Starting a business can be an exciting and uncertain experience. Make sure you’re ready! Before you take the first step, try a free Entrepreneurial self-assessment (external link) to determine if you have what it takes to become a business owner.

Whether you’re exploring ideas for a business or taking the first steps of entrepreneurship, the Halton Region Small Business Centre has the programs, services and resources to help you successfully start your business. Our consultation services, programs, events and information sessions, resource centre, online and printed materials can all help you build a successful small business.

The Halton Small Business Centre’s Getting Starting session is available every other Tuesday in a virtual group setting or at your convenience through an independent online learning platform. This free session provides an overview of all the rules and regulations that you need to know if you are interested in starting a business in Halton. Staff will help guide you through a checklist for starting a new business which you can keep. Registration is required for the Getting Started Session. 

Online Learning Portal:

If you prefer to learn at your own pace and at a time that is convenient for you, access our online learning portal where you can view our Getting Started videos that will help guide you through a checklist for starting a new business. To sign up for the online portal, email us at smallbusiness@halton.ca.

Our knowledgeable business consultants can help you get your business moving in the right direction! The Halton Region Small Business Centre offers two programs for entrepreneurs and small business owners looking for a free consultation.

• Step 1: The Consultant on Site Program connects business owners and entrepreneurs with a business consultant at one of four locations in Halton. Get help with research, marketing plans, government regulations or any other questions you have about your business. Book now for your FREE one-hour consultation!
  • In Halton Hills, Milton or Halton Regional office-Oakville please contact:
    Halton Region, Small Business Centre
    905-825-6000 ext. 7900
  • To set up your appointment through HMC please contact:
    Halton Multicultural Council
    905-842-2486
• Step 2: The Access to Professional Program can connect you with a local professional for a free 45-minute consultation. Professionals in our group include lawyers, accountants, marketing, e-business experts and business coaches.
  • Ask about accessing this program
• Please note to participate in the program you must first book a meeting with a business consultant. Contact the 905.825.6000 ext. 7900 to book your consultation.

Before starting a small business, it is good practice to research the marketplace, your competition, your customers and the products or services you intend to sell. Learn how to conduct a formal market research campaign to save your business time and money and improve your decision-making process.

The Halton Region Small Business Centre resource area is an excellent starting point you’re your market research activities. Open to the public Monday to Friday, our resource area offers a diverse selection of market, socio-economic and demographic information. Available resources include:

• Work stations with Internet access, Microsoft Office, statistical directories and business planning software.
• An up-to-date reference and lending library with books, access to Halton Data Centre, market research databases and government publications on a variety of business topics.
• Access to friendly and knowledgeable small business staff who can help you find the information you need.
• Online access to business permits and licenses through BizPaL & Service Ontario (external link), a collaboration between the federal, provincial and municipal governments.

Determining what business structure is an important part of your business.

Your and/or your partners must choose from the following:

• Sole Proprietor 
• General Partnership
• Limited Partnership
• Corporation

To register or renew a sole proprietorship, general partnership or corporate style name:

1. Search the Ontario Business Registry (external link) for free to find out if your business name is already taken.
2. Select your type of business to begin registration. You will be asked to create a My Ontario Account (external link) to access Service Ontario services.
   • Sole Proprietorship - $60 (external link)
   • General Partnership - $60 (external link)
   • Ontario Limited Liability Partnership - $60 (external link) (this is a hybrid of a partnership and a corporate body. The partners can be individuals, companies or combinations of both)
   • Extra-Provincial Limited Liability Partnership - $60 (external link) (this is a Limited Liability Partnership previously registered in another province)
   • Ontario Limited Partnership - $210 (external link) (this is a business with at least one general partner and at least one limited partner.)

To incorporate your business:

Download the Starting a Corporation Checklist (PDF file).

To incorporate provincially:

1. Visit nuans.com to perform an Ontario based service provider (external link).
2. Visit Service Ontario for Provincial Corporation (external link).

