Skip to content

Resources

Navigating the local business landscape is easier when you know who to connect with. Use these local, regional, and provincial resources to scale your operations, secure funding, and make your voice heard.

Local Business Associations & BIA Districts

Strathroy BIA (Business Improvement Area)

  • Contact: downtownstrathroy@gmail.com
  • How it assists members: If your business is located within the designated BIA district, this organization works directly to drive foot traffic to your doors. Members benefit from collective marketing campaigns (including downtown TV commercials), seasonal community events, and beautification initiatives. It also gives you a platform to join advocacy committees that shape the future of the downtown core.

Mount Brydges Business Association (MBBA)

  • Contact: Aimee Bloemendal | amieebloemendal@hotmail.com
  • How it assists members: Serving the business community in Mount Brydges, this volunteer-run association focuses on localized networking, joint promotions, and community events like the Christmas Open House and Community Fest.

Local First

  • How it assists members: A joint initiative by the Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc, the Strathroy BIA, the Mount Brydges Business Association and the Strathroy & District Chamber of Commerce to support local businesses impacted by tariffs. Visit the website to learn more.

Municipal & Regional Economic Development

Strathroy-Caradoc Economic Development

  • Contact: Heather Lalonde | hlalonde@strathroy-caradoc.ca
  • How it assists members: This is your primary municipal touchpoint for expanding or relocating your business. They help navigate local zoning, building permits, and municipal bids/tenders. Through collaborative initiatives like the Local First Movement, they actively champion "shop local" habits to support the municipality’s diverse industrial and commercial sectors.

Invest in Middlesex

  • Contact: Tracey Ranick | tranick@middlesex.ca
  • How it assists members: Operating at the county level, this resource provides invaluable regional data, demographics, and real estate mapping to help you make informed expansion or investment decisions. They maintain a comprehensive county-wide business directory to boost your B2B visibility and connect owners with broader regional grants, workforce data, and community programming.

Community Futures Middlesex

  • Contact: Cindy Viner | cviner@cfmiddlesex.ca
  • How it assists members: Funded by FedDev Ontario, this organization is a powerhouse for rural business development. They are "character lenders" who can step in when traditional banks say no, providing flexible microloans up to $30,000 and small business loans up to $300,000 for fixed assets, inventory, or working capital. Members also benefit from their free one-on-one business consulting, entrepreneur skills development programs, and local training workshops.
  • Get Started: Visit the Community Futures Middlesex Website to explore lending options and upcoming business workshops.

Government Representation & Advocacy

M.P. Leanne Rood (Lambton—Kent—Middlesex)

  • How it assists members: As your Federal Member of Parliament, M.P. Rood’s office is your gateway to federal support. Connect here for assistance navigating federal business grants, the Canada Summer Jobs program, federal tax regulations (CRA), and immigration/work permit channels to help address workforce shortages.

M.P.P. Steve Pinsonneault (Lambton—Kent—Middlesex)

  • Contact: steve.pinsonneault@pc.ola.org
  • How it assists members: As your Member of Provincial Parliament, M.P.P. Pinsonneault’s office helps local businesses cut through provincial red tape. Reach out to this office for guidance on Ontario-specific business regulations, provincial employer health tax inquiries, and support letters for provincial grant applications.

Financial Grants & Workforce Development

Rural Ontario Development Fund

  • How it assists members: This provincial program offers powerful cost-share funding specifically for rural communities. Small brick-and-mortar businesses (with 1 to 20 employees) can apply to the Business Development stream to receive up to 35% in cost-share funding (maximum of $10,000) for projects that build capacity, attract investment, or break down barriers to growth. Visit the website to learn more.

Ontario Job Grant (OJG)

  • How it assists members: Formerly known as the Canada-Ontario Job Grant, this redesigned program provides direct financial support to help employers upskill their teams through third-party training. The grant covers up to $10,000 per trainee for eligible training costs (tuition, textbooks, software training), reducing financial strain on small and medium-sized employers trying to adapt to a changing market. Employers with fewer than 100 employees are only required to contribute 1/6 of the total training costs, and may qualify for up to $15,000 (100% covered) when hiring and training previously unemployed individuals.
    Get Started: View the full guidelines, application processes, and eligibility criteria on the Official Ontario Job Grant Page.