Digital Main Street 3.0 Courtest of the Small Business Centre
The Digital Main Street program has been extended with the introduction of Digital Main Street 3.0.
If you previously registered for Digital Main Street 2.0, this is an opportunity to either access another free 10 hours of digital support or if your situation has changed and you now meet the eligibility requirements, join the program.
Before we can begin the digital assessment, we need to confirm your eligibility for the program regarding your business. Below are the eligibility requirements in this email for you to review. Please respond and identify if you do or do not meet the eligibility criteria. We can then move on from there with next steps.
Digital Main Street 3.0 is a program and service that helps businesses achieve digital transformation. The program is built around an online learning platform, structured training programs, and a Digital Service Squad, a team of highly trained professionals who help businesses grow and manage their business through the adoption of digital tools and technology. When businesses join Digital Main Street 3.0 and complete the onboarding process, they receive a free Digital Assessment and recommended to-do list that identifies technologies and tools that can help their business meet their digital goals. Along with the Digital Assessment, they also have the opportunity to work with the Digital Service Squad. The Digital Service Squad can work with businesses one-on-one to activate free and easy to use tools, while also providing recommendations for other technologies.
Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out in the meantime.
Digital Service Squad – Eligibility Criteria
The Digital Main Street Squad (DSS) is a team dedicated to assisting Barrie, Simcoe County and Orillia businesses through their digital transformation. The DSS achieves this by providing free one-on-one training to business owners and targeted support to get started, grow their digital presence, and grow their business. This support can be done in ways such as:
- A digital assessment of your business’ digital literacy
- Access to a free online video-based digital transformation training program
- Website – review, updating, creation, best practices
- Social Media – support, best practices, advertising, and more
- Technology – support and guidance for the best options of technology tools to implement
- Miscellaneous Digital Transformation Support: loyalty programs, point of sale systems, ecommerce, back-end business operations support
The following are eligibility criteria for businesses accessing the Barrie funded program through the Small Business Centre.
- Must be a business that:
- Has a permanent ‘bricks-and-mortar’ establishment in Ontario
- Employs 1-10 employees (or fewer than 25 employees if they are a café, restaurant, or bar)
- Is paying commercial property tax (commercially assessed), either directly or through commercial rent
- Is a registered business in Ontario and/or is incorporated
- Is open for business/operating at the time of application (not a start-up)
- Be owned By:
- An Ontario resident operating a business in Ontario
- An individual of 18 years of age or older at the time of application
- A Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Be located in one of the geographical areas outlined below:
- Adjala-Tosorontio
- Barrie
- Bradford West Gwillimbury
- Essa
- Innisfil
- Midland
- New Tecumseth
- Orillia
- Oro-Medonte
- Penetanguishene
- Ramara
- Severn
- Springwater
- Tay
- Tiny
The following are not eligible to access the Barrie funded program through the Small Business Centre:
- Business supplying digital services to other businesses (e.g. website design/development, SEO, programming)
- Franchises or not-for-profit/charitable organization
- Renting office space on a temporary basis (month to month)
- Shared workspace such as a hot desk or dedicated desk
- Purely online businesses & home-based businesses
Patricia is the Business Mentor and owner of Grow Vantage and a Past President of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce. She applies over 30 years of business experience (from start-up to corporate) to mentor entrepreneurs. Since 2011, she has held over 6,500 coaching and training sessions in-person and online. Through Ask For Directions Training, her entrepreneurial training program (and parent company Grow Vantage), and as a business coach, she works with start-ups who are new (or who have lost traction) to design, launch and grow their businesses. Along with 20 other expert instructors she teaches strategies in marketing, sales, communications, and finance, as well as practical techniques to increase productivity, and manage their businesses. In other words, everything entrepreneurs need to learn to grow and run their businesses successfully, and avoid the costly mistakes they can't even see coming - that lead to delays in growth and getting stuck.
- Buy Five – High Five Challenge - April 15, 2025
- Fresh & fun Easter egg hunt ideas for kids, teens, and adults - April 11, 2025
- It’s time to GTL! Casting open for a Canadian edition of Jersey Shore - April 11, 2025