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.

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My Main Street helps Waterdown groomer Underdog and Co. keep up with the pup demand
Since opening in 2020, Waterdown’s groomer Underdog and Co. has almost always had a p…
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Elmira’s Taylor’s Bridal Boutique receives My Main Street support to enhance experience for modern brides
Since 1997, Taylor’s Bridal Boutique has been the go-to for brides in Elmira and the …
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Hamilton’s sariKNOTsari uses My Main Street support to enhance its customer experience
Priya Mohan, owner of sariKNOTsari, a clothing shop and designer of upcycled silk clo…
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Queen Bee Millinery elevates its customer experience with My Main Street support
From the moment Ranelle Larocque opened Queen Bee Millinery on Perth’s Gore Street Ea…
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My Main Street helps Mochaberry Coffee and Co in Orangeville brew up more support for community
To Troy Brett, owner of Mochaberry Coffee and Co, a café, caterer and roastery in Ora…
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Escape Bicycle Tours uses My Main Street support to raise profile of adventure tourism in Ottawa
For a decade, Maria Rasouli, owner of Escape Bicycle Tours, has been leveraging Ottaw…
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Brampton’s Celebration Season uses My Main Street funding to nearly double the size of the store
At 300 square feet, Celebration Season, a boutique clothing store in Brampton carryin…
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Pimento Jerk Kitchen finds new home base in Whitchurch-Stouffville
A decade ago, Philip and Rose Hendricks’ hunt for a kitchen for their Caribbean takeo…
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The Rabbit Hole finds new clientele with My Main Street data
Ottawa cocktail bar and restaurant, Rabbit Hole, opened on Sparks Street in 2019 to a…

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

To hear about program updates, intakes, and more, subscribe to our newsletter.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

My Main Street rounds one and two both targeted Southern Ontario.

My Main Street is currently closed for intake.

As of 2025, there have been two rounds of funding for My Main Street.

Round one of the program took place between 2020–2023 in response to local economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Round two of MMS took place between 2023-2024 and promoted ongoing economic resilience and recovery post-COVID.

Both rounds of funding were delivered by the Canadian Urban Institute and funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

My Main Street received multi-million investments 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 an investment program administered by the Canadian Urban Institute that spurs community prosperity through direct supports for small businesses and community projects on Canada’s main streets.

The program is built on the principle that supporting community economic development and creating vibrant and diverse neighbourhoods enhances the overall quality of life for residents, while also promoting sustainable and inclusive community development.


A "Main Street” is the commercial and community focal point of a neighborhood. Main Streets offer nearby residents access to shops, retailers, food and drink, and local services.

There are approximately 5,300 main streets across southern Ontario, discover yours using CUI’s Measuring Main Streets mapping tool. 

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

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

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

Direct investment in small businesses boosts local economies by creating jobs, keeping money circulating in the community, and strengthening main streets. It also supports local identity, fosters inclusion, and builds resilience—making communities more vibrant, diverse, and adaptable.

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 was defined as 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.

The Business Sustainability Initiative supports enhancements for small, independently owned brick-and-mortar businesses located on main streets in the form of custom market research data delivered by the My Main Street team, business training opportunities and non-repayable contributions of up to $20,000.

Learn more about the Business Sustainability initiative by visiting the success stories page

My Main Street recognizes the power of placemaking to strengthen communities, draw visitors, boost local vibrancy, and help revitalize neighbourhoods. By reimagining public spaces, community activations foster social connection, encourages economic activity, and builds stronger ties between people and the places they share.

Eligible placemaking and community projects include but are not limited to:

Events and Activations: Community events of a short, limited or repeating duration intended to draw visitors or create a new local offering, helping position a specific geographic area as a hub of community and economic activity.

Community enhancements: Above grade improvements to a specific geographic area that will enhance its physical and visual appeal, draw people in and increase feelings of safety, connection and community enjoyment.

Streetscape Improvements: Projects that facilitate a focused, deliberate path to revitalizing or strengthening a downtown or commercial district’s economy through intentional and creative placemaking.

The Community Activator Initiative supports community and placemaking projects through custom market research data delivered by the My Main Street team and non-repayable contributions of up to $250,000.

Projects are all designed to draw visitors and increase local vibrancy, revitalize neighborhoods and reimagine public spaces including main streets, downtown strips and plazas.

Learn more about the Community Activator initiative by visiting the success stories page

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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