Young entrepreneurs showcase their innovative businesses through Summer Company at Staples
The sixth annual Summer Company-Staples Youth Entrepreneurship Day took place on July 10, 2019 at Staples Thunder Bay. The tradeshow showcased this year’s participants of Summer Company – Ontario’s flagship youth entrepreneurship program which is administered through the Thunder Bay & District Entrepreneur Centre every summer. The program is designed to help enterprising students between the ages of 15 and 29 start and run their own businesses over the summer months. This year, there are nine students taking part in Summer Company.
“The students benefit from the education, experience and mentoring provided by Summer Company,” said Ryan Moore, Development Officer for the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) and Coordinator of the Entrepreneur Centre (EC). “Many Summer Company participants use their new found skills from this program to develop into full-time entrepreneurs.”
The annual event first started in Thunder Bay, in 2014, but is now a province-wide initiative between Staples Canada and Small Business Enterprise Centres (SBECs) across Ontario.
Staples Manager Pasquale Coccimiglio says, "The Staples culture is to support and promote entrepreneurship. The Entrepreneur Centre shares our passion for building and cultivating entrepreneurship and preparing youth for a successful future while encouraging the importance of education.”
Each summer the Thunder Bay & District Entrepreneur Centre (EC) administers the Summer Company program which is an Ontario Government initiative for youth entrepreneurship and employment. The program is designed to foster the entrepreneurial spirit in students 15 to 29 years of age who are returning to school in the fall. In place of a summer job, students have the opportunity to be their own boss.
Summer Company is a grant program funded by the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade through the Thunder Bay & District Entrepreneur Centre (EC). The program is designed to assist enterprising young people while continuing their education.
“Summer Company offers students an opportunity to realize their dreams,” said Bill Mauro, City of Thunder Bay Mayor. “These students have taken on the task of getting a business up and running and to make it profitable within a few short months. This experience will help them become our future entrepreneurs.”
Summer Company applicants can earn up to $1,500 to assist with their business start‐up costs and up to an additional $1,500 in the fall for completing the program. Each business owner is required to comply with provincial regulations for Small Business. Mentoring by the Thunder
Bay & District Entrepreneur Centre (EC) is ongoing throughout the program.
More information about this program can be obtained at:
www.ontario.ca/summercompany or by contacting the Thunder Bay & District Entrepreneur Centre (EC) by email at rmoore@thunderbay.ca or by telephone at 625-3960
