketing strategy.

Eligible organizations will receive a one-on-one consultation with a Portfolio Manager to review how to use the analysis to understand their community’s insights based on the report.

The data within these reports includes census information from Statistics Canada and proprietary licensed data from our partner Environics Analytics.

My Main Street Is Currently Closed

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

My Main Street is now closed with no further intakes at this time.

My Main Street received a high number of applications, and demand has significantly exceeded the amount of funding available.

Each application was assessed against the criteria outlined in the Applicant Guides by an external committee of experts. The strongest applications were selected for support through My Main Street.

All applicants were informed of the results of their application by email on June 24, 2024.

Applications will be thoroughly reviewed to determine if the funding will be distributed to traditionally underrepresented and equity-deserving groups. Once applications have been scored, they will be assessed for equitable regional distribution, rural distribution, and distribution to traditional underrepresented and equity-deserving groups as identified within their application.

My Main Street is a $15-million investment from the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) to spur local economic recovery. My Main Street is delivered by the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) to help support the revitalization of neighbourhoods across southern Ontario. The program features two streams: Business Sustainability stream and Community Activator stream.

The Business Sustainability stream is intended to support the full amount requested by the business for eligible expenses.

Partial funding may be selectively approved at the discretion of the application assessors for both streams.

Successful applicants will receive market research reports free of charge.

These are unique and customized reports that will provide you with information and data about your specific main street and community that will provide business insights not typically accessed by small businesses.

Learn more about our Market Research Report.

CUI will undertake the development of market research reports that will highlight key social and demographic insights related to a main street’s local customer base (within a 15-minute walking radius). These reports will be used as tools to help ensure that investments supported through both the Business Sustainability and Community Activator streams are addressing the localized needs and opportunities of a main street to support business recovery, sustainability and growth strategies.

Each report will have demographic, household, food spend, in person/online shopping behaviour, and psychographic data points specific to the selected population group in the trade area.

In the Business Sustainability s tream, approved applicants will receive a custom Market Research Report tailored to their business or industry.

In the Community Activator stream, approved applicants will attend a one-hour webinar on how to use the data and will then be provided with a community profile report.

Read more about the Market Research Report here.

A non-repayable contribution is a funding contribution towards the eligible costs of your project that are not repayable.

This means you are provided funding toward a project that aligns with the goals of the program and aligns with eligible expenses listed on each stream’s overview page. You will not have to pay this money back – it is given to you to fulfil the project you have proposed. The eligible expenses are costs that, in the opinion of the funding body, are reasonable and required to carry out your project. You will be required to report on your expenses in order to receive the full funding amount requested.

Costs musts be incurred between December 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024.

The term “main street” represents the commercial and community focal point of a neighbourhood. They offer nearby residents access to shops, retailers, food and drink, and local services.

There are 5,300 main streets across southern Ontario that qualify for the My Main Street program on the basis of employment, business and service density, among many other data factors. Eligibility has been determined though a data framework created by the Canadian Urban Institute.

You can directly enter your address in our Measuring Main Streets mapping tool to determine if you are located within the program’s identified main streets. If you find the tool does not identify your business as being on a main street on the map, please contact us directly to discuss.

The full list of eligible regions surrounding municipalities can be found here:

  • Brant County
  • Bruce County
  • Chatham-Kent
  • Dufferin Region
  • Durham Region
  • Elgin County
  • Essex County
  • Frontenac County
  • Grey County
  • Haldimand-Norfolk County
  • Haliburton County
  • Halton Region
  • Hamilton Region
  • Hastings County
  • Huron County
  • Kawartha Lakes
  • Lambton County
  • Lanark County
  • Leeds and Grenville Counties
  • Lennox and Addington County
  • Middlesex County
  • Niagara Region
  • Northumberland County
  • Ottawa Region
  • Oxford County
  • Peel Region
  • Perth County
  • Peterborough County
  • Prescott and Russell Counties
  • Prince Edward County
  • Renfrew County
  • Simcoe County
  • Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Counties
  • Toronto Region
  • Waterloo Region
  • Wellington County
  • York Region

Recipients of Toronto’s Main Street Innovation Fund cannot apply for the My Main Street program for the same project activities but are able to apply for a separate and distinct project.

Yes, Toronto businesses and organizations are now able to apply to My Main Street.

Enter your address in our Measuring Main Streets mapping tool to determine if you are located within the program’s eligible main streets.

The Community Activator stream is focused on providing support for community projects in southern Ontario that are designed to draw visitors and increase local vibrancy. Organizations may apply for up to $250,000 for high-impact placemaking projects that seek to revitalize neighbourhoods and reimagine public spaces including main streets, downtown strips and plazas.

Learn more about the Community Activator stream by visiting the program overview page, the Examples page, and by reading through the Applicant Guide.

