Frequently Asked Questions

1. I am a small business in Ontario looking to grow…

Thank you for doing business in Ontario.

Given our agency's scope, we do not specialize in small business supports. We'd recommend the following resource to support you in your research:

Small Business Enterprise Centers (SBECs) are community-based providers that support entrepreneurs to start and grow their business by offering complimentary tools and services, including one-on-one consultations with qualified business consultants.

We wish you every success in growing your business in Ontario.

2. I am a start-up business looking for financing and/or other supports…

Thank you for doing business in Ontario.

Given our agency's scope, we do not specialize in start-up business supports. We'd recommend the following resources to support you in your research:

Small Business Enterprise Centers (SBECs) are community-based providers that support entrepreneurs to start and grow their business by offering complimentary tools and services, including one-on-one consultations with qualified business consultants.

Angel Investors Ontario provide capital and mentorship to innovative start-ups province wide.

Regional Innovation Centres (RICs) help Ontario’s entrepreneurs and innovators succeed by helping them work through the challenges of developing their ideas to make them marketable and attract talent, capital and customers. Programming and services are offered to clients who are typically in early-stage or growing innovation and technology companies with the potential to expand and succeed on a global scale.

We wish you every success in growing your business in Ontario.

3. I am looking to start a small business in Ontario…

We’re glad to hear your interested in doing business in Ontario. 
Given our agency's scope, we do not specialize in new business supports. We'd recommend the following resources to support you in your research:

10 Steps to Start a Business in Ontario: Starting a business can be exciting, but it can be hard to know where to begin. The following steps will help you get started on creating your business in Ontario.

Starting a Business in Canada: The steps to consider before operating a business in Canada.

We wish you every success in starting and growing your business.

4. I am an Ontario based business looking to export my products/services abroad…

Given our agency's scope, we do not specialize in the export of products. We'd recommend the following resources to support you in your research:

Ontario Export Services is a service, provided by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, offering one-on-one support and resources for Ontario businesses looking to export their products and services.

Export Development Canada through their Export Help Hub offers personalized support and guidance to Canadian exporters, including advice on trade financing, risk management, and market intelligence.  

We wish you every success in exporting your products/services.

5. I am looking for a job…

Given our agency’s scope, we do not operate as an employment agency. If you want to apply for a job at Invest Ontario we’d encourage you to review our open postings. Otherwise, we'd recommend consulting the job board of your choice to review postings.

We wish you every success in your job search.

6. I am looking to immigrate to Canada…

Given our agency's scope, we do not specialize in individual immigration cases. We'd recommend the following resource to support you in your research:

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provides comprehensive information on various immigration programs, eligibility criteria, application procedures, and forms.

If you’ve already submitted an immigration application and are looking for updates, we’d recommend you log into your application status tracker account, submit an enquiry using the IRCC web form, or call the IRCC Call Centre at 1-888-242-2100.

We wish you every success in immigrating to Canada.

7. I am looking for personal investment advice…

Given our agency’s scope, we do not provide investment advice to individuals. We’d recommend you speak with your banking institution of choice for personal investment advice.

8. I am the representative of a company who is looking to sell a product or service to Invest Ontario…

We thank you for your interest in Invest Ontario.
We’d encourage you to visit Doing Business with Ontario and register to be a part of Ontario’s Vendor of Record list if you have not already done so. This is a requirement for any business looking to sell products and/or services to any Ontario government entity.

If you’re already registered, you may visit the Ontario Tenders Portal to see open tenders within the public sector.