The City of Toronto and its partners offer year-round learning opportunities for entrepreneurs and small business owners, from regularly scheduled seminars to large networking events to on-demand online training modules.

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How to Start a Food Business

This webinar is for entrepreneurs thinking of starting a food business but don’t know where to start.

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How to Write a Business Plan (Workshop Series)

This three-week online series helps early-stage entrepreneurs craft their business plans.

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Insurance for Small Business

Learn about insurance and how to ensure you have the right coverage for your small business needs.

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Managing Your Business AND Your Mental Health

Learn how to balance mental wellness, mindfulness and entrepreneurship to achieve your definition of success.

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Email Marketing

Learn about the basics of email marketing to create high quality targeted emails to send to your subscribers.

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Markets and Pop-Ups: Ready, Steady, Grow!

Ready to make sales at a market? Learn how to plan for success at community events.

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Social Media for Your Business

Learn the ropes of building an engaging and profitable social media presence for your business, from choosing the right social media platforms, to best practices for engagement, to growing your social media community using both organic and paid strategies.

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The Importance of Paid Advertising in a Digital Space

Advertising in the digital space can be complicated, especially with different ad formats, multiple platforms, budgeting and running your own business. If you are not sure where to begin, or are confused on what kind of ad to run, this session is for you. In this webinar, the Digital Service Squad from Toronto shares key insights into Google Ads, Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads.

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eCommerce 101: What, Why and How

More consumers than ever before are turning to online shopping for greater convenience, safety and variety. In this webinar, you will learn the basic steps to set up an online store.

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Optimizing for Search Engines – Understanding SEO Basics

Often you hear about needing to optimize for search engines or SEO. But what is it and how does it impact your digital presence? In this webinar, the Digital Service Squad explains search engine optimization and the best tactics you as a business can use towards increasing your ranking in the search engine result pages.

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Web Presence 101: Ensuring Your Foundation Is Set

Your customers are on the web. Having a strategy for your online presence allows you to market your small business online so customers can easily find you. Learn how to build the foundation for your business’s web presence.

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Accounting for Non-Profits: Understanding Financial Statements

Learn about the responsibilities of a non-profit board member in relation to the organizational finances and familiarize yourself with the financial statements of non-profit organizations.

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Balancing Your Balance Sheet

Learn healthy balance sheet basics and how to create your own balance sheet for your small business.

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Financial Survival for Entrepreneurs

Learn how to identify the key numbers to understand and monitor to manage the growth and expansion of your small business, as well as learning tactics for seeking out financing and effective tax strategies.

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Getting Money: What Lenders and Investors Want

Learn how a bank or investor will evaluate your small business. Get your financial statements and business plans in order to present yourself appealingly to lenders and investors.

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Growth and Expansion: How to Best Grow Your Business

Determine when business expansion makes sense. Learn how to project growth and expansion for your small business, as well as knowing how to react when unexpected growth occurs.

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How Rise Can Help Entrepreneurs Understand Credit and Lending

Learn how Rise lending programs can help entrepreneurs with mental health and addiction challenges access the capital and supports they need to start and grow their small business.

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Introduction to First Nations Agriculture & Finance Ontario

Learn about how First Nations Agriculture & Finance Ontario can help your business.

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Maximizing Your Business: How to Manage Your Cash

Learn how to review and change your cash management practices, including how to spend less cash to operate the business.

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T1 General Small Business Tax Literacy

Presented by Canada Revenue Agency, this webinar is geared toward small unincorporated businesses and helps participants understand their tax obligations and provides them with the resources needed to navigate the tax system.

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T2 Corporation Tax Literacy

Presented by Canada Revenue Agency, this webinar is offered to owners of small corporations who need help in understanding their tax obligations. Learn the basic principles and resources needed to navigate the tax system.

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The Money Side of Business: Tools and Techniques to Manage Your Finances

Empower yourself by learning how to use financial management tools to evaluate business and make informed financial decisions for your small business.

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Understanding Financial Statements for Small Business Owners

Learn how to review and understand financial statements for small businesses, as well as how to ask informed questions of financial professionals.

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Why Financial Ratios Matter: How to Know if You’re Turning a Profit

Learn how to calculate key financial ratios and understand the meaning of the calculations. Interpret the results to become better managers of your small business.

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Your Numbers…Your Story

This financial literacy webinar is geared towards female entrepreneurs and aims to provide an understanding on what is critical for your business’ success. By the end of the presentation, you will learn what it means to be a woman entrepreneur and to better understand your financial position.

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Incubators: How Business in the Streets Can Help Your Business

Learn about incubators like Business in the Streets (BITS) and what they can do for small business owners and entrepreneurs (ages 18 to 34).

