The Town of Smiths Falls is committed to supporting the growth needs of existing businesses and assisting potential business investors with new initiatives. The proximity of Smiths Falls to larger centres, such as Ottawa and Kingston, and good transportation linkages make it an attractive, strategic location for business owners.

Starting a business in Smiths Falls provides some financial advantages, attractive lease rates and water hookup fees are low. Moreover, downtown businesses may benefit from the Town’s Community Improvement Plan (CIP), which provides property owners and tenants with financial incentives to invest in their business. Programs under the CIP include tax-based increment grants, matching grants for interior and exterior property improvements, and reductions in planning and permit fees.

Aspiring entrepreneurs wanting to establish a business in Smiths Falls will also find a good quality of life with a variety of services and amenities, a well-planned infrastructure, and a highly skilled labour force.

The Town of Smiths Falls Department of Economic Development is pleased to offer its assistance and expertise to prospective or existing businesses.

Julia Crowder
Economic Development and Tourism Manager

jcrowder@smithsfalls.ca

613-283-4124 ext 1107

The Small Business Advisory Centre -Smiths Falls/Lanark County is co-located with Valley Heartland Community Futures Development Corporation, County of Lanark Economic Development, in the Regional Centre for Business Development.

The Small Business Advisory Centre is an initiative of the Ministry of Economic Development Job Creation and Trade, in partnership with the Town of Smiths Falls and funding support from the County of Lanark. The geographic area includes all of Lanark County, the Town of Smiths Falls and northern portions of the Townships of Elizabethtown-Kitley, Rideau Lakes and Merrickville-Wolford. Entrepreneurs outside of this area are welcome to use the centre as well, provided they are planning to open or have an existing business in Ontario.

A business advisor is available by appointment to meet with you. We can help you with your questions about small business and provide you with the information you need to get your business going and keep it running smoothly and profitably. We are very resourceful, if there are questions that we can’t answer we can steer you to various other sources for more specialized information.

Cindy James
Small Business Advisory Centre (Smiths Falls/Lanark County)
91 Cornelia Street W. Entrance B
Smiths Falls, ON
K7A 5L3
613-283-0062

cjames@smallbizcentre.ca

www.smallbizcentre.ca

To join us on Facebook:
http://facebook.com/smallbizcentre

ontrac Employment Resource Services has been supporting Employers & Businesses in the Smiths Falls community since 2002.  Funded in part by the Government of Ontario and the Federal Government, ontrac Employment Resource services delivers Employment Ontario programs to local employers to assist with their hiring and training needs.  Job Matching, Placement and Incentives (JMPI) aims to help individuals obtain career-related work experience, helps employers to find employees for jobs they are trying to fill, and provides recruitment supports such as job matching, resume screening, job posting, job fairs, etc.  In some cases, wage incentives are provided to employers who hire and help individuals transition into the labour force.

The Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG) supports skills training for individual(s) that meets the workforce development needs of employers.  Training supported through the Grant is driven by employer demand and must be directly related to the skills that meet their workforce development needs.  Employers may be eligible to receive up to $10,000 per trainee, as reimbursement for training costs.  This program is intended to support employers in taking a greater role in workforce development.

For more information or to see how ontrac can support your business please call, email or drop in to see us!

52 Abbott Street North, Unit 2, Smiths Falls
Phone: 613-283-6978
Email: smithsfalls@getontrac.ca
Website: www.getontrac.ca

Valley Heartland supports businesses within Lanark County + North Leeds by providing access to capital and support through localized financing, grant funding, learning and development and advisory. A key part of our mandate is community economic development.

We work alongside community leaders and stakeholders to create plans and implement projects that support business, cultivate partnerships and build strong communities in the region.

Complimentary consultations provide guidance based on individual business financing needs and entrepreneurial strategy; deep dives to explore and evaluate core choices to translate your business ideas into a reality.

Hours:
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Amber Coville
Regional Economic Development Officer
amber.coville@valleycfdc.com
613-283-7002 ext 110

91 Cornelia St W,
Smiths Falls, ON
K7A 5L3

Downtown Business Association (DBA)

The Downtown Smiths Falls Business Association (DSFBA) is a local Board of the municipality working in partnership with the Town of Smiths Falls to advocate on behalf of a clearly defined area; in our case, Downtown Smiths Falls! Primarily managed by property owners and tenants, we are an important team of business community representatives dedicated to the beautification, promotion, maintenance and overall success of Downtown Smiths Falls. 

