A recent investment from both the provincial and federal governments that will assist businesses in enhancing their online presence has the Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce executive director quite happy.
“We were thrilled when we heard the news,” said Greg Pietersma. “The chamber identified quite early on in the COVID-19 pandemic that a lot of local businesses didn’t have a digital presence and that to give them resilience, it’s very important that they do create such a presence. Investing in a website is far more than just throwing something on the web. You want to make sure you do it right.”
The $57-million investment to the Digital Main Street platform was officially announced on Thursday and will help up to 22,900 Ontario businesses create and enhance their online presence and generate jobs for more than 1,400 students. Of the $57 million, $9.3 million will be invested in the Ottawa SouthEastern portion of Ontario.
Through the contribution, businesses will be able to take advantage of three programs within the platform — shopHERE powered by Google, Digital Main Street Grant and Future-Proofing Main Street.
According to Pietersma, there exists a need in the local business community for such assistance. A survey undertaken by the chamber earlier this year revealed that of 200 businesses quizzed, nearly 40 per cent of them did not have an online presence.
“We know that the need is there,” said Pietersma. “Every company should have an online presence of some sort, whether it’s a one-page description of what they do, or a full blown e-commerce site.”
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The executive director told the Standard-Freeholder that about four in five Canadians begin their shopping experience online and that stores lacking a website usually are not even considered by shoppers. Pietersma said he hopes that local business owners take advantage of the many grants available to them.
“There’s a lot of funding available to help businesses, such as the Digital Main Street Grant of $2,500,” he said. “I just hope that business owners take a moment to put a little bit of energy in these programs. I know a lot of them are scrambling to reopen and follow proper measures.”
The ShopHERE program will leverage Ontario’s strengths by hiring highly skilled and trained students to build and support the launch of online stores for businesses that previously did not have the capacity to do so themselves.
The Digital Main Street Grant will help main street small businesses be digitally more effective. Through a $2,500 grant administered by the Ontario BIA Association, small businesses will be able to adopt new technologies and embrace digital marketing.
The Future-Proofing Main Street program will provide specialized and in-depth digital transformation services and support that helps existing mainstreet firms adapt to changes in their sector and thrive in the new economy.
“Ontario’s small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and their recovery is critical to Ontario’s recovery,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction. “As thousands of small businesses across the province closed their doors and halted business during the COVID-19 outbreak, many struggled to shift sales or services online.”
