The Business Centre Nipissing Parry Sound Inc.

09/10/2026

💡 Attention small business owners: funding for your next project is open right now, and you may be eligible!

IION - Innovation Initiatives Ontario North has programs available, one with deadlines approaching. Here's the quick recap:

SFEP: up to $10,000

• Covers 50% of eligible costs before tax
• Use it for trade shows and travel, marketing, equipment and software, prototyping, business strategy, or training and certifications
• New: companies can now apply for a second grant, as long as the project stands on its own
• Deadline: September 30
• Great fit for anything planned before March 1, 2027
Contact Emily at [email protected] or visit www.iion.ca/sfep

Ignite AI: up to $20,000

• Funding to put AI to work in your business
• Covers AI tools, integrating AI into your products or services, prototypes, process automation, and more
• Open to SMEs in Nipissing, Timiskaming, Parry Sound, and Muskoka
• Ongoing intake with monthly reviews
Funding is limited, so reach out to check eligibility: www.iion.ca/ignite-ai

09/09/2026

JOIN US FOR A WEBINAR 💻

Better Safe Than Sorry, Eh?
What small and medium-sized businesses need to know about competition law—with a special focus on Made in Canada claims.

📅 Wednesday, September 23
⏰ 9:00–10:00 AM EDT
📍 Online via Zoom

Competition law can feel complex—but compliance matters for every business. Join us to learn how to:

✅ Understand why competition law matters to small businesses and entrepreneurs
✅ Learn how the Competition Bureau protects and promotes competition
✅ Identify practical compliance measures to help protect your business
✅ Navigate Made in Canada marketing claims with greater confidence

Who should attend?
Small business owners and managers, entrepreneurs and founders, marketing professionals, and business advisors.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain practical insights from the Competition Bureau and help protect your business.

🤝This webinar is facilitated by IION and The Business Centre Nipissing Parry Sound.

👉 Register today: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/made-in-canada-marketing-claims-compliance-essentials-tickets-1997724178796?aff=oddtdtcreator

09/09/2026

🎯 Learn how the Northern Ontario Defence Opportunities (NODO) Program can help eligible Northern Ontario businesses enter Canada's growing defence sector.

Join the North Bay & District Chamber of Commerce for an online session with Uphar, TBC's Northern Ontario Defence Program Coordinator, for a closer look at the NODO program and how it helps local SMEs break into Canada's defence supply chain with non-repayable funding.

Title: Powering Northern Ontario Businesses into Defence
Date: September 24, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Where: Online (Zoom)
Cost: Free to attend

If your business is defence-ready or moving in that direction, this is a great chance to see what NODO can do for you.

Register on the Chamber website: https://www.nbdcc.ca/events/powering-northern-ontario-businesses-into-defence-the-northern-ontario-defence-opportunities-nodo-program

North Bay Economic Development

08/28/2026

JOIN US FOR A WEBINAR 💻

Better Safe Than Sorry, Eh?
What small and medium-sized businesses need to know about competition law—with a special focus on Made in Canada claims.

📅 Wednesday, September 23
⏰ 9:00–10:00 AM EDT
📍 Online via Zoom

Competition law can feel complex—but compliance matters for every business. Join us to learn how to:

✅ Understand why competition law matters to small businesses and entrepreneurs
✅ Learn how the Competition Bureau Canada protects and promotes competition
✅ Identify practical compliance measures to help protect your business
✅ Navigate Made in Canada marketing claims with greater confidence

Who should attend?
Small business owners and managers, entrepreneurs and founders, marketing professionals, and business advisors.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain practical insights from the Competition Bureau and help protect your business.

🤝This webinar is facilitated by IION - Innovation Initiatives Ontario North and The Business Centre Nipissing Parry Sound.

👉 Register today: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/made-in-canada-marketing-claims-compliance-essentials-tickets-1997724178796?aff=oddtdtcreator

08/28/2026

We're excited to share a new resource that was created as a result of our successful Newcomer Entrepreneurship Program!

The Supporting Newcomer Entrepreneurs Toolkit is a free digital guide for two audiences: organizations that support newcomer entrepreneurs, and newcomers who want to start or grow a business in Canada. It covers best practices, program design, and practical guidance pulled from what we learned across all four cohorts.

