The first section contains a condensed glossary of business terms and articles on various topics created by the staff and advisors at the BDC. Please check back regularly for postings of new articles.
The second section contains listings of: a) excellent small business resources on the Web; b) online resources that provide dictionaries, detailed business glossaries, grammar and style guides and other reference materials.
The third section provides specific information for small business articles on a particular website, arranged by subject. For each article we've provided the title, the URL and the introductory paragraph.
We are constantly updating our links and adding new resources. Visit us regularly!
Click on the links below to access resources and resource topics.
Articles of the Week
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When your business
becomes your life I recently lost a longtime client, who was also a dear friend and valuable mentor, to prostate cancer. He was 52 years old and left behind his wife and two children. The other day I learned that another good friend was found to have skin cancer that had progressed to the point where he had to have glands removed. He was so busy running his company, he didn’t notice the moles that had started to look different. My friend is only 38 years old. More...
Entrepreneurs
face challenges of starting a small business
Launch a product like Barnes & Noble
10 things to do before launching your
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Video/Slide Show What is document management and what's its value? Interview with technology expert David Spark, founder of Spark Media Solutions, on how to optimize your document storage by doing it digitally. More... |
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Blog 4 actually useful books every small business should read As an author, one of the things that I have learned in the process of writing my book is that there are only four types of books that any businessperson ever buys. If you value your time (and we all do), then your ultimate goal should be to try and increase the number of books that you buy that fit into the fourth category, "actually useful". More... |
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Podcast
The number one reason why businesses underperform Have you ever noticed how detrimental “silent problems” can become? Things unspoken - they tend to eat away at people, situations and even business. One man has recognized how silent problems, problems that are being avoided, neglected and going unnoticed, are negatively impacting small businesses in very profound ways. Rod Johnson, Speaker, Executive Business Coach and Author of “Without Warning: Breakthrough Strategies for Solving the Silent Problems Taking Aim at Your Organization,” shares how business owners can significantly improve their organizations performance - by simply identifying and then resolving the silent problems that lie within. More... |
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Featured Resource CanadaOne press release builder This 5-part online tool will teach you how to write and distribute a press release. More... |
Business Continuity Planning
Your business is your livelihood. In the event of an emergency, are you prepared to be able to operate your business with as little disruption and hardship for yourself, your family and your employees as possible? Every business should have a Continuity Plan, which covers all the bases needed to ensure your enterprise's survival, avoid health hazards and meet your various obligations. You'll need to identify the components necessary to continue operating: personnel, data/information protection and retrieval, equipment, financial concerns, and protection of your place of business. We've prepared a general summary about creating a Continuity Plan and identified some resources for additional information.
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Business Data Protection |
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Article: Data Backup is the Best Data Protection |
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Business IT Guide (click on "Technology Area", then "Security & data") |
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Article: Protecting Your Data, Protecting Your Business |
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Dell Data Archiving Tips |
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Business Insurance |
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Article: Do You Have the Business Insurance You Need? |
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Insurance Bureau of Canada - Business Insurance |
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Insurance Canada - small business |
Local Government Services
(through Service Canada)
Niagara Falls Centre
St. Catharines Centre
Welland Centre
Web Resources
Registering Your Business
a) You can perform a business name search and register your business locally at the Ontario Information Centre - MTO Building, 301 St. Paul St., 1st Floor (905-704-2111)
b) Online registration is possible directly at the Service Ontario website:
click here to access this service.
BizPal
BizPaL is an online service that allows you, the entrepreneur or business owner, a central place to find all the permit and licence information needed to start or grow your business. Follow the simple question and answer wizard to answer questions about what activities you would like to do to start your business. You will generate a complete list of needed permits and licences from the municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government in one place.
Niagara Region (municipality site)
Regional Niagara was formed in 1970 by joining two former counties, Lincoln and Welland, to ensure that all of its residents would have access to municipal services so important to our workplace, home and family. We have a dedicated staff of experienced public service professionals who work diligently at delivering on that mandate. We welcome you to our website and encourage you take some time to get to know us.
Snap St. Catharines
Welcome to SNAP St. Catharines. We are your definitive monthly source for a captivating view of the many community events, celebrations, business gatherings and general daily life in St. Catharines.
YourNiagara
YourNiagara.ca
is a community portal for the residents of Niagara. It is
the “virtual doorway” through which residents can access
information about the Niagara community as well as
designated municipal services – all accessible day or night.
