Grant
Provincial
Active
Starter Company Plus (Ontario)
Government of Ontario, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (delivered by local Ontario Small Business Advisory Centres)
Maximum Funding
Up to $5,000 grant
Ongoing province-wide. Intakes are run by each local centre, so ask your near...
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Varies
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
80%
Starter Company Plus (Ontario) provides up to $5,000 grant. Starter Company Plus is Ontario's province-wide program for people starting, expanding or buying a small business: one-on-one guidance from a business advisor, workshops and seminars, a mentor, and the chance to apply for a grant of up to $5,000. The program covers up to 80% of eligible costs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
Starter Company Plus is Ontario's province-wide program for people starting, expanding or buying a small business: one-on-one guidance from a business advisor, workshops and seminars, a mentor, and the chance to apply for a grant of up to $5,000. You must be 18 or older, an Ontario resident who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and not attending school full-time or returning to school, and to qualify for the grant you contribute at least 25% of the grant amount in cash or in kind. You apply through your nearest Ontario Small Business Advisory Centre (some still go by Small Business Enterprise Centre), and each centre runs its own intakes and sets its own local rules.
Eligibility Requirements
- 18 years of age or older
- An Ontario resident and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Not attending school full-time or returning to school
- Starting a new company, expanding an existing company or buying a business in Ontario
- To qualify for the grant, able to contribute at least 25% of the grant amount in cash or in kind
- Applies through a local Ontario Small Business Advisory Centre, which can add its own conditions: Toronto and Hamilton, for example, ask for a registered business that has operated at least six months and an owner working on it full time, and like Waterloo Region they list business types they do not fund, such as franchises and charities
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $5,000 grantA grant of up to $5,000, alongside one-on-one advice, workshops and mentoring. To qualify for the grant you must contribute at least 25% of the grant amount in cash or in kind, which is $1,250 against a $5,000 grant. The grant is not automatic: local centres choose recipients after their training, and some pitch for a range (Waterloo Region's current cohort pitches for $2,500 to $5,000).
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 80% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing province-wide. Intakes are run by each local centre, so ask your nearest Ontario Small Business Advisory Centre when its next one opens.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
3/5
Moderate — standard application process
Competition
3/5
Moderate competition — prepare a strong application
Difficulty
3/5
Moderate — standard requirements
Processing Time
Budget Trend
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipStart with the centre, not the province.
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Rejection Pitfalls 6
- Under 18, not an Ontario resident, or not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
+5 more pitfalls
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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All 6 pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win Starter Company Plus (Ontario)
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 5-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 3-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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6 steps
5 docs
Application Steps
1
Check the province-wide conditions You must be 18 or older, an Ontario resident who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and not attending school full-time or returning to school.
Required Documents 5
✓ Proof of age, Ontario residency and Canadian citizenship or permanent residence
✓ Evidence of your cash or in-kind contribution of at least a quarter of the grant
Eligible Expenses 6
Ineligible Expenses 5
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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The full guide for this program also covers:
- 5 more application steps
- 3 more required documents
- 6 eligible expenses
- 5 ineligible expenses
- Intake periods
- Deadline notes
- Ineligible organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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3 partners
Compatible Programs
Summer Company (Ontario)
Other government-funded employment or self-employment programs
Futurpreneur Canada
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How Starter Company Plus (Ontario) Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter Company Plus (Ontario) | up to $5,000, | Moderate | Varies | Ongoing province-wide.... |
| Summer Company (Ontario) | Up to $3,000 | Easy | Lump Sum | Spring annual (for... |
| Futurpreneur Canada Startup Program | Up to $75,000 | Moderate | Loan | Ongoing |
| Ontario Job Grant (formerly Canada-On... | Up to $10,000 per employee | Easy | Varies | Ongoing — year-round... |
| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
Related Programs
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Starter Company Plus (Ontario)
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Who can apply for Starter Company Plus in Ontario?
Ontario residents 18 or older who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, are not attending school full-time or returning to school, and are starting, expanding or buying a small business. Local centres can add conditions of their own.
How much money can I get from Starter Company Plus?
A grant of up to $5,000. To qualify you must contribute at least 25% of the grant amount in cash or in kind, which is $1,250 against the full $5,000. Centres choose recipients, so not every participant receives a grant.
Where do I apply for Starter Company Plus?
Through your nearest Ontario Small Business Advisory Centre. Ontario lists more than 50 locations, and each one runs its own intakes, so contact yours to find out when the next one opens.
Is there a deadline to apply for Starter Company Plus?
There is no single provincial deadline. Each centre sets its own intake dates and one can be closed while another is open, so contact yours to find out when the next one opens.
Does my business need to be operating already to apply?
Ontario's page also covers starting a new company, but some centres ask for more. Toronto and Hamilton require a registered business that has operated for at least six months, so check your centre's rules.
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Full Playbook: Starter Company Plus (Ontario)
6 steps · 5 docs · reviewer insights