Tools & Resources
Explore NADF's Tools and Resources hub! Discover a collection of online platforms housing templates, toolkits, publications, videos, and other valuable resources linked to entrepreneurship, business, and economic development.
Dive into our e-resources page to access freely available content crafted by NADF.
The information is provided for informational purposes only.
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Aboriginal Business
Business & Economic Development for Indigenous Peoples: Programs and services to increase business skills, invest in a business or develop land on a reserve.
Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB): Canada's leading organization dedicated to promoting the full participation of Indigenous communities in the Canadian economy.
Government of Ontario: Information for businesses located on reserve.
Indigenous Business Development Toolkit: If you're an Indigenous person thinking about starting or expanding a business, this toolkit has been developed with you in mind.
Legal Business Structure: Entrepreneurs quick-reference guide on legal business structures.
National Aboriginal Capital Corporation Association: The National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA) is the umbrella organization for a network of 50+ Indigenous Financial Institutions (IFIs) across Canada.
Airlines
Air Creebec: We aim higher.
Bearskin Airlines: Provides air service and charter flights across Ontario and Manitoba.
North Star Air: Connecting people, businesses and communities.
Thunder Airlines: Your Northern Connection
Wasaya Airways: Wasaya Airways Limited Partnership (LP) is a leading provider of quality airline services.
Business Permits & Licensing
BizPal: The step-by-step process to generate a customized list of permits and licences you may need to operate or open your business is now simplified and more user-friendly, guaranteeing access to results faster.
Business Number Registration: Find out how to get one, register for CRA program accounts, and manage changes to your business.
Service Ontario: The Ontario Business Registry allows businesses and not-for-profit corporations to complete over 90 transactions online, including registering, incorporating, and updating their information.
Business Planning
Business Development Canada (BDC): BDC business plan templates let you prepare a professional business plan - a necessity when seeking financing for your project.
Creatley's Business Model Canvas: Got a new business idea, but don't know how to put it to work? Want to improve your existing business model? Overwhelmed by writing your business plan? There is a one-page technique that can provide you the solution you are looking for, and that's the business model canvas.
Get Smarter About Money: Here you'll find free, unbiased information and interactive resources to help you make informed investment decisions.
SimplifyLLC: Unique business plan templates that you can download and customize for any business.
Chambers & Economic Development Organizations
Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce: If you are an Aboriginal business or organization delivering business-related products and services. Get listed today.
Indigenous Services Canada: Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) works collaboratively with partners to improve access to high quality services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Our vision is to support and empower Indigenous peoples to independently deliver services and address the socio-economic conditions in their communities.
Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC):Starting and expanding your business in the City of Thunder Bay? Get in touch with CEDC, which provides free services to help you turn your next idea into a successful venture regardless of the size of your business.
Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce (TBCC): Our Chamber is a voluntary, Member-driven organization of individuals and businesses working together to advance the commercial, financial, and civic interests of our community.
Timmins Economic Development Corporation (TEDC): TEDC is an arm's length agency of the City of Timmins. Funded by the municipality, it works on projects that improve both the economy and local quality of life. Staff members also work on various regional projects that benefit Timmins and the area at large.
Community Planning
CCP Ontario: The CCP Ontario website is a centralized resource for NADF clients to learn about CCP, find CCP tools and resources, hear success stories, and connect with each other.
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC): Comprehensive Community Planning (CCP) is a priority for many First Nations who see it as an effective tool to build healthy and sustainable communities that improve the quality of life for their members.
Ontario Land Use Planning Guide: A planning guide for businesses.
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship 101: Essential information for emerging entrepreneurs. Based on the Entrepreneurship 101 business training course, these lecture videos and related resources provide startup business training online to help you start and grow your company.
Entrepreneurial Potential Self-Assessment: Developed by Business Development Canada, this questionnaire includes 50 statements, and will take about 10 minutes to complete. There are no right or wrong answers. Your honest opinion is what counts.
Thunder Bay District Entrepreneur Center: We help you determine what you need to do before, during and after launching your business.
Youth Entrepreneurship Guide: This guide will introduce you to the basics of starting a business, and the government programs available to young entrepreneurs in Ontario.
Women Entrepreneurs: Canada Business Network provides information and links to programs and business support organizations specifically for women entrepreneurs.
Finance Calculators
The Calculator Site: Features a variety of free financial calculators, imperial to metric converters and other useful calculation tools for general use.
Funding
FedNor: The Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario is a regional development organization for northern Ontario that works with a variety of partners (like NADF), as both a facilitator and catalyst, to help create an environment in which communities can thrive, businesses can grow and innovation can prosper.
Futurpreneur Indigenous: Support for Indigenous entrepreneurs aged 18-39, helping them launch or buy their own business.
