BusinessTO News is a weekly newsletter highlighting opportunities that are available to Toronto businesses such as programs, grants, resources and guidelines. For a full list of City of Toronto resources for businesses visit toronto.ca/BusinessSupport . Announcements CaféTO Grant now open for patio and café upgrades   The City of Toronto’s CaféTO Grant provides restaurant, bar and café owners with a matching grant of up to a maximum of $7,500 covering 50 per cent of the cost of eligible improvements to patios in the curb lane, on sidewalks and on private property. Eligible businesses must apply before Thursday, May 7 to be considered.  Learn more and apply.   Register for the City of Toronto’s free Incubators webinar  Discover how Business in the Streets (BITS) can provide the training, funding and mentorship needed to launch your startup. If you are an entrepreneur aged 18 to 34 looking for specialized support to overcome barriers, register today to learn about high-impact programs like YCEO and Storefront Starter. Learn more and register. Final call for local artisans for St. Lawrence Market  Arts at the Market is returning to St. Lawrence Market, and we are looking for talented local makers and artists to join our upcoming season. This outdoor program offers a prime opportunity to showcase and sell your handmade goods in a vibrant, high‑traffic setting. If you create unique, handcrafted products and want to be part of one of the world’s top market destinations, we invite you to apply. Applications close this Friday, March 13.  Learn more and apply.   Register for the City of Toronto’s Energy and Water Reporting By-law webinar Toronto's  Energy and Water Reporting Bylaw  requires owners of large buildings in Toronto to report their energy and water use to the City of Toronto annually. On Thursday, March 19, from 12 to 12:45 p.m., the City’s Better Buildings Partnership group will share key updates for the 2026 reporting cycle and provide guidance and tips for reporters. This webinar is geared towards building owners and consultants who reported to the City of Toronto in previous years and will be reporting again in 2026 but is not exclusive.  Register for the webinar today.    Business Community News Applications are open now for the Business Inc. sessions at Toronto Public Library  Ready to launch or expand your small business? Toronto Public Library is now accepting applications for four different Business Inc. streams taking place at various branches across the city. Offered in partnership with the Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC), this eight-week program gives entrepreneurs the skills, mentorship, and confidence to thrive and make their business dreams a reality. The application deadlines vary by library branch.  Learn more and apply.   Register for the International Collaboration on Emerging Technologies virtual matchmaking event    On Tuesday, March 24, researchers and innovators from Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK will come together to explore new funding and partnership opportunities under the 2027 Horizon Europe sensitive calls (i.e., calls that are only accessible to EU Member states and select countries like Canada) relating to artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and space.  Learn more and register.  For any questions regarding the event, please contact the Canadian Horizon Europe Secretariat at  horizoneurope@ised-isde.gc.ca .  Last chance to apply for the 2026 Siakam EdTech Engine  Co-founded by NBA Champion Pascal Siakam’s PS43 Foundation and powered by DMZ, the 2026 Siakam EdTech Engine is accepting applications. This 12-week accelerator offers North American startups direct access to educators, school board pilots and $50,000 in Demo Day grants. Don’t miss this chance to validate your AI or youth-focused solution alongside industry leaders. Applications close this Friday, March 13 .  Learn more and apply.      Last chance to apply for the 2026 ELLA Ascend program  YSpace is seeking women-led ventures for ELLA Ascend, a four-month intensive designed for scaling. Gain custom Marketing and Operations playbooks, plus 50 per cent matching support for a fractional executive to provide senior-level expertise. This cohort runs from April through August. The application deadline is Saturday, March 14. Apply today to accelerate your growth.  Navigate the future of food innovation  Presented by the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN), Unpuzzling: Foodtech Ontario is a 12-week mentorship and peer cohort program designed to support early-stage foodtech  entrepreneurs  as they prepare to scale and commercialize their innovations.  This is a non-competitive, collaborative experience. Applications close April 2.  Learn more.   Webinars and Events Insurance for Small Business   Wednesday, March 11, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. –  Register  (Free)  Financial Survival for Entrepreneurs   Thursday, March 12, from 10 to 11 a.m. –  Register  (Free)   Social Media for Your Business  Tuesday, March 17, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. –  Register  (Free) Barcodes and Beyond: What You Need to Be Market-Ready for Importing & Exporting  Wednesday, March 18, from 10 to 11 a.m. –  Register  (Free)  Balancing Your Balance Sheet  Thursday, March 19, from 10 to 11 a.m. –  Register  (Free)   Incubators: How Business in the Streets Can Help Your Business   Friday, March 13, from 10 to 11 a.m. –  Register  (Free)    The Importance of Paid Advertising in the Digital Space  Tuesday, March 24, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. –  Register  (Free)   Introduction to AI for Small Businesses   Wednesday, March 25, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. –  Register  (Free)  The Money Side of Business: Tools & Techniques for Managing Your Financials   Thursday, March 26, from 10 to 11 a.m. –  Register  (Free)   Incubators: How CQCC Can Help Your Business  Friday, March 27, from 10 to 11 a.m. –  Register  (Free)    Search Engine Optimization: Understanding SEO Basics  Tuesday, April 7, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. –  Register  (Free) T1 General Small Business Tax Literacy Friday, April 10, from 9:30 to 11:30a.m. –  Register  (Free)  Email Marketing for Small Businesses  Tuesday, April 14, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. –  Register  (Free)  The Top 5 Common Mistakes Startups Make  Thursday, April 16, from 10 to 11 a.m. –  Register  (Free)  T2 Corporation Tax Literacy   Friday, April 17, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. –  Register  (Free)

The Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) is a network representing and supporting BIAs across Ontario. They encourage and guide BIAs to increase their effectiveness, contribution to the economic, cultural and social well-being of communities. The OBIAA is a leader in the development and sharing of information, tools, training, resources and best practices. Click the button below to read the newsletter.

FIFA World Cup 2026™ Toronto Community Activation Toolkit 2.0 The City of Toronto has updated the Community Activation Toolkit with new resources. Planning an event, promotion, or community activity during FIFA World Cup 2026™? The toolkit offers simple guidance on what you can and can’t do, plus ideas to help you activate responsibly and confidently. Summer 2026 Co-op Marketing Program Information Session The FIFA World Cup 2026™ will bring increased attention to Toronto. Our Summer Regional Co-op Marketing Program focuses on converting that interest into visitation during the peak summer months.

TTC Celebrates Black History Month This year, the TTC is celebrating seven Black community leaders and changemakers, historic places and movements that have shaped Toronto’s history and identity across justice, the arts, and immigration: Weyni Mengesha, Little Jamaica, Wendy Jones of Pan Fantasy, First Baptist Church, Dudley Laws, Contrast newspaper, and the 1955-1967 West Indian Domestic Scheme. For more information on how TTC is marking the 30th anniversary of Black History Month in Canada, pl ease visit our website . Now Open: Line 5 Eglinton On February 8, TTC began a phased opening of Line 5 Eglinton. Line 5 Eglinton  is  19 kilometres of light rail transit (LRT) connecting customers along Eglinton Avenue from Mount Dennis Station in the west to Kennedy Station in the east.  Line 5 Eglinton offers convenient interchange connections to Line 1 (Yonge-University) at Cedarvale and Eglinton stations, Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth) at Kennedy Station, along with GO Transit and UP Express connections at Mount Dennis Station and GO Transit at Kennedy Station. Toronto’s newest transit line will provide customers with convenient rapid transit service across Eglinton Avenue. As part of the phased opening of Line 5, LRT service will operate nightly until 11 p.m. For more information on Line 5,  please visit our website .  For information on new bus routes and service changes to existing routes related to the opening of Line 5,  please  visit this page .

Hillcrest Village Business Improvement Area (BIA) and the City of Toronto will be constructing the public realm in front of 803 to 815 St Clair Avenue West. Proposed work to include enlarged planting area, accessible access, convenience stairs and a bench. Once constructed, the streetscape improvement will be maintained by Hillcrest Village BIA Download the notice below:

Please see the documents below for the Draft Minutes of our previous meeting and the Draft Agenda for our upcoming meeting (available 5 days before the meeting).

The Hillcrest Village Communications Team would like to feature Hillcrest Village businesses on our website and social media pages to over 1000 followers and 200 monthly website users between January 2026 and December 2026! Please complete this brief form to participate. Hillcrest Village Spotlight on St.Clair form

