Business Resources

Through its many varied programs, events, and activities, the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce advances and promotes the well-being and interests of local businesses and communities they serve.

Chamber members have access to an Employee Benefits Group Insurance program plan that is totally customizable to their needs. Our medical, dental and disability plans are affordable – even if you are a company of one.

Chamber tools can make a big difference to your bottom line. Save on gasoline through Esso, email marketing and social media training for you and your staff through Constant Contact, and more!

The Selwyn Business Association is a not-for-profit organization that currently represents approximately 75 businesses in the Township of Selwyn and the surrounding area.

The mandate of the Selwyn Business Association, as approved by its members, is to:

• Work with Municipal and County Councils to support, protect and promote/encourage the economic well-being of all businesses in Bridgenorth.
• Speak as one voice for all business interests in the Bridgenorth community.
• Provide information (via a website) for all businesses currently in Bridgenorth and any new businesses wishing to establish themselves in Bridgenorth.
• Provide mutual assistance and an opportunity to network with all business interests in the community.
• Promote Bridgenorth as a viable economic place to visit and to grow a new business.

The Community Futures Peterborough 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.

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. 

If you have a job available

If you are licensed to operate in Ontario and provide employment in Ontario then

Employment and Planning Peterborough offers the following services

• Supports small, medium and large business in the hiring of a diversified and stable workforce.
• Can tailor services to suite your business needs providing as much or as little support as you need.

If you are seeking a job

There are a range of services and programs to assist you, whether you are looking for your first job, your next job or your dream job, they are here to help.

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.

Regional Tourism Organization 8 is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries to promote regional tourism activity in the area now branded as Kawarthas Northumberland.

They provide strategic and collaborative leadership to build, sustain and grow tourism in the City and County of Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes and County of Northumberland and work closely with businesses as stakeholder partners.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for the food, agriculture and rural sectors of Ontario.

The Ministry offers services and programs that support

• business and agriculture economic growth and opportunities in rural Ontario through their Economic Development Division,
• a competitive and productive agri-food sector,
• sustainability of agriculture, and
• provides business support to famers and rural business owners.

BizPaL is an innovative online service that provides entrepreneurs with simplified access to information about business permits, licences and other requirements needed to start, operate and grow their business from the federal, provincial/territorial and participating municipal governments.

Benefits of BizPaL

Finding out which government requirements apply to a certain business type can be time consuming and frustrating. BizPaL was created to help identify what you may require, quickly and easily.

The information you need is available from a single source; entrepreneurs spend less time dealing with red tape--saving effort and money in the process--and more time building their business. The service is the result of strong collaboration between the federal, provincial/territorial and participating municipal governments and is designed with the following benefits in mind:

• it's free to use
• it saves time
• it's available 24/7

Launch BizPal

Fleming Muskokas-Kawarthas Employment Services has a Peterboroughprovides free services and resources to help you:

• Government-funded training and skill development for employees
• Labour market information and job descriptions
• Accommodations in the workplace
• Job posting boards and hiring processes
• Onboarding and retention programs
• Building inclusive and diverse workplaces
• Land Acknowledgement and Indigenous resources
• Pathway to Prosperity – find skilled workers

Helping protect workers and settle workplace disputes, supporting skilled trades, apprenticeships and employment services, attracting highly-skilled newcomers and helping people get settled in Ontario.

The Ontario Ministry of Labour has information on:

• Employment standards
• Workplace health and safety
• Labour relations
• Services for job seekers
• Services for employers
• Education and career planning

Immigrate to Ontario

Discover the many pathways to immigrate to Ontario and learn what supports are available to you.

Visit Immigrate to Ontario

Get Settled in Ontario

Everything you need to know about moving to, and settling in, Ontario.

Visit Get Settled in Ontario

Through the Ontario Health and Safety for Small Business portal you will learn about your responsibilities as a small business employer and how to get help keeping your staff trained and your workplace safe. 

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), small business employers have many of the same duties as any other employer, including the following:

• to do everything they reasonably can to protect their workers in each situation
• to inform, instruct and supervise workers to protect their health and safety
• to make sure that every worker and supervisor takes the required training, including basic occupational health and safety awareness training, and keep records of that training