For a mid-sized city, Ottawa has an unusual amount of free help for small business owners. Part of that is being the capital: federal agencies are headquartered here, and the province funds a Small Business Enterprise Centre for the region. Part of it is a strong network of neighbourhood organizations. The problem is not availability; it is knowing who does what. Here is the map.
Invest Ottawa: start here
Invest Ottawa is the city’s economic development agency, based at Bayview Yards near the Bayview O-Train station. Its Small Business Centre offers free one-on-one advising with experienced business advisors, regular workshops on registration, marketing, finance and hiring, and programs delivered on behalf of the Province, including Starter Company Plus (training plus a grant for businesses under five years old) and Summer Company for student entrepreneurs. It also runs accelerators for tech companies, but the Small Business Centre is for the shop, the trade and the consultancy. Book an advising session before you sign a lease.
Ottawa Public Library: the research you cannot afford
The Ottawa Public Library subscribes to business databases that would cost thousands of dollars a year: industry reports, demographic data by neighbourhood, company directories, consumer spending patterns. A library card gets you in. Business librarians at the main branches will show you how to pull a market size for your idea or a list of potential B2B customers. Ask for help; that is what they are for.
Ottawa Community Loan Fund: when the bank says no
The Ottawa Community Loan Fund is a non-profit lender for owners who cannot yet get a conventional loan: newcomers without Canadian credit history, people rebuilding after a setback, very early businesses. Loans come with coaching. They will want a plan and a cash flow forecast, which is a useful discipline even if you go elsewhere.
Your BIA: the street-level layer
Ottawa has 18 Business Improvement Areas, coordinated through OCOBIA. If you are on a main street you are already a member. BIAs run marketing campaigns, holiday events and sidewalk sales, advocate to the City on construction and parking, and know every landlord and vacancy in their area. They are the fastest way to meet the owners around you.
Ottawa Board of Trade: the network
Paid membership, but events are often open. The Board of Trade is where you meet the accountant, the lawyer, and the procurement officer, and where small business concerns get carried to City Hall and Queen’s Park.
Futurpreneur and BDC: financing with mentorship
Futurpreneur finances founders aged 18 to 39 and pairs each with a mentor for two years. The Business Development Bank of Canada has an Ottawa office and lends to growing companies the big banks find too small.
The CRA, surprisingly
The Canada Revenue Agency’s Liaison Officer service will meet a new business owner, in person or virtually, to explain your tax obligations and check your books for common errors. It is free, voluntary and not an audit. Given how many small business problems start with HST, it is one of the best hours you can spend.
The colleges and universities
Algonquin College, Carleton and uOttawa all run student consulting projects and co-op programs. A team of business students will build you a marketing plan or a pricing model for course credit. Ask the business school’s community engagement office.
How to use all this
- Book an Invest Ottawa advising session and bring your questions.
- Spend an afternoon at the library pulling market data.
- Introduce yourself to your BIA coordinator.
- Request a CRA liaison visit in your first year.
- If you need money, talk to OCLF, Futurpreneur or BDC before maxing a credit card.
None of these will run your business for you. All of them will save you from mistakes other Ottawa owners have already made.