Mississauga Celebrates Small Business Month with Programs for Aspiring Business Owners

October is Small Business Month in Mississauga – a time to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions that Mississauga’s aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners make to the local economy and the community at-large.

“Starting and operating a business is not an easy feat. Our small businesses community is thriving and is responsible for hiring over 180,000 workers. Many small businesses in Mississauga achieve great success because we have a talented workforce, diverse population and spaces with vibrant and accessible storefront locations that make our community a desirable place to live, work and play,” said Bonnie Brown, Director of Economic Development Office (EDO). “Small business continues to be important to our community; in fact, the number of small businesses has grown by 9.8 per cent over the past three years. To help businesses, we work with our government, education, and community partners to solve challenges facing the small business community and to provide real-world advice and resources to support owners and aspiring business leaders take their business to the next level.”

As an example of interesting ways that EDO supports entrepreneurs and business owners is by hosting a digital marketing conference to provide small businesses with transformative tools to help them adopt digital technologies and stay competitive to meet the demands of the modern customer.  This is in addition to a number of free events including seminars and webinars to help entrepreneurs start, build and grow their business. The events provide participants with the business skills and resources in the area of sales, marketing, accounting, taxes, and more.

Bonnie Brown added, “Small businesses are an economic driver and a strong contributor to the growth and vitality of Mississauga’s economy.  Every small business is essential to our community and we all need to do our part to support and promote them. I encourage everyone to visit their favourite small business throughout the month to show them just how much you value what they do.”

For more small business information, please visit www.thefutureisunlimited.ca/mississauga-events/

Background

Mississauga is home to over 97,000 businesses that are responsible for employing over 180,000 workers. This employment accounts for 43.6 per cent of the City’s employed labour force, as recorded through City of Mississauga, 2018 Employment Survey. The city’s small business community consists of various enterprises specializing in tech, childcare, pharmaceuticals, dentistry, hospitality and many more.

The Mississauga Business Enterprise Centre (MBEC) offers small business seminars, workshops and online training where attendees can learn valuable information, insights and skills needed to start or grow a business.