Starting a Business

Eighty percent of new jobs in Canada are generated by small business, including home-based business. Two million Canadians operate home-based businesses; one in six workers in British Columbia are self-employed. In most areas of the province, it is possible to obtain some level of specialized start-up assistance for would-be entrepreneurs under 30 years old. The sites below will give you information about loans and other venture financing, together with training, advice and support for entrepreneurs.

Click here to access a range of support for Aboriginal business ventures including the Aboriginal Youth Business Council and Aboriginal Business Canada.

The Canada/BC Business Services Society provides information on starting a business. The Service Centre has a comprehensive On-Line Small Business Workshop in 5 sessions. The sessions cover developing and protecting concepts, marketing, financing, business plans and regulations.

Community Futures has been responsible for establishing 90 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) throughout rural western Canada. The CFDCs offer a variety of entrepreneurial programs, business counseling, loan programs and business information to community members interested in expanding or starting their own businesses.

There are 31 BC Community Futures offices. The central CF web site lists all of them, with contact information and communities served as well as a link to each Community Futures office. Each office web site has contact information, lists of services, programs and resources.

Entrepreneurship

The best support for would-be entrepreneurs or those with existing businesses is the local Chamber of Commerce. The BC Chamber of Commerce has a listing of all of the local Chambers, with links to their sites.

The Women's Enterprise Centre offers access to a loan fund, advisory services, pathfinding to existing services and a host of unique products and services tailored to meet the needs of women entrepreneurs in the province.

Student Business Loans

The Canadian Youth Business Foundation web site offers assistance for would-be entrepreneurs. There is an 'Ask the Expert' section, advice about regulations and setting up a business, a classified section, a resource station, a place to meet other entrepreneurs and tax advice.

The HRDC web site Youth Link contains a section on becoming self-employed that includes information and exercises to help you determine if you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. It also contains links to Canada Business Service Centres and other small business information organizations across Canada, information on different self-employment options, identifying business opportunities and creating a business plan.

This site links Aboriginal entrepreneurs to government information, corporations and associations. It includes data on training opportunities, funding resources, mentorship, business plan preparation and more. Users create a personal interest profile and the site provides them with a list of resource links. The site is a joint project of the Canadian Bankers Association and the Government of Canada.