Our goal at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade is clear: to grow our economy for the benefit of all Ontarians.

To accomplish that we encourage and support businesses of all sizes, and help them innovate and compete in today’s fast changing global economy.

We also work hard to attract new growth and investment to the province and to promote Ontario goods and services abroad.

When Ontario-based businesses succeed, we all win.

Building a strong, sustainable economy

The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade is an active partner in helping medium-size enterprises and large corporations succeed.

We know how hard you’ve worked to get to where you are now and how challenging it is to stay competitive in today’s global marketplace.

Like you, we know your future success depends on innovation—on adopting new technologies and processes and training your workers for the demands of the 21st century.

Attracting investment and jobs. Selling Ontario to the world.

At the International Trade and Investment Division we’re building on Ontario’s international reputation as an ideal location for foreign investment and a source of innovative, high quality products and services.

Ontario provides the people, the resources and the location that are essential for success in today’s competitive economy. That’s why leading corporations from all industries—multinationals like Toyota, Northrop Grumman, Messier-Dowty, Siemens, Koei and AstraZeneca—have chosen to locate in here.
And it’s also why companies from all over the world are turning to Ontario-based firms for innovative products and services that help them stay ahead of the competition in an ever-changing business environment.

Find out more about how we can help you grow your business in Ontario or supply you with leading-edge solutions.

Starting and growing small and medium sized businesses.

Helping new and existing small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) grow and prosper is what we do at the Small and Medium Enterprises Division.

More than 99% of all businesses in Ontario are SMEs. They employ nearly 2.9 million Ontarians and account for $250 billion in annual economic activity. That makes their success vital to Ontario’s economy.
If you’ve got a good idea for a business or you’re interested in buying a business or a franchise, we can help you get started with information on how to evaluate your idea, prepare your business plan, access financing, register your business name and determine the government forms you’ll need. We can also provide important information on hiring and training staff, and marketing your business. 
If you’re already in business, we can help you expand by showing you how to assess how you’re doing, develop a new business plan and new sales and marketing strategies, and go after new financing.
Whatever stage you’re at we recommend you read our publication Your Guide to Small Business. It’s a timely resource that identifies the steps you need to take before, during and after launching a business—and directs you to the help you need at each stage.

We also encourage you to visit Canada Business and to take advantage of the many tools we’ve assembled that can facilitate your start-up and business growth.