From Left to right: Angela Besner, Account Manager, BDC; Candy Pollard, Business Consultant, Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre; Ravinder Banga, Loans Officer, SD&G Community Futures Development Corporation; Charlene MacLennan, Senior Advisor Grants and Projects, SD&G Community Futures Development Corporation; Keith Kerr, Commercial Accounts Manager, RBC; Nicole Sullivan, Economic Development Officer, Township of South Dundas.
CFN – The very first South Dundas Business Breakfast meeting was held this morning at the Macintosh Inn in Morrisburg. The event was hosted by the Township of South Dundas, and funded and organized by the Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre. In spite of its name, the Enterprise Centre serves all of SDG.
The presentations were focussed on funding for small businesses. After an ample breakfast Keith Kerr from RBC began the session discussing the importance of having a relationship with your bank and highlighted the need of a well thought out business plan. He gave several examples of how a diligent bank account manager can help reduce costs and generate revenue for a small business. www.rbcroyalbank.com/business/
BDC’s Angela Besner was next on the program and she presented her company’s programs for financing to help small businesses grow. She described the crown corporations services highlighting that it is a non-demand lender for qualified loans and that they have considerable consulting services. www.bdc.ca
Charlene MacLennan from SD&G Communities Future Development Corporation described how her corporation can help to create and retain jobs for the community through investing in small businesses. Ravinder Banga, loans officer with SD&G Communities Future Development Corporation briefly outlined some of the requirements to access loans with the corporation. Both Charlene and Ravinder stressed that before a small business started to fill out any of the online forms, they should call them directly to discuss your needs first and they can advise you on the best way to proceed. www.sdgfdc.on.ca
Candy Pollard finished up the session by listing and describing the many programs available for grants and financing that a small business can apply to. She did note that each grant or loan has its own set of priorities and the applications should be filled out in detail with lots of thought and planning. Her office is there to help identify and apply to applicable funding programs. www.businessenterprisecentre.ca
The following is a list of the programs in her presentation:
- The Ontario Trillium Foundation www.TrilliumFoundation.org
- The Ontario Arts Council www.Arts.on.ca
- Canadian Heritage www.pch.gc.ca
- Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) www.cybf.ca
- Conservation Fund www.PowerAuthority.on.ca
- Tourism Development Fund www.sse.gov.on.ca
- Tourism Event Marketing Partnership Program www.CanadaBusiness.ca
- Canada Council for the Arts www.CanadaCouncil.ca
- Canada Small Business Financing Program www.ic.gc.ca/csbfp
- Small Business Internship Program www.ic.gc.ca
- Celebrate Ontario www.grants.on.ca
- Canada Business Network www.canadabusiness.ca
- Leadership Grants www.leadershipgrants.ca
- Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs www.omafra.gov.on.ca
There was one common message from all the presenters and that was to call them and they will help.
