Small business

The concentration of corporate power in Canada can be traced back to the antiquated objectives of our nation’s competition policy. Our submission to the government’s review of the Competition Act provides sharp critiques and recommendations on a path forward.

Small, independent businesses are the backbone of our economy. Unfortunately, they’ve become harder to start and struggle to compete with large chains. We’ve been inspired by owner-owned cooperatives that help small businesses thrive.

The story of the Rate Drop Rebate pilot, including key milestones, successes, dilemmas, insights and lessons learned. The Rate Drop Rebate was a unique partnership that brought SCP together with financial institutions, publicly funded employment service providers and the Government to reduce unfair barriers to employment and help grow the province’s small and mid-sized businesses.

Ontario is launching an innovative partnership with financial institutions to help businesses in London grow and increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities and facing other barriers. Through the new Rate Drop Rebate program, small- and medium-sized businesses that hire eligible people can receive discounted rates on financial products, such as loans. The rebate is made possible through funding from Ontario's two-year, $4-million Community Loans Fund.

Rate Drop Rebate™ pilot is expected to significantly impact those facing barriers to employment include students with limited work experience, long-term unemployed, older unemployed, people with disabilities, newcomers to Canada and unemployed Indigenous persons. The program aims to generate up to 1,100 new employment opportunities.

Ontario is partnering with leading financial institutions to build on Social Capital Partners existing loan program and create a fund aimed at increasing employment opportunities for people facing employment barriers.

The Partnership Council champions the hiring of people with disabilities and provides strategic advice to the Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure to enhance employment opportunities for Ontarians with disabilities.

Social Capital Partners announces innovative collaboration with the Government of Ontario designed to explore a novel social finance approach that provides employment opportunities for people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations.

Social Capital Partners collaborates with Ontario government’s Office of Social Enterprise to explore a pay-for-performance model that will increase access to employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, new Canadians and other traditionally disadvantaged groups.

Canada’s approach to training and development needs reform. Billions of dollars are spent annually on job training and skills development, with limited evidence of lasting benefits. Most problematic, employers’ talent needs (i.e., actual skills demand) are not formally embedded in the process of determining how or where money is spent, leaving a fundamental disconnect between demand for skills and the investments being made by governments.