With U. S. tariffs and economic uncertainty, the provincial government is continuing to support small businesses in Ontario.
An announcement was made by the Ontario government in Windsor on Thursday morning.
Associate Minister of Small Business Nina Tangri was present and shared the province’s plan to invest $49 million over three years into the Ontario Small Business Advisory Centres (OSBAC).
In Windsor, the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre has renewed a three-year contract with the province.
AM800-News-Small-Business-Centre-Windsor-2-September-2026 Associate Minister of Small Business Nina Tangri in Windsor to announce additional investments for small businesses in Ontario, September 24, 2026. (Rob Hindi/AM800)
Sabrina De Marco, the executive director of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre, mentioned that they have received a 10 percent increase in core funding along with funds to boost capacity for other micro grant programs like the summer company and starter company programs.
She stated that they will be able to distribute five more grants.
“We were able to provide 17 grants to the community; now we’re able to offer 23 grants to the community,” she says. “So a starter company provides training, mentorship, wraparound support, and a grant of up to $5,000 to a small business owner to start, launch, or expand.”
De Marco noted there’s significant interest from community members who have ideas.
She explained that people are eager to pursue their ideas and turn them into successful small businesses.
“The financial supports are one thing; what we find is that when people engage with the centre and they take our training and they participate in our mentoring groups and advisory services, they realize it’s great that I receive the funding, but these other supports are so invaluable; I didn’t know about them until I tried.”
The provincial program serves as a province-wide network for business support services aimed at helping entrepreneurs find and access resources such as one-on-one consultations, information on government programs and services, and funding options available at more than 50 locations across Ontario.
Last year alone, the Windsor centre fielded 17,000 inquiries regarding information and support services.
According to the province’s report for 2025-26, this network responded to over 182,000 inquiries overall while providing nearly 40,000 consultations. They also launched or supported over 16,000 businesses which led to creating more than 16,600 jobs.
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