To incorporate federally:

1. Visit nuans.com to perform a Corporation Name Search (external link).
2. Visit Corporations Canada website Federal Corporation (external link).

Visit ServiceOntario’s central source for information on Start and operate a not-for-profit (external link).

Our online Toolbox offers entrepreneurs and small business owners a wide selection of business resources and information.

View the Toolbox and access start-up guides, checklists, and templates that can help you launch a successful small business.

Innovation in business can be what separates you from the competition! Some entrepreneurs have an innovative management style; others sell innovative products and services. These resources and services may be helpful for those looking to get an innovative idea from the drawing board into development:

• FedDev Ontario - Small Business Services (external link): Resources and financial support for technology and innovation businesses in Ontario
• HalTech: Help technology entrepreneurs and companies to develop and transform their good ideas and product innovations into well positioned, growing ventures.
• Techplace (external link): TechPlace is where new and growing technology companies get everything they need to grow and succeed. It doesn’t matter if your company is new or established, headquartered in Burlington or not so local. If innovation is your goal, and technology is your strategy, TechPlace is for you.

Ontario’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (external link) came into force in 2005 and sets out a clear goal and timeframe to make Ontario accessible by 2025.

Every organization with one or more employees is required to comply with the Act and all of its applicable standards. The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario is committed to the implementation of the Act and helping organizations comply with the standards by providing free tools and resources (external link) and offering support through a dedicated help desk.

Since January 1, 2004, businesses have been subject to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (external link) offers useful information to help businesses learn how they can comply with the Act.

Businesses can seek guidance on compliance with the Act though the Business Advisory Directorate (external link).

There are tax topics that every small business owner and entrepreneur should know about. The following resources provide a good starting point for business owners:

• The Tax (external link) section at the Government of Canada's website offers some excellent resources for businesses and corporations, GST/HST and payroll.
• The Government of Canada provides a collection of videos and recorded webinars for businesses (external link).
• FedDev Ontario’s website offers an overview of the different taxes that may impact your business. Visit their Taxes page (external link) for information that can help you manage your tax obligations.

Managing the day-to-day activities of your business can keep you very busy. Learn how to cope with the challenges and improve quality, increase productivity and maximize business potential.

• Visit the Fed Dev Ontario Operations planning (external link) pages to learn about time management, quality assurance, production planning, scheduling, budgeting and several other helpful topics for business owners.
• Visit the Fed Dev Ontario business regulations (external link) page to help avoid common business pitfalls related to security and fraud, insurance, legal issues and more.

How well you market your business and interact with your customers can influence your success. You want your products and services to be at the forefront of your customers' minds and there are some key things you can do to make sure that happens:

• Understand some marketing basics (external link), including concepts, writing a marketing plan, pricing and your competition.
• Promote and advertise your business (external link) to attract more customers
• Understand the key regulations (external link), permits and licences related to marketing, advertising and sales.

The Halton Region Small Business Centre – Resource Area has an up-to-date reference and lending library which is furnished with publications on a variety of business topics, including marketing. You may borrow many of the books or review materials on site.

These days, you may need to do a lot more than just putting up a website for your business. You might need to be effective in the use of computer and Internet technologies to facilitate doing business. Review the following online resources to learn more about how e-business can help your company:

• The Government of Ontario provides a comprehensive e-business toolkit (external link), including an introductory handbook How you can profit from e-business (external link), offering a wide range of advanced e-business topics.
• The Government of Canada protect your business from cyber threats (external link) explains how to reduce the risks faced by business owners and their customers when doing business online.

To renew a Master Business Licence for a sole proprietorship, general partnership, or business name under a corporation:

1. Visit the ServiceOntario (external link) website.
2. Select Business from the Topics menu on the right side of the page.
3. Select Search, register, renew your business and get a Master Business Licence from the list of Featured Online Services.

To access business permits and licenses online, visit BizPaL & ONe-Source for Business (external link), a collaborative effort between the federal, provincial and municipal governments.