The post-holiday power play: 5 shopper insights for boosting your ‘Q5’ sales   As the holiday lights come down, it’s tempting for marketers to power off their campaigns and shift focus to the new year. But the data shows this is a costly mistake. The period from December 26 to mid-January, often called “Q5,” isn’t a cool down. It’s a distinct shopping season, when shoppers are more decisive, engaged, and ready to spend than at almost any other time of the year. If you’re winding down, you may be leaving money on the table. Here are five holiday shopper insights that prove why you need to stay engaged during the post-holiday rush — and how you can respond to demand. 1. Purchase intent is at its peak During Q5, shoppers are in “buy mode” and browsing with a high intent to convert. In fact, shoppers are most likely to buy after the holidays: 87% of their shopping occasions end in a purchase. 1 And post-holiday shoppers are even more likely to make a purchase than those shopping in the peak holiday window. 2 How to respond Run always-on campaigns to capture intent across the extended season, so your brand is present with offers to meet shoppers wherever they are in their most decisive moments. Ensure discoverability on Search, Discover, and AI Overviews by keeping Merchant Center feeds and structured data accurate. Source: Google-commissioned Ipsos Holiday Shopping Study, AU, BR, CA, FR, DE, MX, U.K., U.S., online survey, consumers 18+ who conducted holiday shopping activities in the past two days, n=21,463 holiday purchases, Oct. 10, 2024–Jan. 8, 2025. 2. Q5 shoppers are spending more on bigger carts When shoppers buy during Q5, they aren’t just picking up one small item. They are actively spending more and filling their carts. Consider this: Shoppers report their holiday spending peaks after December 25. 3 And after December 25, shoppers buy more items across more categories than at any other time during the holidays. 4 How to respond Make your marketing direct with strong calls to action, specific product ads, clear pricing, and a frictionless checkout process to capture demand and increase the average order value. Use new loyalty features to reward and reconnect with your most valuable customers by offering members-only pricing and services. 3. The path to purchase is highly engaged and more complex During Q5, shoppers are using more resources and taking more actions than at any other point in the season. 5 This marks the seasonal peak for omnichannel behavior, and the complexity is staggering. Half of consumers are navigating between at least 10 different online and offline touchpoints in any given 48-hour window. 6 How to respond Multichannel presence is critical, so ensure your brand is visible and consistent across platforms. Connect your online and in-store experiences with features like local inventory ads and “buy online, pick up in store” to serve these sophisticated shoppers. 4. Q5 shoppers are self-gifting and gift-giving While the post-holiday Q5 period may be famous for “treat yourself” shopping, gifting to others doesn’t stop. Even after the holidays, buying for others is the top reason to shop; 74% of post-holiday shopping occasions are for someone else. 7 Meanwhile, self-gifting continues as 60% of shoppers say they’ll browse online for things they’re interested in buying during the post-holiday period. 8 How to respond Create campaigns for shoppers using new gift cards or holiday money to “treat themselves.” Your messaging can cater to multiple intents. Run ads in parallel that focus on “belated gifts” or “finding the perfect something” for those still buying for others. 5. Google and YouTube usage spikes When it’s time to make a final decision, shoppers turn to trusted sources to research, review, and validate their choices. This is where Search and YouTube play a crucial role. Search is the no. 1 way shoppers confirm facts like quality and durability, good reviews and ratings, and brand reputation. 9 And, according to a 2024 Traackr survey in the U.S., YouTube was ranked as the no. 1 choice for product reviews and product information by all consumers, including millennials and Gen Zs. 10 When it’s time to make a purchase, shopping on Google and YouTube is strong all season but surges to a peak after December 25, when 84% of holiday shoppers are using Google or YouTube to shop. 11 How to respond Sync your Merchant Center product feed to eligible YouTube campaigns, and feature your in-stock products to maximize promotional impact. Tap into the content that your customers are already watching by extending your creator partnerships into Q5 or leveraging the cultural moments of the season like sports . Source: Google-commissioned Ipsos Holiday Shopping Study, AU, BR, CA, FR, DE, MX, U.K., U.S., online survey, consumers 18+ who conducted holiday shopping activities in the past two days, n=37,15 holiday purchases, Oct. 10, 2024–Jan. 8, 2025. The post-holiday rush isn’t an afterthought; it’s a distinct, high-value season when shoppers are actively looking to buy. By understanding these behaviors, you can tailor your holiday strategy to meet them where they are, capture their high intent, and start 2026 with strong sales performance.

Please join us for our Virtual Board Meetings on the second Wednesday (unless specified) of every month at 11am. Wednesday, January 14 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82402900476 Wednesday, February 11 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82402900476   Wednesday, March 11 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82402900476   Wednesday, April 8 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82402900476   Wednesday, May 13th https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82402900476   Wednesday, June 10 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82402900476   Wednesday, July 8 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82402900476   Wednesday, August 12   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82402900476   Wednesday, September 9   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82402900476 Wednesday, October 14 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82402900476    November Annual General Meeting: Tuesday November 12th 7pm Wednesday, December 9   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82402900476   November Annual General Meeting If you are having technical issues, Please call Zariah at 905-460-5775. Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZYpd-uhrjsuHdIHyiium2Ra3OMHY9PFXbKw/ics?icsToken=DLj8dkd9ynJwk3YoRAAALAAAABLok6zjNb2Gq-HdThtVPB_n7HJfc6SuE_yC0HYj-odQWcJ2jfej8iVYFicxE3UG_hfCnux24tD-k6unUTAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=lOzn5fZVSvOCNz5oGVVbcg

