Business Resources

Buckhorn District Tourist Association and Welcome Centre

The Buckhorn District Tourism Association is a non-profit organization to help promote businesses and tourism in Buckhorn and the surrounding area.

Membership benefits:

• Free listing in annual Tourist Guide publication.
• Free listing on website with link to your business.
• Free display of your brochures in Tourist Welcome Centre with referrals from staff.
• Free promotion at trade shows in Canada and United States.
• Referrals from other members to your business.
• Receive legislative changes that may affect your business.
• Network and round table discussion of concerns and ideas.
• Opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors.
• Receive copies of Board of Directors meetings and guest attend anytime.
• Annual Meeting and Dinner.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce

Through its many varied programs, events, and activities, the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce advances and promotes the well-being and interests of local businesses and communities they serve.

Chamber members have access to an Employee Benefits Group Insurance program plan that is totally customizable to their needs. Our medical, dental and disability plans are affordable – even if you are a company of one.

Chamber tools can make a big difference to your bottom line. Save on gasoline through Esso, email marketing and social media training for you and your staff through Constant Contact, and more!

Business Advisory Centre (BAC)

The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre is often an entrepreneur's first point of contact with the business support community.

The Business Advisory Centre can help your business venture succeed with one-on-one advisory meetings to discuss your challenges, free workshops, networking events, meeting space rentals, and more business resources.

They provide confidential and complimentary support services for clients in the City and County of Peterborough.

• Knowledgeable team helps people of every age at every stage of starting, growing, or acquiring a business.
• Services, consultations, tools, and resources are offered free of charge in order to help startups and small businesses succeed.
• In addition to one-on-one consultations they also offer program workshops and webinars, e-Learning, and services that assist in starting a business or growing a business.

Canada starting a business sources

Community Futures Peterborough

Community Futures Peterborough is supported by the Government of Canada and managed by a local volunteer Board of Directors.

Community Futures Peterborough helps small and medium businesses access services and capital, enhances the local economic and employment growth through community-based planning and economic development initiatives. Their interest rates on loans are much lower than banks and more flexible repayment plans. 

• Make an appointment with one of their team members to talk about where you want to be and what they can do to get you there.

Kinds of support:

• Financial,
• counselling, and
• business development.
• Will help you find out which of their services is the best fit for you. 

Employment and Planning Peterborough (EPC)

If you have a job available

If you are licensed to operate in Ontario and provide employment in Ontario then

Employment and Planning Peterborough offers the following services

• Supports small, medium and large business in the hiring of a diversified and stable workforce.
• Can tailor services to suite your business needs providing as much or as little support as you need.

If you are seeking a job

There are a range of services and programs to assist you, whether you are looking for your first job, your next job or your dream job, they are here to help.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED)

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development is the lead regional economic development agency for the City and the County of Peterborough.

They work collaboratively with local stakeholders, to attract, retain and support businesses, investors, entrepreneurs, and visitors to nurture growth opportunities, and foster continued development of a vibrant, prosperous community with quality and sustainable jobs.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development offers customized support and solutions for local business retention and expansion including:

• Site selection.
• Facilitating funding and incentive programs.
• Developing strategies and opportunities for export.
• Assistance navigating regulatory processes.
• Supporting infrastructure development.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism (PKT)

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism is a division of Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development, and the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for the City and the County of Peterborough.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism provides industry leadership and destination marketing services to attract visitors to the region.

They are a not-for-profit, partnership-based organization with the objectives of promoting destination experiences, increasing visitation and economic impact for the industry, partners and community.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism promotes all tourism businesses in the region, and has over 400 registered tourism partners who are profiled on their website.

Kawartha Choice Farm Fresh - farms, markets, local food and drink sources

Kawartha Choice Farm Fresh is an online resource for local agriculture experiences, local food producers and restaurants wanting to feature local choices. The website includes local farm gates, farms, and local retailers and restaurants that feature locally produced food and drink. 

The website is available for any business that produces, serves or showcases local food or products and provides an online map. There are also a number of useful other agriculture based resource links on the website. 

An excellent free method of getting your produce or agri-products marketed. Members also can connect with programs, supports and a like minded business community. 

Peterborough Farms at Work and Peterborough Farm Fresh

Farms at Work offers a place to meet, learn, share, and explore for farmers in Durham, Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough, Northumberland, Haliburton and Hastings to promote healthy and active farmland in east central Ontario. 

Support and help to attract to farmers to the area. Host various agriculture events, workshops, mentorship, internship and other opportunities. 

They also offer a directory for Peterborough farms, farm gates and stand, and a variety of products through their Peterborough Farm Fresh listing. 

Regional Tourism Organization 8 (RTO8)

Regional Tourism Organization 8 is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries to promote regional tourism activity in the area now branded as Kawarthas Northumberland.

They provide strategic and collaborative leadership to build, sustain and grow tourism in the City and County of Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes and County of Northumberland and work closely with businesses as stakeholder partners.

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for the food, agriculture and rural sectors of Ontario.

The Ministry offers services and programs that support

• business and agriculture economic growth and opportunities in rural Ontario through their Economic Development Division,
• a competitive and productive agri-food sector,
• sustainability of agriculture, and
• provides business support to famers and rural business owners.

Ontario Small Business Access

The Ontario Small Business Access provides support, information sources and advice on how to begin and run a small business in Ontario.

 BizPaL

BizPaL is an innovative online service that provides entrepreneurs with simplified access to information about business permits, licences and other requirements needed to start, operate and grow their business from the federal, provincial/territorial and participating municipal governments.

Benefits of BizPaL

Finding out which government requirements apply to a certain business type can be time consuming and frustrating. BizPaL was created to help identify what you may require, quickly and easily.

The information you need is available from a single source; entrepreneurs spend less time dealing with red tape--saving effort and money in the process--and more time building their business. The service is the result of strong collaboration between the federal, provincial/territorial and participating municipal governments and is designed with the following benefits in mind:

• it's free to use
• it saves time
• it's available 24/7

Click here to launch BizPal

Employment Hub

Fleming Muskokas-Kawarthas Employment Services has a Peterboroughprovides free services and resources to help you:

• Government-funded training and skill development for employees
• Labour market information and job descriptions
• Accommodations in the workplace
• Job posting boards and hiring processes
• Onboarding and retention programs
• Building inclusive and diverse workplaces
• Land Acknowledgement and Indigenous resources
• *NEW* Pathway to Prosperity – find skilled workers

Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development

Helping protect workers and settle workplace disputes, supporting skilled trades, apprenticeships and employment services, attracting highly-skilled newcomers and helping people get settled in Ontario.

The Ontario Ministry of Labour has information on:

• Employment standards
• Workplace health and safety
• Labour relations
• Services for job seekers
• Services for employers
• Education and career planning

Immigrate to Ontario

Go to Immigrate to Ontario

Get settled in Ontario

Everything you need to know about moving to, and settling in, Ontario.

Go to Get settled in Ontario

Small Business health and safety requirements

Through the Ontario Health and Safety for Small Business portal you will learn about your responsibilities as a small business employer and how to get help keeping your staff trained and your workplace safe. 

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), small business employers have many of the same duties as any other employer, including the following:

• to do everything they reasonably can to protect their workers in each situation
• to inform, instruct and supervise workers to protect their health and safety
• to make sure that every worker and supervisor takes the required training, including basic occupational health and safety awareness training, and keep records of that training