Halton Region’s Starting a New Business Checklist provides additional access to business licenses or permits.

Hoping to network with other Halton region businesses or receive valuable business support? View our list of Halton Business Networking Groups for details on local BIAs, Chambers of Commerce and other organizations offering support or networking opportunities:

Halton Region Business Networking Groups

Your workforce is vital to the growth and success of your small business. Learn about your roles and obligations as an employer!

• The Government of Canada’s website provides information about employment regulations for hiring employees (external link).
• The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) website explains your responsibilities as an employer for payroll deductions and remittances (external link).
• Most businesses in Ontario that employ workers (including family members and sub-contractors) must register with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) (external link) within 10 days of hiring their first full or part-time worker.
• The Ontario Ministry of Labour has established Employment Standards (external link) to ensure that employees are treated fairly.
• To determine whether your staff is considered contractors or full-time employees, visit the CRA’s publication RC4110 Employee or Self-employed (external link)? If they are an employee, the employer will have certain responsibilities that would not apply if they are a contractor.

You could be looking for financing opportunities for your business. We can point you towards your options!

• The Royal Bank of Canada works with more small business owners than any other financial institution in Canada, and their small business advisors will work with you to help you achieve success as you grow your business. They offer an online Starting a Business Resource Centre (external link).
• The Canada Small Business Financing Program (external link) has been helping small businesses with their financing needs for over 50 years. Under the program, the Government of Canada makes it easier for small businesses to get loans from financial institutions by sharing the risk with lenders.
• The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) (external link) plays a leadership role in delivering financial, investment and consulting services to Canadian small and medium-sized businesses. These services complement those of private sector financial institutions.

Exporting is the sale of goods or services from Canada to any other country. Learn how selling your products and services internationally can help you to expand your business:

• The Government of Canada provides resources for exporting to world markets (external link) to help you learn about foreign markets and get your products overseas.
• To check if your business is export ready, The Government of Canada provides step-by-step guide to exporting (external link).  
• Export Development Canada (external link) provides Canadian exporters with financing, insurance and bonding services, as well as foreign market expertise.
• The Government of Canada provides CanExport funding to help you grow aboard.
• For more information on how the HRSBC can help your business go global, please visit the Halton Global Business Centre

A highly regulated process in Canada, importing—the purchasing of commercial products from another country—can be a lucrative way to grow your business. The Canada Border Services Agency (external link) enforces import and border regulations.

Intellectual Property (IP) is the legal right to an idea, invention or creation. Some common types of IP include patents, trademarks and copyright.

• The Government of Ontario provides great information about Intellectual Property (IP) (external link).
• The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) provides access to the online Canadian Patents Database, and delivers information about copyright for Canadians (external link).

Accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities

Ontario’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (external link) came into force in 2005. It sets out a clear goal and timeframe to make Ontario accessible by 2025.

Every organization with one or more employees is required to comply with the Act and all of its applicable standards. The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario is committed to the implementation of the Act and helping organizations comply with the standards by providing free tools and resources (external link) and offering support through a dedicated help desk.

Privacy legislation in Canada

Since January 1, 2004, businesses have been subject to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (external link) offers useful information to help businesses learn how the can comply with the Act

Halton Region provides front-line services and resources to both employers and employees through Employment Halton. Services include:

• free online job posting board
• applicant screening and matching
• training incentives programs to off-set hourly wages and training costs
• staff follow up support for both the new employee and the employer
• WSIB coverage
• job fairs
• learning events, information and resources
• coaching and performance management

• Employment Insurance Act (external link)
• Employment Standards Act (external link)
• Human Rights Code (external link)
• Occupational Health and Safety Act (external link)
• Ontario Labour Relations Act (external link)
• Pay Equity Act (external link)
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (external link)

For more information on Ontario labour laws, contact Service Ontario (external link) or visit the Ministry of Labour (external link) website.

Various levels of government in Canada provide incentives for workforce hiring and training.

• Business and Industry Canada (external link)
• Employment and Social Development Canada (external link)