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Digital Service Squad member meets with a small business owner

Digital Main Street

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We can provide and direct you to a variety of useful resources that will help you adapt your business services, sales and marketing efforts to the digital climate. The Digital Main Street programs can help you grow your digital presence.

Digital Main Street

Digital Main Street is a collaborative initiative administered by the Ontario BIA Association (OBIAA), in partnership with the Province of Ontario, and the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Area’s (TABIA). The program is delivered locally by the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre, and offers comprehensive and free support services, training and grants to help grow your business online.

Participating businesses can complete a free digital assessment, receive a personalized to-do list with recommendations on how to reach their goals, and access a list of digital product and service providers who are offering exclusive discounts.

Digital Transformation Grants

Digital Main Street's Digital Transformation Grants provide qualifying brick-and-mortar small businesses with a digital assessment, online training and a one-time $2,500 grant to implement their Digital Transformation Plan.

New participant requirements (as of July 19, 2021)

  • Businesses must have a permanent brick-and-mortar establishment in Ontario. Businesses no longer need to be located within a zone commercial core or main street area.
  • Businesses must employ between 1-50 employees.
  • Businesses must not previously received a Digital Transformation Grant.
  • Businesses must pay commercial tax, either directly or indirectly through their lease/rent.

learn more 

ShopHERE online stores

Digital Main Street's ShopHERE program helps independent small businesses and artists by:

  • Creating and configuring your own online store
  • Training you to manage it
  • Providing support to get your online store live
  • Helping to market your online store

Eligible participants include businesses with under 10 full-time employees (25 if a restaurant), must be registered in Ontario, can be a business or artist, and can be a home based or commercial business.

learn more 

Digital Service Squad

Since 2019, the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre has delivered Digital Main Street's Digital Service Squad program, providing one-on-one supports to businesses in Windsor and Essex County. The Digital Service Squad provides businesses with free digital transformation consulting and support such as:

  • A digital assessment of a business’ digital literacy
  • Access to a free online video-based digital transformation training program
  • Website – review, updating, creation, best practices
  • Social Media – support, best practices, advertising, and more
  • Technology – support and guidance for the best options of technology tools to implement for your business
  • Miscellaneous digital transformation support – loyalty programs, point of sale systems, e-commerce, back-end business operations support

*The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre's Digital Service Squad supports eligible storefront small businesses located in Windsor and Essex County. Businesses located within the Uptown Leamington BIA are supported through a separate Digital Service Squad and should contact their local BIA coordinator for assistance.

How We Can Help
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      Toggle Section Programs and Financial Support Menu
      • Booster Loan
      • Digital Main Street
      • Foodpreneur Advantage
      • Growing Creative Careers
      • RE3: Rebuild, Reopen, Revive
      • Reinvent This Space Leamington
      • Sandwich Business Development Program
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      • Regional Programs and Supports
    • Training and Seminars
    • Women Entrepreneurship Strategy

Let's Talk

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Windsor Office:

119 Chatham St. W, Unit 100
Windsor, ON N9A 5M7

519-253-6900
Email Us

Essex Office:

39 Maidstone Ave East, Unit 5
Essex, ON N8M 2J3

519-253-6900
Email Us

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