Go online to draw from the huge volume of business resources and friendly helpful staff for support, data, resources, planning, and information for starting and building a successful small business.

The below list focuses more on Canada and Vancouver but every major city of this world has similar resources you can take advantage of to build a successful small or medium size business.

 

Small Business BC [ http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca/ ]
Visit and attend the business seminars to get the basics on financing, marketing, and planning. They offer great online business articles, as well.

 

Canada Business Service Centers [ http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/ ]
Find a Business Service Centre in another Canadian Province.

 

Industry Canada [ http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ic1.nsf/eng/home ]
Canada’s business and consumer site.

 

Western Economic Diversification Canada [ http://www.wd.gc.ca/eng/home.asp ]
Better known as WD, their mandate is to promote the development and diversification of the economy of Western Canada and to advance the interests of the West in national economic policy. WD fulfills its mandate through the following programs and activities: innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable communities.

 

The Canada Foundation for Innovation [ http://www.innovation.ca/ ]
CFI is an independent corporation established by the Government of Canada in 1997 with a goal to strengthen the capability of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and other not-for-profit institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development.

 

British Columbia Innovation Council [ http://www.bcic.ca/ ]
BCIC develops entrepreneurial talent and commercializes technology. BCIC focuses on competitively positioning British Columbia in today’s global knowledge economy in order to provide significant employment opportunities and a high standard of living for British Columbians.

 

The Business Development Bank of Canada [ http://www.bdc.ca/en/Pages/home.aspx ]
BDC is Canada’s small business bank. BDC plays a leadership role in delivering timely and relevant financial and management services, with a particular focus on the emerging and exporting sectors of the economy.

 

British Columbia Chamber of Commerce [ http://www.bcchamber.org/ ]
The B.C. Chamber is registered under the Society Act (B.C.) as a volunteer not-for-profit association. As “The Voice of B.C. Business”, the B.C. Chamber, through their local member chambers and corporate members, represents over 25,000 businesses throughout British Columbia.

 

The Vancouver Board of Trade [ http://www.boardoftrade.com/ ]
For more than 100 years, The Vancouver Board of Trade has helped businesses of all sizes to grow and prosper. Their mission is to work in the interest of their members to promote, enhance, and facilitate the development of the region as a Pacific centre for trade, commerce, and travel. The Board strives to enable and empower its members to succeed, grow and prosper in the global economy.

 

SOHO [ http://www.soho.ca/ ]
A website for Canadian entrepreneurs and businesses, SOHO is focused on the success and growth of small office home office and SME (small and medium size enterprises).