The Funding Portal: Looking for funding? 'Canada's largest source of public funding programs' could be a good starting point.
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC): A federal government department responsible for meeting the Government of Canada's obligations and commitments to First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and for fulfilling the federal government's constitutional responsibilities in the North.
Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation: NOHFC is a crown corporation and development agency of the Ontario government that invests in northern businesses and municipalities through conditional contributions, forgivable performance loans, incentive term loans and loan guarantees.
Ontario Native Women's Association: ONWA is a not for profit organization that was established in 1972 to empower and support Aboriginal women and their families throughout the province of Ontario.
PARO Centre | Enterprising Indigenous Women: PARO's approach to supporting women is unique in that it meets women where they're at. Whether it's your geographic area, or where you are on your business journey, PARO's programs and services are designed to support you wherever you are!
Human Resources
Aboriginal Human Resources Council: Canada's leading innovators in Aboriginal recruitment, retention and advancement.
Canada Digital Adoption Program: Get a grant and access to expert advice to increase online sales, reduce costs, better manage inventory and more.
Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB): CCAB offers unique programs and services that help facilitate sustainable relations between First Nation, Inuit, and Métis people and the Canadian business sector. CCAB conducts and publishes a number of reports and surveys to fulfill their mandate.
Info Entrepreneurs: This guide outlines the key areas to look at and what to include in an effective marketing plan.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Use these tools to research small business trends in Canada.
Ministry of Finance: The Ontario Population Projections section features the latest Ministry of Finance 30-year demographic projections for Ontario and its 49 Census Divisions. A detailed report and statistical tables are available to download.
North Superior Workforce Planning Board: NSWPB Mission Statement: “Connecting community partners to improve the quality of life in our communities through workforce development” Visit their website for more reports specific to northwestern Ontario.
Social Marketing Starter Guide: The changing climate and how you can harness the power for your business.
The Ultimate Guide to Personal Branding: 7 Practical Steps
Media
Nation Talk: Canada's Premier National Aboriginal Newswire and Employment Service. Give your job postings, news releases, events, products and services the BEST exposure to Canada's fastest growing market here.
Northern Ontario Business: Northern Ontario's leading business publication.
Wawatay Native Communications Society: For all your communication needs. If you're looking for news or ways to market yourselves in northern Ontario, Wawatay is the way to go
Personal Finance
Credit Counselling: Thunder Bay Counselling offers one-on-one financial counselling to help you achieve your future goals.
Equifax: Get your credit report and know your score.
Industry Canada/Office of Consumer Affairs: Along with the credit histories of millions of other people, your credit history is recorded in files maintained by at least one of Canada's major credit-reporting agencies: Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada.
Small Business
Canada Business Network: Your source for information on government services for business in Ontario – from start-up and financing, to growth and regulatory compliance.
Ontario Business Program Guide: An online directory of over 60 Ontario government support programs, tax incentives and credits for business whose listings may be of interest to Aboriginal business owners and entrepreneurs.
Starting a Business
Business Development Center: Starting and registering a business in Ontario.
How to Start a Business In Ontario: Take a simple 10-minute questionnaire for a downloadable custom guide to help start or grow your business.
Legal Business Structure: Entrepreneurs quick-reference guide on legal business structures.
Resource Development
Mining Information Kit for Aboriginal Communities: A mining guide for Aboriginal communities by Natural Resources Canada.
Taxes
Taxation Issues: For Aboriginal individuals and organizations.
Legal Business Structure: Entrepreneurs quick-reference guide on legal business structures.
Canada Revenue Agency: CRA's information page on Business, GST/HST and Payroll.
Ministry of Finance: Learn about tax credits available to businesses and how to receive them.
Ontario Taxation Guide: This guide will give you an overview of the different taxes that may affect your business and provide you with information on tools, programs and services that can help you meet your business tax obligations.
Training and Education
Anishinabek Employment & Training Services (AETS): To lead in the development of a skilled Indigenous workforce empowering the Anishinabek, respectful of our culture and heritage.
Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment & Training Services (KKETS): To provide culturally appropriate opportunities for education, training and employment by providing professional advisory, support services, relevant systems and programs to empower individuals to take initiative for change in their own lives.
Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute (KORI): Supports community-driven research through training and mentorship along with academic partners across Canada.
Northern Nishnawbe Education Council: NNEC delivers secondary and post secondary education programs and services for First Nations people through the Pelican Falls First Nations High School and Centre, Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, and Wahsa Distance Education Centre.
Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education & Training Institute: Oshki is an Aboriginal post-secondary education and training institute committed to increasing access to, and success in, accredited post-secondary education to the people in the forty-nine communities of Nishnawbe Aski Nation and other learners.
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