Although we advocate on behalf of a clearly defined business area, our mission is an important one to the entire Smiths Falls community. Research continuously supports that the health of a Town is inextricably linked to the health of its downtown. With an overarching goal of achieving a collective good in Downtown Smiths Falls, the DSFBA provides the funding and personnel needed to advance a vibrant and resilient business district and actively enhance the quality of life in our local community. 

Want to know more? Get in touch! 

Email: dba@smithsfalls.ca 

Phone: 613.283.4124 ext. 1114 

Website: www.downtownsmithsfalls.ca 

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DowntownSmithsFalls

and Instagram @DowntownSmithsFalls 

Smiths Falls & District Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber of Commerce was established in 1889 as the voice of business in Smiths Falls.

The Chamber is a non-profit, membership based organization that works to enhance economic development and prosperity by providing advocacy, networking, and visibility.

During the Covid-19 pandemic the Chamber was very responsive to the evolving and changing needs of our business community. Several initiatives were undertaken to provide support. The Chamber was the proud recipient of the 2020 EDCO Community Economic Development Award for our SF Local Subscription Boxes.

Smiths Falls is home to a diverse network of businesses and ideally situated in the heart of the Rideau Canal. We’re home to Canopy Growth, Canada’s largest cannabis producer; and the addition of Le Boat has allowed us to welcome visitors from around the world. 

Our vast network of already established businesses include leaders in construction, industrial engineering, and food processing. During Covid-19 we experienced immense growth with the addition of 15+ new retail and dining locations. The recent changes in our downtown core have modernized and revitalized our shopping and dining district. 

We invite you to visit Smiths Falls and encourage you to consider Smiths Falls as your home for doing business. Whether you are starting a new business, looking for a second location or relocating, we have the infrastructure and resources to help you.

Our local partnering agencies can play a vital role in ensuring you have access to the tools and resources you need to start, grow and expand your business. 

To find out more about joining the Chamber, please visit us at www.smithsfallschamber.com/join/

Email: info@smithsfallschamber.ca

Smiths Falls Community Improvement Grant Program

The Town of Smiths Falls offers a range of financial assistance program to support business and community growth. Grant and rebate programs include Facade and Landscaping, Building Renovations, Accessibility, New Housing, Brownfield redevelopment etc.  Learn more about the program.

Ontario Business Grants

Ontario Business Grants is the largest directory of government grants for Ontario businesses and maintain a comprehensive guide that includes a complete, up-to-date list of grants and detailed information on loans, tax credits & more resources for Ontario businesses.

View the Small Business Grants Ontario: Complete Funding Guide

MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund

Grants Ontario provides you with one-window access to information about grants that are available to you, how to apply for grants and how to check the status of your application.

We provide project and operating grants to:

• Arts and cultural groups and other members of creative industries.
• Public libraries, community museums, heritage organizations and historical societies. Three museum advisors, one conservation advisor and one historical resources consultant offer specialized advisory services to these grant recipients and other Ontario museums and heritage groups. Their services include site visits, training workshops and printed material such as a Museum Notes series.
• Tourism associations, economic development corporations, municipalities, festivals and events, tourism businesses and organizations interested in undertaking tourism-related initiatives which support industry development and increased visitation.

Celebrate Ontario

• Celebrate Ontario grants help create jobs and grow local economies across the province, supporting new and improved experiences that attract tourists and boost visitor spending. Click the link to find out more about the Celebrate Ontario program.

Tourism Growth Program in southern Ontario (canada.ca). 

• Eligible activities

  Eligible projects should provide added value to existing activities in the tourism industry and focus on business and economic growth. Priority may be given to projects that:

  • support the Indigenous tourism industry
  • increase tourism benefits for communities by driving visitation from urban areas to rural areas
  • support economic, environmental and cultural sustainability
  • support active outdoor experiences
  • extend the tourism season (e.g., new or expanded tourism offerings outside of the traditional high season)
  • complement support provided through provincial programs
    • Please click on the link above to see program details
   

FedDev Ontario delivers programs and services to support innovation and economic growth in southern Ontario—Canada's most populous region. See what FedDev Ontario Grants support.