Cornwall, ON – The important contributions that entrepreneurs make to the economy and to their local communities are celebrated each October across Canada during Small Business Month.

Locally, small businesses are supported by a number of organizations, including the Cornwall SDG Business Advisory Centre, ACCFutures and the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce. Services range from timely webinars, advocacy, advisory services and funding program.

“October is a perfect time to celebrate small business as many businesses are wrapping up a busy summer and are gearing up for the upcoming holiday season,” says Mireille Lemire, Business Advisor with the Cornwall SDG Business Advisory Centre. “While many events are traditionally focused in third week of October (Small Business Week) our Events Calendar track a number of workshops and networking events this fall.”

Ontario’s small businesses are the backbone of the economy, with nearly 500,000 businesses representing 98 per cent of all employer businesses in the province and employing roughly 2.5 million people.

Small Business Events – Fall 2026

  • EMC’s Support for Small Businesses Affected by U.S Tariffs – October 2 @1pm EST
  • Fédération des gens d’affaires francophones de l’Ontario (FGA) – Les fondations d’un bon lancement – October 8 @11am EST
  • Hosting Influencers & Media: A Guide for Tourism Operators – October 15 @ 11am EST
  • EMC’s Eastern Ontario HR Roundtable – October 15 @ 12pm EST
  • Connect and Strive SDG – October 19 @ 5:30pm EST
  • Succession Ontario’s Planning your Exit – October 20 @ 11am EST
  • BDC’s Finding Growth in a faster world – October 20 @ 12pm EST
  • BDC’s Smart AI investments that pay off – October 21 @ 12pm EST
  • EMC’s Eastern Ontario Quarterly Legal Session – October 21 @ 12pm EST
  • BDC’s Using acquisitions to accelerate growth – October 22 @ 12pm EST
  • EMC GreenMFG Network’s Lean and Green Manufacturing – October 22 @ 1pm EST
  • EMC’s Eastern Ontario Health and Safety Roundtable – October 29 @ 12pm EST
  • Bridges to Better Business – October 29 @ 7:30am EST
  • EMC’s Step up and Build a Culture that Protects People – November 3 @ 8am EST
  • Chamber Business Excellence Awards – November 6 @ 5pm EST
  • Business Sisters Conference – November 9 @ 8am EST
  • SEe ON Tourism Summit – November  17-18 @ 10am EST

More Info on the above events (and more) can be found on the Events page:

Small Business Assistance Programs

There are a number of programs that remain available to small businesses who need assistance in finance, marketing, advertising, and more. The Cornwall SDG Business Advisory Centre can help entrepreneurs understand these programs, which include:

About the Cornwall SDG Business Advisory Centre

The Cornwall SDG Business Advisory Centre helps small business owners and entrepreneurs succeed in Cornwall, Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry & Akwesasne by offering information, tools and support during the start-up and growth stages of business operation. This includes administration of the Summer Company and Starter Company PLUS programs. The Cornwall SDG Business Advisory Centre is operated by Cornwall Economic Development and funded in part by the Government of Ontario.

The Cornwall Business Advisory Centre is located at 100 Water Street East (Cornwall Civic Complex) and can be contacted by phone at 613-930-2787 Ext. 2276 or online at: