Thunder Bay CEDC
34 Cumberland St N P7C 5K4 Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

From all of the staff at the Thunder Bay CEDC, we wish you a safe and warm family day weekend! The office will be closed Monday, February 15 and will return to regular operating hours on Tuesday, February 16.

The mentorship within the Starter Company Plus program not only provide me with some insightful ideas to improve my marketing but also gave me so much inspiration to think outside the box more when it comes to the studio’s online presence. Heather Morgan, Owner, Morgan School of Highland Dancing To learn more about how the Starter Company Plus program can help you and your business visit: gotothunderbay.ca/startercompanyplus

Thunder Bay will welcome a new airline starting in June. "Some good news for the eventual and inevitable return of travel with the announcement this morning that Flair Airlines will begin service to Thunder Bay this June from Toronto Pearson to start with 3 x weekly 737-800 service," says Paul Pepe, Manger, Tourism Thunder Bay. "Their ultra-low-cost carrier model fills a gap in service and will be a stimulus to attract new leisure travellers to the area as well as give us a new low-cost air transportation option for sports and convention bids." Learn more by viewing the post below!

Great news for Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario's mining and exploration sector.

Meet Gayle, a partner of Northern Heights Co., a start-up business that opened this summer. Northern Heights Co. creates handmade ceramic smokeware and drinkware. Gayle recently participated in the Starter Company Plus program, successfully obtaining a $5000 grant. The grant will help Northern Heights Co. launch a marketing campaign and purchase more materials. To apply or learn more about how the Starter Company Plus program can help your business visit: www.gotothunderbay.ca/startercompanyplus

Are you looking to shift your business operations from part-time to full-time in 2021? You could be eligible for the Starter Company Plus program, designed to help growing businesses and entrepreneurs. The deadline to apply is NEXT FRIDAY, December 18th. Apply now by visiting our website: https://gotothunderbay.ca//entrep/starter-company-program/

Put your 2021 business goals into motion and start the year ahead of the game by participating in the Starter Company Plus program. Starting in early January, this six-week program will provide any entrepreneur with the right tools to turn goals into reality. The deadline to apply is December 18th apply now: https://www.thunderbay.ca//starter-company-plus-program.as

This morning the Ontario government released, Connecting the North: A Draft Transportation Plan for Northern Ontario Read their plan to build a better transportation network for Northern Ontario by clicking the link below. https://www.ontario.ca//connecting-north-draft-transportat

Attention Industry Partners: Join Visit Thunder Bay for a FREE webinar hosted by Ontario By Bike to learn more about cycle tourism and how to welcome cyclists to Thunder Bay and Northwest Ontario. Register at:... www.ontariobybike-northwestontario.eventbrite.ca Phone: 1-866-701-2774 Email: [email protected] See more

A hub for business, people, and culture. Thunder Bay is a small city with big possibilities. The CEDC has been working hard on a something new that will highlight our amazing city and its possibilities! Stay tuned.

Shop often and shop local. The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce's Online Mall makes it easy to shop local this holiday season from the confronts of your home! Check out the list of local businesses below.

The deadline to apply for the DMS's Digital Transformation Grant has been extended until December 15th! The lovely ladies over at, up shot coffeehouse, recently participated in the program and were able to buy new software AND attract new customers. To connect with a local digital squad member about the Digital Transformation Grant visit: https://www.dmsthunderbay.ca/

Ontario’s North Economic Development Corporation (ONEDC) has re-launched the highly successful Export Marketing Assistance (EMA) Program. During these uncertain and difficult times, it is more important than ever for Northern Ontario firms to explore and initiate new approaches for business development in export markets. This program is designed to support export-ready companies, associations, and not-for-profit entities to engage in export marketing and sales activities out...side of Ontario. Learn more: https://www.thunderbay.ca//starting-and-expanding-your-bus

Connected. Industrious. Forward growing. Can you guess what we might be talking about? Stay tuned for a VERY exciting announcement this Thursday!

Meet the December Entrepreneur(s) of the Month, Hailey & Bree, dynamic duo and owners of Ungalli Clothing Co.! Immersed in the world of entrepreneurship from a young age, Hailey and Bree’s success in owning a business has come, as some would say, naturally. Both of their parents are local entrepreneurs and when the idea to start a business came about, Hailey and Bree quickly jumped at the opportunity. Ungalli Clothing Co. was officially established in 2013 and the startup t-shirt company quickly saw the need for a Canadian supplier and manufacturer of sustainable clothing. Check out the full story in the December issue of The Walleye - Thunder Bay's Arts & Culture Magazine https://thewalleye.pressreader.com//csb_5O3GfN1uIOLORLyUFZ

The Thunder Bay and District Entrepreneur Centre is looking for six digital media enthusiasts to join the Thunder Bay, digital service squad! For more information and to apply visit: https://www.thunderbay.ca//04-2020-Request-for-Expression-

This morning, we were pleased to host a Budget roundtable with The Hon. Greg Rickford , Minister of Energy, Northern Development & Mines and Minister of Indigen...ous Affairs. The Minister outlined the many ways that the recent Ontario Budget supports Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario. The stakeholder discussion highlighted: - Global Adjustment reduction will provide significant energy savings for regional mines and support jobs and investment, - Provincial funding is there to support the purchase of additional streetcars by Toronto from Bombardier, - Northern Ontario Recovery Program funds are almost gone so don't delay in submitting applications. #GoodNews

Check out this great video from Thunder Bay District Health Unit on how to best support our local restaurants & businesses during COVID.

Meet Kyla Tempelman, the owner and operator of The Nola Shop The Nola Shop provides handmade quality and nutritious grain-free granola that meets a variety of dietary needs such as gluten intolerances, keto, vegan, and paleo. Kyla recently participated in the Starter Company Plus program and successfully received a grant of $5000. The grant was used to help her create an online presence and improve product packaging. For more information about how the Starter Company Plus program can help you and your business visit: https://www.thunderbay.ca//starter-company-plus-program.as

Montreal-based Bombardier and France-based Alstom say they now expect Alstom's purchase of the rail division to be formally completed on January 29, 2021. They announced Tuesday that all necessary regulatory approvals required to complete the transaction have been received.

The Thunder Bay CEDC MAT Fund was created to support continued tourism growth by funding tourism-based events and product development. Check out our latest video that features two amazing local organizations sharing their experience and successes when applying for the CEDC MAT Fund. BlackSheep Mountain Bike Club received funding for its Drift Trail project as a part of the Trowbridge Forest Master Plan. ... Lake Superior Division Alpine received funding for the 2020 U16 Ontario Championships hosted in Thunder Bay. To find out more information about the CEDC MAT Fund and if you may be eligible for funding visit: https://www.visitthunderbay.com//indust/cedc-mat-fund.aspx

The December newsletter is here! Check out the latest economic, small business and tourism news in Thunder Bay. Read it now: https://conta.cc/3ojyu09

Great news for Thunder Bay as two major mining companies look at the city for a new lithium processing plant. Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. and Rock Tech Lithium Inc. have agreed to work together to advance the development of a lithium battery materials processing facility in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The two lithium collaborators believe such a facility could help catapult the Ontario city on the north shores of Lake Superior to a global hub for technology metals and the industries that need them. Read the full article below. https://www.metaltechnews.com//establishing-a-tec/388.html

Are you a Northern Ontario firm looking to explore and initiate new approaches for business development in export markets? The Marketing Export Assistance program is designed to support export-ready companies, associations, and not-for-profit entities to engage in export marketing and sales activities outside of Ontario. This program is designed to ‘kick open the doors’ to new markets outside of Ontario for the many innovative products and services offered by Northern Ontario... companies. EMA is now open to not-for-profit entities who have the mandate to support export-ready companies. For more information and to apply visit: https://www.thunderbay.ca//starting-and-expanding-your-bus

This week is officially BDC Small Business Week! How are you celebrating small business this week? Don't have anything planned? Check out the many virtual events happening all week! http://ow.ly/CiSR50BVzKV

Show your local love. The United Way of Thunder Bay RECOVER 2020 campaign is focused on supporting the immediate needs of local people and families. It’s about neighbours helping neighbours and the community supporting the community. People across our city and region, including your own friends and neighbours, have been deeply affected by COVID-19.... Make a donation to the United Way #RECOVER2020 campaign today. https://uwaytbay.ca/recover2020/

Meet Malcolm, co-owner of Pie.ology in the Thunder Bay Country Market. Pie.ology creates and sells hand pies that are made with locally sourced ingredients. Pie.ology recently participated in the Starter Company Plus program, successfully obtaining a $5000 grant. The grant will be used to expand into a new location that provides a larger kitchen and space for a retail shop. To learn more about how the Starter Company Plus program can help your business visit: https://gotothunderbay.ca//entrep/starter-company-program/

