The applicant shall:
- Be unemployed.
- Have an established Employment Insurance (EI) claim, or one that has ended in the last 3 years, or have begun maternity or parental benefits with in the past 5 years after which you remained out of the labour market to care for the child and are now seeking to re-enter the labour force.
- Be legally entitled to work in Canada.
- Live within the boundaries of Renfrew County, West Carleton and South Algonquin.
- Attend an orientation with the Small Business Consultant.
- Have no previous participation in self employment assistant activity funded by Service Canada or the MTCU within the past five years.
- Agree to provide a business plan acceptable to the MTCU within a reasonable period of time, showing potential for long term self employment.
- Start a new business or take over an existing business in which you had no prior ownership.
- Not have started the business (e.g. ownership legally transferred, advertising done, generated any revenue, etc.) before being approved for SEB funding.
- Be the majority owner of an independent business to qualify. Persons planning to enter into a partnership or start limited companies must retain majority control.
- Be able to contribute equity, the amount of which will be determined in consultation with Renfrew County Futures Development Corporation.
- Agree to work full time (at least 35hrs/week), year round, at the business for the period of the contribution.
In addition to being unemployed and meeting all of the eligibility criteria listed above, the following restrictions may also apply to your business:
- If financing is required, it must first be secured before a detailed business plan will be accepted.
- Businesses whose revenues are mainly in the form of sales commissions and those servicing as agents or subcontractors for existing businesses do not qualify for self employment funding.
- If a currently sponsored self employment client is already performing a particular service or product in a community and the new applicant would cause duplication of services, the applicant may not receive self employment support unless demand warrants it.
- Your business must provide year round service. You maybe engaged in more than one type of seasonal enterprise.
- You must intend to continue operating the business after completing the SEB program.
- Business ventures must be suitable for public funding and shall not exploit sex, religion or politics.
If you are confident that you meet the eligibility criteria and requirements and you are interested in pursuing the Program further, please contact the Small Business Consultant to register for a program orientation session. |
