Starter Company Plus Program

The Starter Company Plus program will assist people 18 years and over interested in expanding or purchasing a business in Brampton.

The Starter Company Plus Program is delivered by the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre (BEC) for the Brampton & Caledon area. BEC is a business unit of the City of Brampton’s Economic Development Office. The Starter Company Plus program is funded by the Province of Ontario and is delivered by Small Business Enterprise Centres (“SBECs”) similar to BEC across Ontario. For information about the program outside of the Brampton area, please refer to the list of Small Business Entrepreneur Centres and Community-Based Provider Locations in Ontario.

Program Benefits

The program provides:

• Free training and business skills development
• Free mentorship and guidance
• Opportunity to apply for a program grant of up to $5,000 after the completion of mandatory training and mentorship.

To apply to the Starter Company Plus Program in Brampton, you must confirm your eligibility to participate in the program and attend a mandatory info session. Attendance at the info session does not guarantee acceptance into the program or the receipt of a program grant.

Eligibility Requirements

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STARTER COMPANY PLUS PROGRAM?

To be eligible for the Starter Company Plus Program in Brampton, the program applicant must meet ALL of the following eligibility requirements, which includes, but is not limited to:

• Be a resident of Ontario
• Be 18 years of age or older at the time of application
• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
• Not attending school full time nor returning to school
• Expanding an existing business or buying a business in Brampton or Caledon (must have customers and register business in Ontario)
• Be prepared to commit a minimum of 35 hours a week to run a full-time business (side hustles or part-time ventures are not allowed)
• Be prepared to attend scheduled mandatory training and mentorship meetings as per program schedule
• Not enrolled in other provincial employment or self-employment related programs that include or do not include financial assistance
• Not currently enrolled concurrently in any self-employment or entrepreneurship training/financing programs offered by government-funded organizations
• Not have received a Starter Company Program or Starter Company Plus Program grant in the past
• If there are two or more partners in the business, the partner who is applying to the program must confirm a minimum of 51% ownership of the business to participate in the program and would be responsible to apply for the program grant
• Provide proof of 25% contribution of the potential program grant (up to $1250). Contributions can be in cash or in-kind contributions as approved by BEC.

TO BE ELIGIBLE, A BUSINESS OR PROPOSED BUSINESS MUST:

• Be an independent business venture based in Brampton or Caledon
• Not be a business that relies on commissioned sales
• Be a legal business in Ontario
• Not be a franchise
• Operate at arm’s length from family business ventures
• Operate full-time as defined in the business plan
• Maintain its own books and records
• Have a Master Business License or Articles of Incorporation, or plan to register the business by the end of the program
• Maintain a separate bank account
• Follow all government rules and regulations and applicable by-laws for the operation of the business
• Demonstrate a viable and sales-ready business plan at the time of funding

Please note: Brampton’s Starter Company Plus program will give priority to Brampton-based entrepreneurs interested in starting a new online business, expansion of an existing main street business including retail, bars, restaurants and cafes, and professionals in the creative industries.

How to Register for the Mandatory Orientation Session

Before you can apply to Brampton’s Starter Company Plus program, you must have attended a mandatory Starter Company Plus info session. This orientation session will provide you with important information about the Starter Company Plus program in Brampton including:

• Eligibility requirements
• Program requirements and expectations
• Program training and mentorship, and schedule
• Information about the program grant opportunity

If you are interested in learning more about Brampton’s Starter Company Plus program and how to apply to the program, you must register for ONE of the following MANDATORY Starter Company Plus info sessions, which will be offered virtually before applying to this grant.

The online sessions are scheduled:

• August 8th and September 5th, 2024

(If you have missed the online information session - you are ineligible to apply for this grant)

Businesses not eligible for Starter Company include

• Side hustles or part-time businesses
• Partnerships where the applicant holds a minority share, franchises, commissioned sales and distributorships
• Incorporated businesses or partnerships that are controlled directly or indirectly by a person who would not be eligible for a Starter Company Plus Award
• Business ventures that are continuations of existing commercial endeavors
• Not-for-profit or charitable enterprises
• Multi-level marketing ventures
• Single event such as musical ventures bands, DJs or dance/party event organizations
• Businesses that are strictly pay-per-click and 1-900 number businesses
• Businesses that rely on commission sales
• Businesses that are part of an existing franchise operation
• Businesses based on a pyramid scheme or multi-level marketing operation
• Gas stations
• Tire recycling
• Scrap metal recycling
• Pawnbrokers
• Holding companies
• Laundromats
• Automated car wash operations
• Payday loan and related businesses
• Real estate investment
• Businesses that have been previously owned/operated by current or former Starter Company participants (including Starter Company Plus)