This past week Expedia released its 2021 Travel Trends Report, sharing predictions and hacks for travellers for the year ahead. This year's trending destinations list looks quite a bit different than last year's, with more rural and remote places outside of city centers, and domestic destinations completely filling the top ten. In previous years, trending destinations included a mix of U.S. and other international cities, but this year the story is very much one of Canadian... roots. The destinations showing the greatest growth include: Jasper, AB (#1), Gaspesie-Iles de la Madeleines, QB (#2), Banff, AB (#3), Tofino-Ucluelet, BC (#4), Okanagan Valley, BC (#5), Muskoka, ON (#6), Georgian Bay, ON (#7), Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, QB (#8), Thunder Bay, ON (#9), Golden, BC (#10). To learn more about the Expedia 2021 Travel Trends report visit: https://www.newswire.ca//2021-travel-trends-report-expedia

This year, festival and event organizers in communities across Ontario have had to develop alternative programming methods, through innovative approaches to ensure enhanced health and safety measures have been incorporated. These innovative ideas are creating opportunities to encourage people across Ontario to reconnect with the beauty and diversity of their communities in new ways while providing local jobs. That’s why the Ontario government is investing $9 million through the new Reconnect Festival and Event Program to provide support to event organizers who are finding new, exciting and engaging ways to deliver local programming during the COVID-19 pandemic. For information on program eligibility, funding priorities and program details, please visit: https://www.ontario.ca//available-funding-opportunities-on

Congratulations to Open-Mind Interiors for being the recipient of the 2020 Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce Small Business Excellence award!

Small does not mean limited. People come to Thunder Bay for the affordability of small city living, the thrill of big city possibilities and the bonus of a superior lifestyle. Join us tomorrow for a BIG announcement for our small town.

One of the most unique factors of Thunder Bay is that it is a city of contrasts geographically, socially and economically. It is a diverse community where urban meets rural, industry meets nature and professional careers meet work/life balance. Find out how you can learn more by tuning in on THURSDAY for an exciting announcement!

Don't miss Smile Behind the Mask: Face to Face Customer Service happening Monday, October 19th from 7:30 am - 9:30 am. You are welcome to attend in-person or online but you must register for this informative workshop. You'll learn the basics of customer service during COVID, including: Why it is important to communicate how your business is responding to the pandemic.... Educating your clients on how to interact with your company. Looking for innovative ways to increase your value to clients. Looking for ways to help your community (we are all in this together). Find creative ways to reach and connect with your customers Register now by visiting the event page below or https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/smile-behind-the-mask-face-to-f

Meet Amber, Co-founder of BioNorth Solutions. BioNorth Solutions is an environmental remediation company that focuses on research and development of innovative, environmentally friendly products and services as well as manufacturing eco-friendly products they have developed. BioNorth Solutions recently participated in the Starter Company Plus program receiving a $5000 grant to assist in their product and business expansion. To learn more about BioNorth Solution visit their Facebook page or to learn more about the Starter Company Program visit: thunderbay.ca/startercompanyplus

Thunder Bay is a place where ideas and business opportunities come naturally. Thunder Bay’s entrepreneurial community is creative, growing and progressive. CEDC's new tool will help local small business owners and entrepreneurs stay connected to most up-to-date resources to ensure continued growth and prosperity. What new tool, you ask? Find out THIS THURSDAY.

The Thunder Bay CEDC office will be closed Monday, October 12. We hope that you and your family have a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend!

TOMORROW is the last day to submit your application for the Spark Mentorships & Grants program! Whether you are an individual, a start-up or an established small business or non-profit organization, there can be many challenges and barriers to bringing a new tourism idea, experience or partnership to fruition. The "Spark" Program will match selected candidates with a tourism mentor and provide a source of financial support to help take your great new tourism idea to the nex...t level of development or implementation. For more info and to apply visit: https://www.tourisminnovation.ca/northwestontario.html

We are looking for six digital media experts to join the Thunder Bay and District Entrepreneur Centre's digital service squad in partnership with Digital Main Street. Think you have what it takes? For more information visit: https://www.thunderbay.ca//04-2020-Request-for-Expression-

Check out the latest economic, small business and tourism news in the October newsletter. This month's newsletter features new federal and provincial funding programs for northern business, online events to build customer service during COVID, Northern Delights Fall Harvest food festival and more. Read it now: https://conta.cc/2I2C52B

The October issue of The Walleye - Thunder Bay's Arts & Culture Magazine is all about capturing our beautiful landscapes through the lens of a camera. The October Entrepreneur of the Month is no stranger to cameras. Nolan, Owner of Noles Media, is an up and coming photographer/videographer in Thunder Bay. Nolan has recently completed the Starter Company Plus program and officially established his business this past spring. Read more about Nolan's story by visiting: https://thewalleye.pressreader.com//csb_a7SLYVlfnme_01jmtF