April 25, 2022
The City of Mississauga is pleased to announce that Clarkson, Cooksville, Malton, Port Credit, Streetsville and the Downtown Core will be participating in the Government of Canada’s My Main Street Local Business Accelerator program to help revitalize the main streets of these communities. The City of Mississauga will receive a total of $230,000 in a non-repayable contribution to deliver the My Main Street program in Mississauga.
Businesses in the six main street communities in Mississauga will be supported with dedicated Main Street Ambassadors, customized market research, data analysis and an opportunity to apply for non-repayable funding contributions for new and existing small businesses. The Ambassadors began working with businesses in Mississauga the second week of April and will provide business owners with guidance, business support and resources and help them explore opportunities to build and grow their business in their local main street community. The program will run until March 28, 2023.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced a $23.25-million investment to the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) and the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) to establish My Main Street — a two-year program to support the recovery and revitalization of main streets and local businesses in southern Ontario through two program streams.
“The Government of Canada will continue to be there to support our main streets and communities,” said the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister Responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. “The My Main Street program provides critical funding and services for local small businesses as they find ways to adapt and create innovative and inclusive economic opportunities that will help them rebuild and restore vibrancy to their main streets.”
EDCO is delivering the My Main Street Local Business Accelerator program stream, which supports the revitalization of 65 main street communities, and provides non-repayable contributions for more than 650 local businesses across southern Ontario. The program focuses on creating and maintaining vibrant and inclusive local downtowns while providing residents, new entrepreneurs, and existing businesses with economic opportunities in our communities.
“Our main streets and local businesses contribute so much to the character of our vibrant neighbourhoods and to our city’s economy. But the reality is that they have suffered significant hardships throughout this pandemic,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie “We’re very pleased to deliver this program in partnership with the Government of Canada. Together we are doing everything we can to ensure our businesses not only recover, but once again thrive.”
“The Economic Development Office is excited to deliver this program with the help of a skilled and dedicated team who will actively engage with our main street businesses and provide them guidance where they need it most,” said Bonnie Brown, Director of Economic Development. “Our small businesses can also continue to tap into the many services offered through our Mississauga Business Entrepreneur Centre, including advisory services and training, as they move towards regrowth.”
For program details and further information, please visit https://mymainstreet.ca/accelerator-program. For Mississauga-specific details, please visit ideamississauga.ca/programs-and-resources/my-main-street.
About FedDev Ontario
For more than 12 years, FedDev Ontario has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation and growth in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving their productivity, growing their revenues, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the Agency’s impact in southern Ontario by exploring Southern Ontario Spotlight, pivotal projects, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Mississauga’s My Main Street Ambassadors will help business owners explore opportunities and will provide access to supports to help businesses build and grow in their local main street community. From left to right: Yaw Ennin, Sayyeda Ebrahim, Emmanuela Okon, Duncan Ladner