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Incubators: How CGLCC Can Help Your Business

Learn about Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) and how they provide tailored resources for 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs to be even more successful.

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Incubators: Introduction to Newcomer Kitchen

Learn about incubators like Newcomer Kitchen and what they can do for you as an entrepreneur in the food industry. Please note: This program is geared towards women with Canadian permanent resident (PR) status that are not currently Canadian citizens.

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Getting Started with Intellectual Property (IP): Why is IP Important?

This webinar introduces you to trademarks, patents, trade secrets, industrial designs and copyright, and explains how protecting your creations through IP rights can give you an advantage over your competition.

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Health & Safety Basics for Small Businesses

This webinar provides information regarding health & safety in the workplace for small business owners. Learn about resources provided by Workplace Safety & Prevention Services and other health and safety tools that can support your business.

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How to Do Business with the City of Toronto

This webinar provides key information about how to do business with the City of Toronto. Learn about the City’s procurement process, unpack how to register to access opportunities and discover the City’s Social Procurement program for diverse suppliers.

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How to Safely Build a Food Business in Toronto

Do you own a food business or plan on starting one up? In this session, Toronto Public Health will discuss what you should know for your business to be compliant with food premise regulations and inspections.

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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): What Entrepreneurs Must Know

This webinar provides information regarding federal requirements, IRCC support programs and more for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

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Keeping Customers Happy with Consumer Protection Ontario

Learn about the Consumer Protection Act, 2002, in Ontario and how it impacts you as an entrepreneur. Filled with practical advice for small business owners and entrepreneurs, learn what you should do to stay compliant and how to handle consumer complaints correctly as they come.

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Privacy and Your Business: An Introduction to PIPEDA

Learn how to have your business comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and better protect the privacy of Canadians, clients and customers.

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Service Canada: Free Hiring Platform & Other Supports for Small Businesses

Learn how to access Service Canada to enroll in various programs, services and the basics of Human Resources for businesses of any size.

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Service Canada: Hiring Incentives and Assistance

Learn how to access Service Canada to enroll in various programs, services and the basics of Human Resources for businesses of any size.

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Service Canada: Support Measures for Businesses in Labour Adjustment

Learn how to access Service Canada to enroll in various programs, services, and the basics of Human Resources for businesses of any size.

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Service Canada: Employment Insurance: Types of Leaves and Benefits for Individuals

Learn how to access Service Canada to enroll in various programs, services, and the basics of Human Resources for businesses of any size.

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Service Canada: Canada Pensions and Dental Care Plan

Learn how to access Service Canada to enroll in various programs, services, and the basics of Human Resources for businesses of any size.

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WSIB: Laws & Regulations for Small Businesses

Learn from a Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) consultant about how to keep your workplace healthy and safe, and in compliance with health and safety laws.

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Barcodes and Beyond: What You Need to be Market-Ready for Import & Export

This webinar is aimed at small business owners who are getting their products ready for market. This session will help you prepare, whether selling your product locally or trading on an international scale.

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Exporting 101 with the New Exporters to Border States (NEBS) Program

Looking to export to the United States but not sure where to start? The New Exporters to Border States (NEBS) program is a cross-border program designed to help Ontario businesses get their goods and services across the border. Join this webinar to learn how to enter and expand into the US market today.

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First Steps in Exporting: From Starting Out to Getting a Buyer

Are you ready to export? The First Steps in Exporting program helps companies that are new to exporting familiarize themselves with key steps in growing their international sales in the U.S. and beyond. Join this webinar to learn how to get started.

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What the Trade Commissioner Service Can Do For You

For more than 120 years, the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service has helped organizations of all sizes grow to operate internationally. This presentation will help you prepare for international business and finding global opportunities.

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The “Starting Your Business 101” webinar series consists of 10 modules with supporting worksheets and checklists that are focused on answering the basics of starting a business.

Modules

  1. Self-Assessment
  2. Business Research
  3. Business Structure
  4. Government Regulations
  5. Business Planning
  6. Financing for Small Business
  7. Market Research
  8. Marketing and Sales
  9. Intellectual Property
  10. Insurance

Access to the learning modules is free but registration is required. Complete the online registration form to get started.

The Business Fundamentals Online Training Program provides a series of 10 modules with supporting worksheets that are focused on helping entrepreneurs develop a detailed business and operating plan for their new venture.

Modules

  1. Business Plan
  2. Market Research to Test the Viability of Your Idea
  3. Marketing Your Small Business
  4. Business Legal Requirements
  5. Costing and Pricing
  6. Selling Skills for Small Business
  7. Cash Flow Forecast
  8. Income Statement
  9. Employing and Managing Staff
  10. Secrets to Success in Your Own Business

Access to the learning modules is free but registration is required. Complete the online registration form to get started.