BACKGROUND

Small Business Centres Ontario (SBC Ontario) exists to strengthen, connect, and elevate Ontario’s network of 54 Small Business Enterprise Centres. Our mandate is to provide province-wide leadership, shared services, and strategic coordination that enhance the quality, consistency, and reach of small business support across Ontario.

Our member centres provide entrepreneurs with a full range of support services needed to start and successfully grow their small business. Each of our 54 locations provides one-stop access to Expert Business Advisors, programs, services and learning opportunities for small business owners specific to their region.

In November 2021, we incorporated as a non profit association called the Small Business Centres of Ontario Inc. to support these 54 locations.

We do this by:

• Empowering Entrepreneurs: Ensuring local centres have the tools, training, and resources needed to guide entrepreneurs from idea to growth.

• Building Capacity: Delivering shared services such as professional development, digital platforms, and knowledge hubs to streamline operations and raise standards.

• Connecting the Network: Fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and collective advocacy so centres can better respond to diverse local economies.

• Driving Impact: Demonstrating the collective value of Ontario’s small business ecosystem to funders, partners, and communities through data, stories, and measurable results.

SBC Ontario’s mandate is to act as the backbone for the province’s entrepreneurial support network, enabling local centres to do what they do best: help Ontario’s small businesses start, grow, and thrive.