Starting or growing a business? 

BDC® Small Business Week is an annual celebration of entrepreneurship and a time to celebrate the hard work, innovation, and resilience of entrepreneurs.



Did you know the City of St. John’s provides a business information service to help entrepreneurs navigate the regulatory process, provide connections to business and financing resources and economic and demographic data? If you're an entrepreneur or someone looking to start or grow your business in St. John's, the Business Information Centre (BIC) has many supports and tools available to you.

Our Starting a Business in St. John’s guide provides a brief overview of the regulations and permits about starting a business.

The BIC also collects and distributes a variety of economic and statistical information that can be useful for business planning purposes, such as: neighbourhood demographic profiles and annual, mid-year and monthly economic updates.

The City often partners with community/industry associations to offer information sessions. This year in recognition of Small Business Week, we’re hosting Office Hours with Metro Business Opportunities, a drop-in event to support those who are thinking about starting or growing a business in St. John’s. Metro Business Opportunities will be on hand to provide information about their financing programs, supports and services, including the Newcomer Loan Program. No registration required.



Date: October 22, 2024

Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Location: Business Information Centre, 348 Water Street   

Entrepreneurs are encouraged to take advantage of these resources as they contribute to the vibrancy and resilience of the St. John's economy.

Get in touch. We’re here to help. Connect with us: 709-576-8107 or business@stjohns.ca.

My New St. John's Expo

The My New St. John’s Expo is an opportunity for newcomers to St. John’s to connect with their community, as agencies and organizations come together to help newcomers integrate and feel welcomed. It’s also a great place to meet other newcomers who are sharing similar experiences. The Expo takes place October 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the St. John’s Community Market, 245 Freshwater Road. Admission is free!

City accepting submissions to art procurement program

The City of St. John’s is now accepting submissions to the Art Procurement Program. Individual visual artists and commercial galleries are invited to submit their artwork for an opportunity to be purchased and included in the City’s Civic Art Collection.

The Civic Art Collection is displayed in City Hall and other municipal buildings, enhancing public spaces and contributing to the city’s cultural landscape.

This year, the total budget for the program is $20,000. All submissions must be sent via email to arts@stjohns.ca and received no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, October 25, 2024.

Click here for further details, including the submission form.

A boost for new business: Futurpreneur raises loan amounts for young entrepreneurs

Futurpreneur, a national non-profit providing financing and mentoring to aspiring young entrepreneurs (age 18-39), is increasing the maximum loan amount for their Core, Black Entrepreneur Startup, and Indigenous Entrepreneur Startup programs from $60,000 to $75,000. Futurpreneur is also expanding their eligibility criteria to include entrepreneurs who’ve been in business for up to 24 months, doubling the previous limit of 12 months.

For the Enhanced Side Hustle Loan Program, the loan maximum is raised to $25,000 and extending the term to five years, with interest-only payments in the first year. This will provide even more flexibility as they balance growing their businesses with other responsibilities—all with the support of a dedicated mentor. If you know any entrepreneurs who could benefit from these new offerings, please encourage them to apply. For more details, you can read Futurpreneur’s Press Release.

Health Tech and Bio Tech Ecosystem Action Plan

Following engagement with stakeholders, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has released its HealthTech and BioTech Ecosystem Action Plan. The Action Plan presents a vision of a HealthTech/BioTech sector that supports innovative technologies, accelerates access, invests in research and development, enhances coordination and collaboration, and supports companies to develop locally and employ highly qualified people to grow and scale their opportunities globally. The Action Plan will provide a path forward to guide the ongoing growth of this sector in Newfoundland and Labrador. 

ExxonMobil Canada donates $10M to College of the North Atlantic's climate change programs

ExxonMobil Canada has donated $10 million to the College of the North Atlantic (CNA) to go toward their climate change and sustainability programs. The sustainability and climate change programs include training for wind turbine and hydrogen technicians. Both certifications launched last September. Next year, the college will offer training for solar photovoltaic installation. CNA’s vision for its climate change and sustainability programming spans the entire college community, focusing on five core objectives; Teaching and Training, Applied Research, Partnerships, Outreach and Student Activities. Find out more at: cna.nl.ca.