The My Main Street Business Sustainability stream is focused on providing support to small, independently owned businesses located on main streets across southern Ontario. Support will include custom market research data delivered by the My Main Street team, business training opportunities and non-repayable contributions of up to $20,000. The stream will disburse a total of $6.5 million across southern Ontario.

Learn more about the Business Sustainability stream by visiting the program overview page and reading through the Applicant Guide.

The My Main Street program returns with the Community Activator stream and introduces the new Business Sustainability stream. Below are highlights of changes to the program in 2024:

  • New Business Sustainability stream increases direct-to-business contributions of up to $20,000 from the previous $10,000
  • Simplified application process streamlines how businesses access funds
  • Community Activator stream will expand to even more communities across southern Ontario.
  • Both programs are now available in Toronto!
  • Businesses will receive industry-specific market research reports tailored to their business.

The Local Business Accelerator stream provided main street business owners within 65 designated My Main Street communities access to My Main Street Ambassadors, customized market research reports, and non-repayable funding contributions.

Please note that the Local Business Accelerator stream has been completed and, as such, the market research report and non-repayable funding contribution application portals are closed. This stream has been replaced with the Business Sustainability Program.

You can view a map displaying the 65 designated My Main Street communities here.

The non-repayable contribution is not taxable income for businesses. However, businesses must maintain accurate financial records, including tax receipts, for all expenditures related to the funding. This documentation is essential for compliance and audit purposes. The program requires that recipients adhere to Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) guidelines, ensuring that all eligible expenses are properly documented and reported for tax purposes.

Once all required documents have been submitted and verified, approved applicants will receive their initial advance of 50% their total contribution, with 50% holdback pending the submission of their interim report and supporting documents.

Participating businesses will also need to submit a final report once all funds have been expended. To receive payments, non-repayable contribution recipients will be required to submit information on their expenditures and provide copies of all relevant receipts.

Applications are assessed based on eligibility, business model overview, proposed use of funds, goals and objectives, impact on Main Street, business productivity improvements, job creation, innovation, and the project's impact on business sustainability.

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

Eligible expenses include new equipment, leasehold improvements costs, accessibility improvement costs, external façade renovations, inventory (excludes replenishment), technology, marketing campaigns, lease (for businesses at their main street location for under one year).

To be eligible for consideration, all businesses must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be a business with a bricks-and-mortar location.
  • Must be located on a main street.
  • Is employing 1 to 50 employees.
  • Is paying commercial property tax (commercially assessed) either directly or through commercial rent.
  • Is a registered business. Is open to the public for walk-in and onsite purchases of goods and services.
  • Is owned by an Ontario resident operating a business in Ontario who is:
    • 18 years of age or older at the time of application.
    • A Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
  • Is not a franchise, including those individually owned and operated.
  • Is not in a shared workspace, such as a hot desk or dedicated desk.
  • Is not a consulting or professional services company.
  • Is not purely an online business.
  • Has completed online application.
  • Please note the following:
    • Priority will be given to applicants who are members of equity seeking groups, including Francophone, women, Indigenous, racialized groups, Black communities, newcomers, youth (39 and under), people living with disabilities, Trans, Non-binary and 2SLGBQIA+.
    • Priority will be given to applicants who have not previously received funding through the My Main Street Local Business Accelerator program.

The name of your business, the municipality in which it resides and the amount of funding you receive will be public information.

Recipients of funding may be asked to participate in announcements, events and storytelling initiatives related to their business to promote the impact of my Main Street funding on the main street community, as per the funding agreement.

Business Sustainability stream funding decisions are final.

No, businesses do not need to allocate additional funding or resources toward the project.

Yes, all expenses must be reconciled with the submission of interim and final reports, and all supporting receipts and/or proofs of purchase.

Any expenses that do not fall within the eligibility list may be ineligible; however, some expenses are dependent on their significance to the project proposal. Contact us if you are unsure about your specific expense.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of examples of expenses that are not eligible for reimbursement through the Business Sustainability stream:

  • Purchasing land and/or buildings, real estate fees and related costs.
    • Capital costs (land, building construction, underground plumbing)
  • Indirect costs/overhead.
  • Purchasing a vehicle.
  • Depreciation or amortization expenses.
  • Staff wages/paystubs.
  • Payments to any member or officer of the Recipient’s Board of Directors.
  • Costs of individual membership in a professional body.
  • Construction of new buildings or facilities.
  • Legal fees related to litigation.
  • Partisan, political or election-related activities.
  • Research projects where findings are not, or are not intended to be, tangibly applied as an outcome of the project. For example, carrying out a feasibility study without intending to carry out the work.
  • Events and activities that do not abide by local and provincial Public Health guidelines.
  • Expenses incurred outside the eligibility window (December 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024).