Drive your business forward with Save on Energy incentives of up to $3,000 for eligible lighting equipment and up to $2,500 for eligible non-lighting equipment. The Save on Energy Small Business Program is designed to help small businesses across Ontario make equipment improvements to reduce their energy consumption, at no cost to their business. Leveraging the success of the former Small Business Lighting program, this new and improved program offers small businesses direct-install incentives on an expanded range of equipment – both lighting and non-lighting. An investment in energy-efficient equipment upgrades is an investment in enhancing your customers’ experience, employee satisfaction and your bottom line. Save time and money when you participate in the Small Business program. Eligibility Businesses with an operating capacity of 50 or fewer employees. Participants in the former Save on Energy Small Business Lighting program, Refrigeration Efficiency program, Business Refrigeration Incentive program, and RTUsaver program may be eligible for certain upgrades. Businesses that have previously participated and received funding may qualify to receive additional upgrades at no cost. Learn more in the eligibility section of the FAQs . Businesses that participated in a Save on Energy program before April 1, 2019 are still eligible to apply to the Small Business Program and may receive the full $3,000 in incentives for lighting and $2,500 for non-lighting equipment. Note: Certain upgrades that exceed $3,000 for lighting measures and $2,500 for non-lighting measures may qualify for additional incentives (refer to the Eligible Measures List for all upgrades available)

he Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) is committed to supporting Black entrepreneurs and the organizations that help them grow their businesses.   The Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund is now open in southern Ontario. Originally launched in 2021, the BEP Ecosystem Fund aims to strengthen Black-led not-for-profit organizations across Canada that provide essential business advisory services to Black entrepreneurs.   The Government of Canada’s Ecosystem Fund is a core component of the BEP, a national initiative that will invest nearly $190 million over the next five years, which aims to break down barriers and create opportunities for Black entrepreneurs. It also strengthens the Black entrepreneurship ecosystem by supporting Black-led not-for-profit organizations to deliver high-impact business services from mentorship, networking, financial planning, business training, outreach and capacity building.   With funding through 2030, we will support Black-led not-for-profit organizations in empowering Black entrepreneurs and business owners across southern Ontario and support their long-term success – helping to contribute to a stronger Canadian economy.   Since its launch in 2020, the BEP Ecosystem Fund has helped more than 16,000 Black entrepreneurs across Canada.   FedDev Ontario is  hosting 2 upcoming technical briefings via Microsoft Teams. The briefings will provide you, your stakeholders and network partners with information about the Fund and will review the program objectives and the application process. To attend a live technical briefing, please register via one of the following links:   November 4, 2025, 2:00-3:00pm:  Register November 12, 2025, 2:00-3:00pm:  Register   For more information on the program guidelines and how to apply, please visit the FedDev Ontario website: BEP Ecosystem Fund . We encourage you to share this information with your networks. You are also welcome to use our promotion kit to publish content of your own to help spread the word.   Kind regards, Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario   ******   Good morning,   The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) is committed to supporting Black entrepreneurs and Black-led organizations that help them grow their businesses.   Applications to the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund are now being accepted in Southern Ontario. Originally launched in 2021, the BEP Ecosystem Fund aims to strengthen Black-led non-profit organizations across Canada that provide critical advisory services to Black entrepreneurs.   The Government of Canada’s Ecosystem Fund is a key component of the National Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Program (NEEP), a national initiative that will invest nearly $190 million over the next five years to remove barriers and create opportunities for Black entrepreneurs. It also strengthens the Black entrepreneurship ecosystem and supports Black-led non-profit organizations in providing high-impact business services, including mentorship, networking, training, financial planning, business education, outreach, and capacity building.   With funding through 2030, we will support Black-led non-profit organizations to support entrepreneurs and business owners in these communities throughout Southern Ontario and foster their long-term success, thereby helping to strengthen the Canadian economy.   Since its launch in 2020, the PECN Ecosystem Fund has helped more than 16,000 Black entrepreneurs across Canada.   FedDev Ontario is hosting two technical briefing sessions on Microsoft Teams, which will provide you, your stakeholders, and your network partners with information about the Fund and will outline the program objectives and application process. To attend a live technical briefing, please register by clicking on one of the following links:   November 4, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Registration November 12, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Registration   For more information on program guidelines and how to apply, please visit the FedDev Ontario website: PECN Ecosystem Fund .   We encourage you to share this information with your networks. You can also use our promotional kit to publish your own content to help spread the word.