Business Partners, Connections and Resources

The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre is often an entrepreneur's first point of contact with the business support community.

The Business Advisory Centre can help your business venture succeed with one-on-one advisory meetings to discuss your challenges, free workshops, networking events, meeting space rentals, and more business resources.

They provide confidential and complimentary support services for clients in the City and County of Peterborough.

• Knowledgeable team helps people of every age at every stage of starting, growing, or acquiring a business.
• Services, consultations, tools, and resources are offered free of charge in order to help startups and small businesses succeed.

In addition to one-on-one consultations they also offer program workshops and webinars, e-Learning, and services that assist in starting a business or growing a business.

Key Resources available to ALL local businesses!

• • Digital Mainstreet
  • Google My Business (GMB) Guide and Tools
  • MaRS Startup Toolkit
  • Shopify Guides & Free Business Tools
  • Small Business Toolkit

• • Fleming College - Contract Training
  • Retail Council of Canada (RCC)
  • Small Business Centres of Ontario
  • StartUp Canada
  • Workplace Development Board - Workforce Career Ladders

Community Futures Peterborough is supported by the Government of Canada and managed by a local volunteer Board of Directors.

Community Futures Peterborough helps small and medium businesses access services and capital, enhances the local economic and employment growth through community-based planning and economic development initiatives. Their interest rates on loans are much lower than banks and more flexible repayment plans. 

• Make an appointment with one of their team members to talk about where you want to be and what they can do to get you there.

Kinds of support:

• Financial,
• counselling, and
• business development.

Will help you find out which of their services is the best fit for you. 

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development is the lead regional economic development agency for the City and the County of Peterborough.

They work collaboratively with local stakeholders, to attract, retain and support businesses, investors, entrepreneurs, and visitors to nurture growth opportunities, and foster continued development of a vibrant, prosperous community with quality and sustainable jobs.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development offers customized support and solutions for local business retention and expansion including:

• Site selection.
• Facilitating funding and incentive programs.
• Developing strategies and opportunities for export.
• Assistance navigating regulatory processes.
• Supporting infrastructure development.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism is a division of Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development, and the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for the City and the County of Peterborough.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism provides industry leadership and destination marketing services to attract visitors to the region.

They are a not-for-profit, partnership-based organization with the objectives of promoting destination experiences, increasing visitation and economic impact for the industry, partners and community.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism promotes all tourism businesses in the region, and has over 400 registered tourism partners who are profiled on their website.

Kawartha Choice Farm Fresh is an online resource for local agriculture experiences, local food producers and restaurants wanting to feature local choices. The website includes local farm gates, farms, and local retailers and restaurants that feature locally produced food and drink. 

The website is available for any business that produces, serves or showcases local food or products and provides an online map. There are also a number of useful other agriculture based resource links on the website. 

An excellent free method of getting your produce or agri-products marketed. Members also can connect with programs, supports and a like minded business community. 

Farms at Work offers a place to meet, learn, share, and explore for farmers in Durham, Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough, Northumberland, Haliburton and Hastings to promote healthy and active farmland in east central Ontario. 

Support and help to attract to farmers to the area. Host various agriculture events, workshops, mentorship, internship and other opportunities. 

They also offer a directory for Peterborough farms, farm gates and stand, and a variety of products through their Peterborough Farm Fresh listing.

The Canada Starting a Business webpage provides a variety of federal support, information and advice on staring up a business in Canada.

Important step-by-step information needed to start a business in Canada, as well as key support resources.

The Ontario Small Business Access provides support, information sources and advice on how to begin and run a small business in Ontario.