The slides here are a preview. The full toolkit — plus our other business basics guides — are on our website's resources page:
https://tbcnps.ca/resources

Big thanks to our member and past client, Mufang from Pencilixel for the excellent graphic design work on this one!

https://pencilixel.com/

The City of North Bay

08/19/2026

JOIN US FOR A WEBINAR 💻

Better Safe Than Sorry, Eh?
What small and medium-sized businesses need to know about competition law—with a special focus on Made in Canada claims.

📅 Wednesday, September 23
⏰ 9:00–10:00 AM EDT
📍 Online via Zoom

Competition law can feel complex—but compliance matters for every business. Join us to learn how to:

✅ Understand why competition law matters to small businesses and entrepreneurs
✅ Learn how the Competition Bureau protects and promotes competition
✅ Identify practical compliance measures to help protect your business
✅ Navigate Made in Canada marketing claims with greater confidence

Who should attend?
Small business owners and managers, entrepreneurs and founders, marketing professionals, and business advisors.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain practical insights from the Competition Bureau Canada and help protect your business.

🤝This webinar is facilitated by IION - Innovation Initiatives Ontario North and The Business Centre Nipissing Parry Sound Inc.

👉 Register today: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/made-in-canada-marketing-claims-compliance-essentials-tickets-1997724178796?aff=oddtdtcreator

08/17/2026

The first session for this series is 3 days away!

🍪Are you ready to turn your food or beverage idea into a thriving business?

🥤 Whether you’re just getting started or looking to grow, this is the place to begin.

Foodpreneur Advantage is a FREE Start Up Program designed specifically for those developing consumer packaged goods (CPG) in the Food and Beverage industry — brought to you by a collaboration of Ontario Small Business Enterprise Centres.

What you’ll learn & when (via live webinars):
August 20th — Starting a Food Business & Regulatory Compliance
August 27th — How to Sell Your Food Product
September 3rd — Costing & Pricing to Make Profits
September 10th — Marketing & Branding Your Food Product
September 17th — Food Safety Fundamentals
September 24th — Packaging & Labelling Your Food Product
September 30th — Barcodes & Beyond: Scaling your Business for Growth

🔗 Register and learn more at: https://foodpreneuradvantage.ca/start-up-seminars/

This program is locally supported by NECO Community Futures Development Corporation & Parry Sound Area Community Business & Development Centre Inc. - CFDC

08/11/2026

Next Tuesday, our team member Uphar will be at the Defence Sector Opportunities Breakfast with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Canada Aerospace — August 18 at Collège Boréal in Sudbury.

As Canada's defence sector continues to expand, events like this are exactly where Northern Ontario SMEs connect with prime contractors, uncover supply chain opportunities, and build the relationships that turn potential into partnerships.

It's a natural fit with the work we're doing through the Northern Ontario Defence Opportunities (NODO) program, helping regional businesses diversify, strengthen their competitiveness, and take their first steps into the defence supply chain.

If you'll be there, come say hello to Uphar — we'd love to connect. 🤝

North Bay Economic Development
City of Greater Sudbury

08/10/2026

Prêt à conquérir de nouveaux marchés ? Joignez-vous à l’équipe Services internationaux de Desjardins pour un webinaire gratuit sur la diversification des marchés et les stratégies de développement international. Apprenez à structurer votre démarche d’exportation, gérer le risque de change, sécuriser et optimiser les transactions internationales, et découvrez le service d’accompagnement Business Passport — des conseils pratiques pour dirigeants, entrepreneurs et responsables du développement.

Date : jeudi 20/08/2026
Heure : 11 h 00 – 12 h 00 (HNE)
Prix : Gratuit (inscription requise)
Inscription : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/accompagnement-international-diversification-des-marches-tickets-1992355725608?aff=oddtdtcreator

Ne manquez pas ces expertises pour accélérer et sécuriser votre expansion internationale.

Fédération des gens d'affaires francophones de l'Ontario

Diversifiez à l'international avec Desjardins : gérez vos risques de change et boostez votre croissance grâce au Passeport Affaires.

08/07/2026

Fun activity for tomorrow! 🌟
Swing by your local farmers’ markets and support some of our awesome Summer Company program’s youth entrepreneurs!

North Bay Market:
🍞 The Bread Barn (mouthwatering sourdough) owned by Eliana
🥣 Kitchen Sink Soup Co. (cozy dry soup mixes) owned by Ethan

Powassan Market:
🧸 Hooks & Hugs (cute crochet goodies) owned by Stephanie

Can’t make it tomorrow? Catch them next week!