Reports
Getting Inside A Lenders Head
Published by: Vancity Credit Union – 2011
A Vancity four-part video series for entrepreneurs.
Part 1: You’ve got a fantastic business idea!
Part 2: Marketing Plan
Part 3: Financial Plan
Part 4: Operations Plan
Growing Your Business: A Guide to Decision-Making and Resources
Published by: The Women’s Enterprise Centre – 2010
“This guide will explain some of the major considerations in growing your business. It will provide some tools to help you decide what growth means to you, how to ready yourself for change, and how to become a strategist; to think about where you really want your business to grow and how to get there. It will give you key pointers on subjects that women who have expanded their businesses have identified as critical to their growth. Along the way, you will meet inspirational BC women who share their own personal experiences.”
Taking The Leap To Entrepreneurship – A Guide to Help BC Women Make the Transition
Published by: The Women’s Enterprise Centre – 2007
“This guide is meant to lend support to women who are making the transition to self-employment. We’ll give you a sense of what being an entrepreneur is all about. This guide is not meant to cover the ‘nuts and bolts’ of starting a business – there are other tools for that. Instead, we will explore the internal process and offer inspiration. Each section contains a list of additional resources, but don’t limit yourself to these. This guide is meant to educate and support women who are making the transition to self-employment.”
Resources – General
BC Innovation Council (BCIC)
Website: www.bcic.ca
Phone: 604-683-2724
Email: info@bcic.ca
BCIC (British Columbia Innovation Council) develops entrepreneurial talent and commercializes technology. BCIC focuses on competitively positioning British Columbia in today’s global knowledge economy in order to provide significant employment opportunities and a high standard of living for British Columbians.
Building Opportunities with Business (BOB)
Website: www.buildingopportunities.org
Email: info@bobics.org
Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Building Opportunities with Business (BOB) is a non-profit organization with the goal to support local business development and increase job opportunities for inner-city residents.
Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
Website: www.bdc.ca
Phone: 1-877-329-9232
BDC is the Business Development Bank of Canada. From over 100 offices across the country, BDC promotes entrepreneurship by providing highly tailored financing, venture capital and consulting services to entrepreneurs.
A financial institution owned by the Government of Canada, BDC has been serving Canadian entrepreneurs for more than 65 years.
Canada Business Network
Website: www.canadabusiness.ca
The Canada Business Network strives to provide businesses with the resources it needs to grow and prosper, including a wide range of information on government services, programs and regulations. The Canada Business Network promotes entrepreneurship and innovation, and provides assistance through an organized network of service centres across Canada, with a service centre in each province/territory.
Canadian Commercial Corporation
Website: www.ccc.ca
Phone: 1-800-748-8197
A Crown corporation of the Government of Canada, the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) acts as Canada’s international contracting and procurement agency. CCC reports to Parliament through the Minister of International Trade under Schedule III Part I of the Financial Administration Act. Services offered include prime contractor service and procurement service.
Canadian Innovation Centre
Website: www.innovationcentre.ca
Phone: 519-885-5870
Email: info@innovationscentre.ca
The Canadian Innovation Centre (CIC) is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs transform their ideas into market successes. Since it’s founding over 35 years ago, the Centre has provided its expertise to over 20,000 innovators and their companies.
Community Futures Development of BC
Website: www.communityfutures.ca
Phone: 604-685-2332
Email: info@communityfutures.ca
The Community Futures Network was established in 1986 by the federal government in response to the severe economic and labour market changes faced by rural Canadian communities. Over the last 25 years Community Futures in BC has played a significant role in entrepreneurial and community development.
EMBERS Venture
Website: www.embersvancouver.vcn.bc.ca
Phone: 604-692-0781
Email: info@embersvancouver.com
EMBERS is a community economic development charity, which strives to help people develop productive futures and build stronger, sustainable communities. EMBERS Ventures’ support services have successfully grown to help over 300 individuals travel that path to become financially autonomous.
Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program (EDP)
Website: www.cf-edp.ca
A program from Community Futures of BC, services include business plan development, a funding program of up to $150,000 available for creating and/or expanding a business, small business management training, business consultation services, and referrals to other relevant business development resources.
Export Development Canada (EDC)
Website: www.edc.ca
Phone: 604-638-6950
Email: LMorris@edc.ca
A variety of services are available including exporting and business planning, Online Knowledge Centre, ExportCheck, Export Guarantee Program, Foreign Buyer/Supplier Financing, Foreign Exchange Guarantee, Surety Bond Insurance, and export counseling. All Insurance & premium rates vary based on a variety of factors including policy liability, length of policy, payment terms, buyer risks, and other contract-specific risk factors.
Resources – Aboriginal
Please note that in order to utilize the services and loans available, most of the following organizations require participants, applicants, or members to meet one of the following criteria:
- To be of Canadian Aboriginal ancestry – First Nation (status or non-status Indian living on/off reserve), Métis or Inuit.
- To be an Aboriginal business, financial organization, or development corporation.
- To be business or organization of majority Aboriginal-owned and controlled.
Aboriginal Business Canada (ABC)
Website: www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100033234
Aboriginal Business Canada (ABC) is an Indian and Northern Affairs Canada program that maximizes Aboriginal people’s participation in the economy through business development. ABC provides support to Aboriginal entrepreneurs for a range of activities including business planning, start-up, expansion and marketing. Services offered include financial assistance, business advisory services, referrals to other resources, economic research
All Nations Trust Company (ANTCO)
Website: www.antco.bc.ca
Phone: 250-828-9770
Email: antco@antco.bc.ca
A financial institution that offers a variety of financing to its Aboriginal members and several business and entrepreneurial services and programs through its subsidiary, All Nations Development Corporation (ANDEVCO). The primary function of ANDEVCO now is to provide advisory services for Aboriginal entrepreneurs and First Nations in BC. Services offered include ANDECVO Advisory Services (preparing business and marketing plans, accessing financing for start-ups, expansions, and acquisitions) and ANDEVO Workshops & Seminars (financial management for entrepreneurs, economic development of Aboriginal communities, etc).
Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC (AtBC)
Website: www.aboriginalbc.com
Phone: 604-921-1070
Email: info@aboriginalbc.com
A non-profit organization that strives to contribute to preservation of Aboriginal culture and advancement of economic development through support, facilitation and promotion of growth and sustainability of quality and culturally rich Aboriginal tourism industry in BC. Programs and services include the Cultural Authenticity Program, Business Resources for First Nations Forum, Aboriginal Tourism Trailblazers Cultural Interpretation: Train-the-Trainer Program, and Trailblazers – Aboriginal Tourism Business Development Participant Training.
Canadian Council for Aboriginal Businesses (CCAB)
Website: www.ccab.com
Phone: 416-961-8663
Email: info@ccab.com
Programs are supported through corporate funding, program/event sponsorship, membership dues (no core government funding). Aside from programs, the CCAB also conducts relevant research that captures trends, best practices, and areas of opp. for Aboriginal people/business.
First Peoples Economic Growth Fund Inc. – Entrepreneur Loan Program
Website: www.firstpeoplesfund.ca/entrepreneur_loan.php
Phone: 1-888-942-6026
Email: info@firstpeoplesfund.ca
This program is intended to assist First Nation entrepreneurs by providing capital and/or working capital through subordinated interest-free loans that will enhance the applicant’s ability to leverage financing from other institutions and agencies. It is a joint initiative from Manitoba government and Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC).
ICAB: BC Aboriginal Business Association (BCABA)
Website: www.icab.ca
Phone: 604-929-7379
Email: ifno@icab.ca
The Industry Council for Aboriginal Business (ICAB) is a non-profit, member-focused organization guided by a volunteer Board of Directors. The ICAB mission is to foster successful working relationships between industry and Aboriginal business through effective programming and by promoting mutual respect and understanding. Its vision is to realize a vibrant BC economy where Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people prosper together.
