Opening your first business in Ontario
Canada’s most populous province has every kind of first business, from city side hustles to northern outfitters. Here’s the landscape, the help available, and how to get online simply.
Ontario’s entrepreneurial landscape
Southern Ontario’s cities — Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, London, Kitchener-Waterloo and many more — are full of first businesses: consultants and freelancers, trades and renovation crews, cleaning and home services, food businesses, salons, fitness studios and online shops, often started by newcomers or as side projects.
Beyond the cities, farm country, cottage country and Northern Ontario have their own rhythm. Agriculture and agri-food, seasonal tourism around the lakes, outfitters and lodges, forestry and mining towns all create local services and seasonal businesses that serve wide areas.
Ontario is home to Canada’s largest francophone community outside Quebec, especially in Eastern and Northern Ontario and in Ottawa, and many businesses there serve customers in both languages.
Real help for new entrepreneurs
Free and low-cost help for Ontario entrepreneurs:
- Ontario Business Registry — Register a business name or incorporate online in Ontario.
- Ontario’s business advisory centres — Free local advice on starting a business, with centres across the province. Free, local and a good first stop.
- Starter Company Plus — Ontario’s program offering training, mentoring and possible grants to people starting a business.
- FedDev Ontario — The federal economic development agency for southern Ontario. If you’re in southern Ontario.
- FedNor — The federal economic development agency for northern Ontario. If you’re in northern Ontario.
- Community Futures Ontario — The network of Ontario’s Community Futures Development Corporations: local loans and free business counselling.
- Société économique de l’Ontario (SÉO) — Economic development and entrepreneurship support for Franco-Ontarians.
- Ontario Chamber of Commerce — The province-wide network of local chambers and boards of trade.
- Futurpreneur — Start-up financing paired with a volunteer business mentor, for entrepreneurs aged 18 to 39.
- BDC — The Business Development Bank of Canada: financing, plus free guides and templates for people starting out.
Your first steps in Ontario
- Register your business name on the Ontario Business Registry if you’ll trade under any name other than your own.
- Know your HST. Ontario uses the 13 % HST. You must register with the CRA once taxable sales pass CA$30,000 over four consecutive quarters; you can register earlier and get your business number.
- Talk to an advisory centre. Ontario’s business advisory centres give free one-on-one advice, and Starter Company Plus adds training and mentoring.
- Get found and look established. A free Google Business Profile and an email at your own domain go a long way in a crowded market.
Canada Revenue Agency: get a business number · CRA: GST/HST rates by province
How WebNewBee helps
In a market this size, a clear website is how a new business stands out. With WebNewBee you pick one of 30 designs, answer a few questions, and your site is built in about a minute, in English, French or both.
One simple price
CA$6.99/month · plus applicable taxes
- Website with up to 6 pages, written by our AI from your facts
- Up to 3 email addresses on your own domain
- Your own domain from CA$24.99/year, or a free yourname.webnewbee.page address
- Secure (https), fast, mobile-friendly
- English, French or both
- Cancel anytime — no contract
Questions
Is WebNewBee only for Atlantic Canada?
No. We’re built and supported in Atlantic Canada, but WebNewBee works for businesses anywhere in Canada, including Ontario.
What tax will I pay on WebNewBee in Ontario?
CA$6.99 a month plus the 13 % HST that applies in Ontario.