Are you looking for free help?

We know you might want to shop around and consider your options (as savvy customers often do). So, here are the free, government-funded, resources available to you…

Here is a list of Regional Innovation Centres (RICs) as well as Small Business Enterprise Centres (SBECs), by city. Typically the difference between a RIC and a SBEC is the type of growth an entrepreneur is envisioning for their business. RIC's are usually looking for innovative, tech-oriented, scalable, high-growth businesses. SBEC’s are geared towards less tech-oriented ventures and lifestyle businesses.Businesses that aren't necessarily looking to grow exponentially but those that are more focused on generating a comfortable living for the entrepreneur and their families.

• Barrie
  • Small Business Centre of Barrie, Simcoe County and Orillia
• Belleville
  • Small Business Centre
• Bracebridge
  • Muskoka Small Business Center
• Brampton
• Altitude Accelerator
• Brampton Entrepreneur Centre
• Brantford
  • Brantford-Brant Business Enterprise Resource Centre
• Brockville
  
  • Leeds and Grenville Small Business Enterprise Centre
• Bruce County
  • Business to Bruce, Bruce County
• Burlington 
  • HalTech Innovation Centre
• Chatham
  
  • Small Business Centre
• Cobourg
  • Business & Entrepreneurship Centre Northumberland
• Collingwood
  • South Georgian Bay Small Business Enterprise Centre
• Cornwall
  • Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre
• Goderich
  • Huron Small Business Enterprise Centre
• Guelph
• Innovation Guelph
• Guelph-Wellington Business Enterprise Centre
• Haileybury
  • Enterprise Temiskaming
• Hamilton
• Innovation Factory
• Hamilton Business Centre
• Kenora
  • Northwest Business Centre
• Kingston
  
  • Launch Lab
  • Kingston Economic Small Business Development Centre
• Kitchener/Waterloo
  • Communitech
  • Waterloo Region Small Business Centre 
• Lindsay
  • Kawartha Lakes Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre
• London
• TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario
• Small Business Centre
• L’Orignal
  • Prescott-Russell Entrepreneurship Centre
• Markham
• ventureLAB
• Markham Small Business Centre
• Mississauga
  • Mississauga Business Enterprise Centre
• Newmarket
  • York Small Business Enterprise Centre
• Niagara Falls
  • Niagara Falls Small Business Enterprise Centre
• North Bay
  • Innovation Initiatives Ontario North
  • The Business Centre - Nipissing Parry Sound Inc.
• Oakville
  • Halton Region Small Business Centre
• Orangeville
  • Orangeville & Area Small Business Enterprise Centre
• Oshawa
  • Spark Centre
• Ottawa
  • Invest Ottawa
• Owen Sound
  
  • Grey County Business Enterprise Centre
• Peterborough
  • Business Advisory Centre
• Renfrew
  • Enterprise Renfrew County
• Richmond Hill
  • Richmond Hill Small Business Enterprise Centre
• Sarnia
  • Business Enterprise Centre of Sarnia-Lambton
• Sault Ste. Marie
  • Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre
  • Millworks Centre for Entrepreneurship
• Smiths Falls
  • Small Business Advisory Centre
• St. Catharines
  • Innovate Niagara
  • St. Catharines Enterprise Centre
• St. Thomas
  • Elgin/St. Thomas Small Business Enterprise Centre
• Stratford
  • Stratford Perth Centre for Business
• Sudbury
  • NORCAT Innovation
  • Regional Business Centre
• Thunder Bay
  • Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre
  • Thunder Bay & District Entrepreneur Centre
• Timmins
  • Business Enterprise Centre
• Toronto
  • MaRS Discovery District
  • Enterprise Toronto
• Vaughan
  • Vaughan Business Enterprise Centre
• Whitby
  • Business Advisory Centre Durham
• Windsor/Essex
  • WETech Alliance
  • Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre
• Woodstock
  • The Small Business Centre

Okay so you might be feeling overwhelmed or blown away with the amount of choice and the sheer volume of places you can turn to. Your next question will be, 'how do I know who to choose?' Ultimately you have to make that decision, but we are empathetic that it's not the easiest decision to arrive at. The sole piece of advice that we can give you is to ensure you ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask what you can expect, what are the milestones they will help you achieve, what expertise they can offer, and what opportunities they can open up for you. At the end of the day, all we really care about is enabling you to find the right fit for you.