Canada: Starter Company Plus (SCP) Program

The SCP Program

• The program provides training covering Business Concept, Research, Marketing, Sales, Financial, Operations, and Presentation Skills
• On completion of the Training, Mentoring, and a Business Plan, you’ll have the chance to pitch for $2,500 to $5,000 in grant funding to kick off or expand your current business.

This program is funded by the Provincial Government.

What are Eligible And Non-Eligible Expenditures?

• The grant must be spent on business expenses. It is considered taxable personal income to the government, so please be advised that it may affect any assistance you may be receiving.
• Common expenditures:
  • Tools and equipment
  • Computers (up to $1000)
  • Raw Materials for creation of a product (maximum $2000)
  • Inventory of a product (maximum $2000)
  • Marketing Print Collaterals (maximum $500)
  • Social Media and Digital Marketing (maximum $2500)
  • Business Insurance (max $500)
• Ineligible expenditures:
  • Salaries
  • Rent
  • Repayment of debts, including credit card debt
  • Promotional Merchandise (mugs, bottles, bags, pens, calendars, t-shirts etc.)
  • Vehicle purchase/maintenance/insurance
  • Office Furniture
  • Purchases that would be considered personal in nature
  • Industry training, education, or memberships
  • Trade show fees
  • Leasehold improvements.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible, the business must:
  • Proposing to start a new business, expand an existing business or purchase a business
  • not be a business that relies on commissioned sales
  • be a legal business in Ontario
  • not be a franchise
  • operate at arm’s length from family business ventures
  • operate full-time as defined in the business plan
  • maintain its own books and records
  • maintain a separate bank account
  • follow all government rules and regulations and applicable by-laws for the operation of the business
  • be sales-ready at the time of funding
• Individual Applicant Eligibility Criteria
  • The Applicant is:
    • is not currently attending school on a full-time basis nor intending to return to school.
    • is a resident of Ontario.
    • is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.
    • is 18 years of age or older at the time of application.
    • does not have full-time employment (20+ Hours/Week) outside of the Project at the time of funding.
    • is fully responsible for the on-going operations and decisions of the Project and is the majority partner or shareholder.
    • is not enrolled in other provincial employment or self- employment-related initiatives and programs that include or do not include financial assistance
    • is not currently enrolled concurrently in any self-employment programs offered by government-funded organizations.
    • is expected to match the grant amount they are requesting with 25% personal investment (eg $5000 grant will require $1250 personal contribution in the business)
    • cannot have previously received Starter Company or Starter Company Plus funding in Ontario.

For more information, visit Waterloo Region Small Business Centre.