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Part of Small business

Small business resources

Biz Connect provides supports to help Alberta entrepreneurs and small businesses start, grow and succeed.

Starting your business

Advice, coaching and mentoring

Business Link is a government supported organization that advises new and prospective entrepreneurs; providing mentorship, business advice and market research from professionals to help you realize your vision.

  • Registering and licensing

    All businesses in Alberta must be registered in the province to conduct business.

    Structuring and licensing your business

    Before registering your business, learn about business legal structures and which type might be right for you. BizPal is a support tool that helps entrepreneurs and small businesses find permits and licences they may require when starting or managing a business.

    Registering your business

    Once you decide what kind of organization you would like to incorporate, learn about the step-by-step process for registration.

    Register an out-of-province business

    If you have a business that is active but not registered in Alberta, be sure to register your corporation with Alberta’s Online Extra-provincial Registration.

    For more tips on registering and licensing a business, refer to our Licensing and Registering tip sheet.

    To get started, learn about structuring and registering your business, connect with a Business Link advisor.

  • Funding

    Futurpreneur offers loans of up to $60,000, mentoring and advice to entrepreneurs ages 18 to 39.

    Community Futures offers loans to rural businesses, and has 27 offices throughout Alberta.

    ATB Entrepreneur Centre can help you find additional resources through funding, advice and connections to help you get started on your way or expand your business.

    Discover potential financing options through Alberta’s Superintendent of Financial Institutions. It includes the regulatory framework surrounding capital lending and lists of accredited institutions.

    Alberta offers an Innovation Employment Grant for organizations of any size to conduct research and development. This program is designed to work in tandem with the Job Creation Tax Cut and can provide you with up 20% toward qualifying research and development expenditures.

    If your business requires employees to undergo specific training, the Canada-Alberta Job Grant can provide assistance to cover up to two thirds of costs up to $10,000 for an existing employee, or 100% of costs up to $15,000 for unemployed Albertans.

    Alberta Innovates funding programs help drive your innovative and technological ideas forward. They provide funding and support for small and medium-sized enterprises that are focused on addressing provincial challenges and benefitting Albertans.

    The Alberta Financial Services Corporation is a provincial Crown corporation providing farm and commercial loans, in addition to hail, crop and livestock price insurance and farm income disaster insurance.

    The Canada Small Business Financing Program is a loan-sharing program between the Government of Canada and financial institutions which helps small businesses access financing of up to $1 million.

    Visit the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) to explore loans for businesses that have been active for at least 12 months. BDC also provides referrals for businesses that have been active for less than 12 months.

    Additional financial support programs are available to entrepreneurs of diverse groups.

  • Self-employment

    Through the Self-Employment Program, eligible Albertans can apply for training, one-on-one advice and support for developing business plans and starting a new business.

    There are different self-employment programs across different regions of Alberta. Go to the Training and Employment Services Directory and find your community to access available programs.

    Learn about unfair business practices ensure your organization follows best business practices. Review the Consumer Protection Act to learn about consumer protection and how you can protect yourself from liabilities.

  • Industry specific business supports

    Starting and operating a licensed child care program has the requirements, resources, forms and templates to start a facility-based child care program or family day home agency.

    Become a continuing care provider or operator explains how to get into the continuing care industry by becoming a home and community care based provider or facility-based continuing care operator. Explore the rewarding opportunities of providing care services for Alberta’s seniors and differently abled residents.

    Supports for technology businesses is a listing of provincial and federal supports designed to help small and medium sized businesses involved in advanced technologies through grant and voucher programs, as well as tax incentives.

    Agri-processing business resources covers the topics of local food, co-packing and commercial kitchens and starting or growing an agricultural business. Guides, reports, documents and other supports are geared towards those in food and the bio-processing industry.

Managing your business

Information and resources to help manage your small business.

Growing and expanding your business

Business Link can be a great starting point to grow your business. They can assist you with conducting market research and finding a mentor through their Mentor Program to move your company to the next level.

  • Research and innovation

    The Alberta Innovation Employment Grant encourages economic growth supporting small and medium-sized businesses that invest in research and development with a grant worth up to 20% of qualifying expenditures.

    Alberta Economic Dashboard provides economic data and insights to assist in market research.

    The Business Benefits Finder with the Government of Canada offers support for research and development.

  • Export goods or services

    The Alberta Export Expansion Program supports small and medium-sized businesses that promote Alberta exports through international travel to formal outbound trade events. Export Alberta offers guidance for those new to exporting or looking to grow their exports.

    The Trade Commissioner Service with the Government of Canada offers guides and statistics to help businesses plan their export expansion. Export Development Canada (EDC) supports small businesses to expand through their Trade Expansion Lending Program and their Export HelpHub.

    The Business Development Bank of Canada’s also offers export tools.

  • Develop your digital strategy

    Business Link offers unique resources to assist small businesses in developing their digital and marketing strategies. The Alberta Digital Economy Program allows small businesses to access free digital consulting to develop digital marketing strategies.

    The Canada Digital Adoption Program offers up to $2,400 in funding to small businesses to develop their digital presence.

  • Additional growth resources

    Connect with a Regional Economic Development Specialist to access targeted advice and consultation on opportunities within your region.

    The Futurepreneur Growth Accelerator brings together a cohort of small businesses from across Canada to learn and expand their businesses.

    Community Futures offers support for rural businesses in Alberta that are looking to grow.

    Alberta Innovates provides coaching, community and capital to high growth technology or knowledge based small businesses in Alberta.

    ATB Entrepreneur Centres provide workshops and events to support small businesses who want to expand their business.

    Alberta Chambers of Commerce (ACC) support Alberta businesses by advocating for conditions that overcome barriers to growth and build welcoming and inclusive business communities.

    The Growth Driver Program with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) takes small businesses through workshops, and guidance to support their growth. BDC also offers other growth tools.

Supports for diverse groups

Disaster and emergency relief

Alberta offers the Emergency response planning occupational health and safety tool kit to provide you with a step-by-step guide for ensuring your worksite is safe with specific contingencies in place in case of an emergency.

Contact your local Chamber of Commerce for advice on emergency business planning.

Contact Business Link for advice

Business Link experts offer free, personalized one-on-one small business and entrepreneur support to launch or manage your business. Use the online contact form to get started or call now:

Hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-422-7722
Toll free: 1-800-272-9675 (Canada only)

Contact Biz Connect for support

If programs you were searching for are not in this page or if you would like a referral to Alberta government business supports and programs, use the form below.

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