ONTARIO NEWS RELEASE: Ontario Investing $49 Million to Strengthen Supports for Small Business

WINDSOR — The Ontario government is continuing to deliver on its plan to protect small businesses and workers in the face of U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty by investing a record $49 million over the next three years in the Ontario Small Business Advisory Centres (OSBAC), a province-wide business support services network. Formerly known as Small Business Enterprise Centres, the new OSBAC brand will create a stronger and more consistent identity for the existing province-wide network, helping entrepreneurs easily find and access services such as one-on-one consultations, information on government programs and services and funding resources at more than 50 locations across Ontario.

“Now more than ever, Ontario small businesses need timely advice, trusted services and practical supports to help them navigate change and succeed,” said Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business. “As we work to protect Ontario’s economy, our record $49 million investment and the new OSBAC brand will make it easier for business owners to find and access the tools and advice that can help them pivot, grow and create jobs.”

Historically, each of the centres across the province operated under a variety of names, logos and branding, making it difficult for entrepreneurs to recognize them as part of a coordinated province-wide network of supports. Backed by the largest-ever provincial investment into programming, the new OSBAC brand will create a recognizable identity, making it easier for entrepreneurs to find and navigate services available locally, including provincial programs such as Summer Company, Starter Company Plus and Succession Ontario.

While the brand is changing, the services and supports available through the current network remain the same. Through more than 50 locations across Ontario, entrepreneurs will continue to access business advice, training, mentorship, provincial programs and funding to help them start, buy, sell, grow or adapt a business. In 2025-26 alone, the network answered over 182,000 inquiries, delivered nearly 40,000 consultations, launched, supported and expanded more than 16,000 businesses, helping to create over 16,600 jobs.

By strengthening awareness of available business supports and provincial programs, Ontario is helping entrepreneurs find the tools they need to grow, create jobs and build stronger, more resilient local economies.

“Through the Government of Ontario’s record investment in the province-wide business support network and the launch of the Ontario Small Business Advisory Centre brand, business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs will find it easier to connect with trusted advice, programs and funding opportunities,” said Sabrina DeMarco, Executive Director of Invest WindsorEssex’s Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre. “We’re proud to continue helping Windsor-Essex businesses start, grow and adapt, while benefiting from a stronger, more visible identity that highlights the resources available across Ontario.

Making provincially funded services and programs easier for small businesses to identify and access supports the government’s plan to protect Ontario and strengthen the economy as businesses navigate the impacts of U.S. tariffs and global economic uncertainty. This includes cutting the small business corporate income tax rate from 3.2 per cent to 2.2 per cent, which will support more than 375,000 small businesses, saving them up to $5,000 annually and delivering $1.1 billion in additional tax relief over three years.