Non-repayable contributions can be used to cover a range of eligible expenses, including:

  • Bricks-and-mortar startup costs (for businesses located at their address under one year):
    • Equipment
    • Lease (e.g., initial lease costs)
    • Leasehold improvements (e.g., improvements to the business space, etc.)
    • External Façade renovations (e.g., signage or external façade updates)
    • Inventory (e.g., purchasing inventory)
    • Marketing campaigns
    • Technology (e.g., securing tech to support business operations)
  • Business expansion costs
    • Equipment
    • Leasehold improvements (e.g., improvements to the business space, etc.)
    • External façade renovations (e.g., signage or external façade updates)
    • Inventory (e.g., purchasing inventory)
    • Marketing campaigns
    • Technology (e.g., securing tech to support business operations, such POS, CRM or other systems)

Not sure if your project costs are eligible? Review the ineligible costs list in the Applicant Guide and then contact us if your cost does not fall into those categories.

A small business is generally defined as any business that is independently owned and operated, typically with fewer than 50 employees, and usually with less than $10 million in annual revenue

  • For this program, a small business is a business that:
  • Has between 1 to 50 employees;
  • Is a registered business paying commercial property tax;
  • Is owned by an Ontario resident operating a business in Ontario; and
  • Is not a franchise, including those individually owned and operated.

A main street business is:

  • Located within a designated “main street”, defined by a primary retail street, usually the focal point of a local community and its residents for shops, retailers, food and drink, and local services;
  • Located on an eligible main street, confirmed on the Measuring Main Streets mapping tool;
  • Abrick-and-mortar location;
  • Open to the general public for walk-in and onsite purchases of goods and services;
  • Not a franchise, including those individually owned and operated;
  • Not in a shared workspace such as a hot desk or dedicated desk;
  • Not a consulting or professional services company; and
  • Not purely an online business.

The core objectives of the Business Sustainability stream are:

  • Improve productivity, capacity and competitiveness of businesses that increases employment and growth opportunities
  • Enhance the resilience of communities
  • Support and prioritize equity-deserving groups
  • Provide custom market research data and analysis

Community Activator funding decisions are final.

Yes, all expenses for the project must be reported on in order to receive reimbursements.

Throughout the program, funding will be provided in the form of reimbursement against detailed spending. Successful applicants will report on expenditures on a quarterly basis for reimbursement. Advances of up to 25 percent of total project costs can be requested, to ensure applicants have access to the required resources.

Submitted projects will be assessed for:

  • Vision - Is the placemaking project clearly defined with a clear geographic area and well-conceived objectives, including those related to equity seeking populations?
  • Capacity - Is there a strong team in place with a well thought-out plan for successful implementation, a fully costed budget and a clearly articulated plan to measure success?
  • Community need - Does the proposed geographic area have a clearly defined need?

The My Main Street Community Activator selection process will be adjudicated on vision and capacity through a Selection Committee or Committees, including:

  • External representatives with demonstrated experience in community placemaking, local economic development, successful implementation and project management.
  • Representatives with the above experience who identify as members of equity-seeking communities from across southern Ontario.

Before initiating their scoring process, the Selection Committee(s) will be required to participate in a training session facilitated by the Canadian Urban Institute that will outline the project’s vision, objectives and requirements and will address issues of systemic bias.

All applications will be scored based on standardized project evaluation criteria.

My Main Street Community Activator recipients will be required to provide documented expenses for their completed work, and funding will be made in the form of reimbursements. Here are some examples of expenses that are not eligible for reimbursement through My Main Street Community Activator:

  • Purchasing land and/or buildings, real estate fees and related costs.
  • Capital expenditures.
    • Ineligible capital expenditures include new construction and renovation of existing infrastructure and buildings.
  • Purchasing a vehicle.
  • Depreciation or amortization expenses.
  • Payments to any member or officer of the Recipient’s Board of Directors.
  • Costs of individual membership in a professional body.
  • Construction of new buildings or facilities, or renovations to existing buildings.
  • Legal fees related to litigation.
  • Partisan, political or election related activities.
  • Research projects where findings are not, or are not intended to be, tangibly applied as an outcome of the project. For example, carrying out a feasibility study without intending to carry out the work.
  • Projects that benefit only private interests.
  • Events and activities that do not abide by local and provincial Public Health guidelines.
  • Expenses incurred outside the eligibility window (December 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024).
  • Funds cannot be used to cover owner, management, or existing employee labour costs. Funds can be applied to support costs of project related labour

Eligible costs can include:

  • Labour costs;*
  • Consultants;
  • Communications, marketing and promotion;
  • Program costs related to equipment, materials, evaluation, insurance, permits and approvals, program honoraria, project measurement/analytics costs, etc.; and
  • Capital expenditures -
    • Above-grade enhancements to streetscape, design, landscaping and amenities such as murals, seating, temporary installations and lighting are eligible.

* Funds cannot be used to cover owner, management, or existing employee labour costs. Funds can be applied to support costs of project-related labour.

Visit our Examples page or review the Applicant Guide for an extensive list of eligible costs and examples.

PARTNERS

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


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