INAC: Aboriginal Business Canada
Website: www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100033198/1100100033199
Aboriginal Business Canada (ABC) is an Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) program that maximizes Aboriginal people’s participation in the economy through business development. Services include business plan development, establishment (capital) costs, business acquisitions/expansions, marketing initiatives (export-oriented), and new product development, provide financing towards eligible costs of management training, for business advisors, and for conferences/workshops, acquisitions/expansions, and mentoring services.
Kootenay Aboriginal Business Development Agency (KABDA)
Website: www.kabas.org
Phone: 250-426-0595
Email: rbateman@kabda.org
From the Department of the Ktunaxa Nation Council Economic Sector, the Mission of the Kootenay Aboriginal Business Development Agency is to increase the number of Aboriginal businesses and their profitability by acting as an advocate for Aboriginal entrepreneurs, promoting and developing Aboriginal entrepreneurship, and being a conduit for information to all Aboriginal groups.
Northeast Aboriginal Business Centre (NEABC)
Website: www.neabc.ca
Phone: 250-785-1870
The Northeast Aboriginal Business Centre (NEABC) strives to provide business support and advisory services to Aboriginal Entrepreneurs. Programs and services include loans from ANTCO, the First Nations Agriculture Lending Association, the Aboriginal Affairs + Northern Development Canada, the Women’s Enterprise Society of BC, CANDO, and Community Futures.
Nuu-Chah-nulth Economic Development Corporation (NEDC)
Website: www.nedc.info
Phone: 250-724-3131
Email: nedc@nedc.info
The NEDC’s mandate is to continue to develop and grow to be best Aboriginal Corporation dealing with financial, banking and business development services which will play a major role in helping Nuu-chah-nulth communities. It is an Aboriginal financial institution that is incorporated under the Canadian Corporations Act as a non-profit organization.
SFU Beedie: Executive MBA in Aboriginal Business and Leadership
Website: www.beedie.sfu.ca/AboriginalEMBA/about/index.php
Phone: 778-782-7976
Email: aboriginal-emba@sfu.ca
An Executive MBA program that runs approximately 3 years, part-time and includes coverage on the following topics: Orientation to business in Aboriginal communities, economics, new ventures, organizational change & development, strategies for sustainability, managerial/financial accounting, managerial finance, leadership, marketing, policy & governance, business strategy, applied strategic analysis, leadership, writing skills workshops and quantitative skills workshop.
Tale-awtxw Aboriginal Capital Corporation (TACC)
Website: www.tacc.ca
Phone: 604-926-5627
Located in the Coast Salish Nation territories, the TACC strives to provide high quality innovative lending and support services that respect Coast Salish values. Services include business plan development, workshops, Business Service Officers, online business directory, networking opportunities, Business Loan Program (BLP), and aftercare services.
UBC Sauder: Ch’nook Advanced Management Certificate (AMP)
Website: www.chnook.org/student-opportunities/advanced-management-program-amp/
A post-secondary education program offering Aboriginal Entrepreneurship and the Business Strategy Ch’nook Trek (international trade and global business practices). Subject areas include Financial Management, Accounting, Human Resource Management, Marketing, Operations, and Aboriginal Values and Business Leadership. Other programs offered include the Ch’nook Internship, Ch’nook Mentorship, Indigenous Business Network, Ch’nook Indigenous Business Trek, Ch’nook Cousins, and Ch’nook Provincial Gatherings.
Resources – New Canadians
Immigrant Business BC (IBBC)
Website: www.immigrantbusinessbc.ca
Phone: 604-248-2449
Email: info@immigrantbusienssbc.ca
Description: IBBC is a not-for-profit Provincial Incorporation and professional development organization offering a focused approach to providing professional networking opportunities to newcomers to BC. IBBC specializes in delivering quality business information and resources at no cost or low cost to new immigrants to BC. Services include networking events, workshops, education, Immigrant Consulting and Settlement Advisory Services, Career Development Services, and Business Advisory Services.
