SARNIA, ON: The latest Digital Main Street Ontario Program is available for eligible Sarnia-Lambton area businesses that includes a $2,500 grant, guidance, and training. Businesses need to act now to apply for the grant before the November 30th deadline. The Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership is helping small businesses in the region access the program, which focuses on helping businesses across Ontario to improve their adoption of technologies to better promote themselves online, sell online and even run back-office processes online.
The program is available to all eligible permanent brick-and-mortar establishments that employ up to 50 employees, pay commercial property tax or rent, are a registered business in Ontario, and open to the general public for walk-in and onsite purchases of goods. The business owner must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, a resident of Ontario, and at least 18 years of age at the time of application. Franchises, wholesalers, manufacturers, non-profit, home and online businesses, and previous grant recipients are not eligible to participate.
To assist owners through the application process, the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership is providing support with their Digital Service Squad, a team of highly trained recent graduates with strong technology and digital marketing skills and experience. At no cost, the Digital Service Squad Team Members will answer any questions business owners might have and support qualified applicants through the application process that includes the Digital Main Street Assessment, online training and developing a Digital Transformation Plan.
“Building on the success of the Sarnia-Lambton Digital Service Squads in 2019 and 2020, we are thrilled to be delivering this program again, expanding our reach to assist more businesses across the Sarnia-Lambton area in 2021,” said Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership’s Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Thompson. “The expanded eligibility criteria makes it accessible to significantly more businesses. This program will help businesses by assisting with the cost associated with leveraging digital technologies and online best practices,” added Thompson.
Known as Digital Transformation Grant, its objective is to create and retain local jobs, invest in the community and help Sarnia-Lambton area businesses succeed and expand. The program will support small businesses through access to an online assessment to determine the digital needs of their business, provide knowledge of online training courses that offer the basics of how digital technology will transform their business for success and provide a $2,500 grant to eligible small businesses with the execution of their Digital Transformation Plan.
For more information on how to apply or eligibility requirements, business owners are encouraged to visit www.sarnialambton.on.ca/DMS.
Program Contact
Chantelle Core, Development Coordinator
Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership
519-332-1820
chantelle@sarnialambton.on.ca
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