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Small Business Enterprise Centre announces Digital Service Squad and Digital Transformation Grants renewal

September 9, 2021   ·   0 Comments

Changes to location rules open up grants to more small businesses

The Orangeville & Area Small Business Enterprise Centre has announced that it has again received a grant from the Digital Main Street Ontario Grants Program (OGP) for a Digital Service Squad (DSS), which will provide trained digital specialists to local small businesses across Dufferin County to help them adopt online technologies and digitally transform their sales, marketing and back-office operations. A Digital Services Coordinator will connect with small commercially zoned business owners at no cost to conduct a digital-readiness assessment of their ventures and help them apply for Digital Transformation Grants of up to $2,500.

“Ontario small businesses are the heart of our neighbourhoods and the economic foundation of our communities,” said Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction for Ontario. “Our government is committed to being there for them as they reopen. This additional support will give these businesses the digital boost they need to raise their profile and rebuild better than ever.”

This is the third time the Digital Main Street program has been offered in Orangeville and area. A major change to the Digital Transformation Grant from previous years is the new location criteria. Commercial small businesses with fewer than 50 employees no longer need to be part of a main street area to qualify, opening up the grant to hundreds of additional businesses across the County.

According to Ruth Phillips, Manager, Economic Development and Culture for the Town of Orangeville, “the Digital Main Street Program has been incredibly beneficial to our Dufferin-based businesses, particularly during the pandemic. Many businesses are expanding their ventures and finding new revenue sources through the implementation of online services and expanded digitalization efforts. Collectively to date, the program has provided more than $175,000 in grants along with free expertise and guidance to our commercial ventures.”

Renewed government funding of the OGP — including investment from the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade — will provide 3,000 Digital Transformation Grants to qualified brick-and-mortar small businesses as well as Digital Service Squad grants for organizations to provide hands-on assistance to local small businesses. The OGP is administrated by the Ontario BIA Association, in partnership with the Toronto Association of BIAs (TABIA).

“In the past 17 months, as small businesses across the province fought to stay open and keep customers engaged online, Digital Service Squads were there to help,” said Kay Matthews, Executive Director of OBIAA.  “Squads jumped online themselves during lockdowns to help virtually, and businesses have consistently told us how important the DSS were to their success through the pandemic.  We are thrilled to support the Town of Orangeville’s Small Business Enterprise Centre and help them provide assistance to even more small businesses than ever.”

For more information on Digital Main Street’s Ontario Grants Program visit www.digitalmainstreet.ca/ontario.

“The Ontario Grants Program is vital to the success of Digital Main Street,” said Kay Matthews, Executive Director of the OBIAA. “As DMS has evolved over the past three years, we’ve learned first-hand how important it is to small businesses to have an expert ready to support and advise, as well as the resources to enable transformation. During the pandemic, the ability to boost digital marketing and sales became even more vital, and as our May 2021 Progress Report confirmed, Digital Main Street was at the forefront of helping businesses generate revenue and stay viable.”

The DTG grant portal is now open to receive applications from eligible small businesses and will close on October 31st, 2021 or when grant funds have been exhausted.

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