Updated: Friday, July 31 @ 8:50 am
This page will be updated regularly with trusted resources to support you and your business. If you encounter problems with any links, or have suggestions to add, please email sunrise.cfdc@sasktel.net. Thank you!
Federal Guide to Finding financial help during Covid-19
How to turn your side hustle into a Money Maker
Thinking of turning your hobby into your main source of income? Watch this short video to learn what is needed to start a business in Saskatchewan.
Staff at Community Futures Sunrise will walk you through the steps to follow, suggest some things to consider when contemplating your path to entrepreneurship, and provide a handy list of resources to review and use as you need.
What is on this page?
** NEW ** - E-Commerce Solutions - There are many different options now available to help get your business online
Webinars - a listing of various topics that may be of interest to business owners ** There may be a cost for some of these **
Resiliency & Recovery Tools - moving forward in a post pandemic world
Entrepreneurial Tools for Business Owners - a collection of programs and services
Resources for Non Profits & Charities - Information specific to the non profit sector
Funding & Information for Small Business - links to provincial and federal programs and supports
Business Resources - Templates, Legal, Payroll and Safety advice from various entities
Mental Health Supports - for businesses and individuals
RURAL REGIONAL RELIEF & RECOVERY FUND (CF RRRF) application portal. Fact Sheet
Best accessed with a tablet or computer as it is not currently optimized for use on a mobile device.
Maximum of $40,000 available for businesses located in a rural area served by one of our 13 regional offices.
Should you be in need of more than $40,000 or in an urban area not served by a CF office, please apply here through the Western Diversification stream.
Upon creating your account you will receive a confirmation email. Please check spam or junk folders if you do not receive it within a few minutes.
E-Commerce Solutions - NEW
With so many options becoming available to help business owners take their business online and expand their markets, we have gathered them all together here so you can evaluate them to see what may be the best fit for your business.
Free Online Business Toolkit - Directwest and Vendasta
Summer of Support - Six weeks of free training, tools and insight launched by Facebook to help business owners get the digital skills and information they need
Square Free Online Store or Chip & Pin contactless card reader for Canadian businesses
Shopify Plus Enterprise Online Store - Custom design your online store with Shopify
Local Line - Take your farm, food hub or market online
Bring Me Basics - Helping local businesses and their customers
Free E-Bay online shop - Free offer for Canadian small businesses
Shopify Point of Sale: Rebuilt for Today's Retail Experience - Free Until October 31
Free eBook: Social Media - Harness the power of social media for your business
Webinars - Sign Up & Learn
August 5 Navigating Covid-19 - Key Legal Issues for Entrepreneurs to Consider - WESK / Miller Thomson
August 6 Why your business needs an online store - ShopHERE powered by Google
August 13 Introduction to Business Planning - Square One
August 13 Why your business needs an online store - ShopHERE powered by Google
August 18 Business Continuity Planning - Post Covid-19 - Bridges Health
August 18 Conexus Business Accelerator: Time Management - SK Chamber of Commerce / Conexus Business Accelerator
August 20 Why your business needs an online store - ShopHERE powered by Google
August 25 How to Start a Business in Saskatchewan - Square One
August 26 Personal Visioning and Core Values - Acadia Entrepreneurship Centre
August 27 Why your business needs an online store - ShopHERE powered by Google
Recent Updates & Announcements
Get Found Digital Marketing Certificate - Attract customers to your local business - Canada-SK Job Grant (CSJG) may be available
Business Management Essentials - Online educational opportunity through the SK Chamber of Commerce & SK Colleges, Canada-SK Job Grant (CSJG) may be available
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) extended to December
SK Municipalities during Covid-19: What are they doing to support businesses? - CFIB comprehensive listing
POST Promise - People Outside Safely Together
- The POST Promise signifies a commitment to implement and practice the five key steps to workplace safety, helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Resiliency & Recovery Tools
Exploring Opportunity Workshop - a workshop for Community Leaders & Builders - Co-operatives First
Road to Retail Recovery Playbook - Retail Council of Canada
Business Continuity Management Resources - SK Emergency Planners Association
Business Continuity Plan & Templates for Entrepreneurs - BDC
Steps to Planning your Emergency & Disaster Plan - BDC
Energizing Entrepreneurs: Charting a Course for Rural Communities - e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Economic Resilience & Recovery - a Toolkit for Local Leaders & Economic Development from the Economic Disaster Recovery Project (EDRP), courtesy BCEDA
Economic Resilience & Recovery Toolkit - SEDA
Economic Disaster Recovery Program - Economic Developers Alberta
Canadian Business Resilience Network - Government of Canada in partnership with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Restore Your Economy.org - Resources for Economic Development
Institute for Sustainable Development - Helping community and business leaders tackle the complex resilience, disaster recovery, and sustainable development issues of our time.
The Entrepreneur's Continuity Checklist - a list of ideas to help you and your business better prepare, pivot and progress through these extraordinary times
Entrepreneur Toolkit - Business Development Bank of Canada
Leadership in Times of Crisis - 13 Ways (There's Always a Way)
Strong & Free: Shockproofing Canada - podcast/blog by The Financial Post
Entrepreneurial Tools for Business Owners
Canada-Saskatchewan Job Grant - up to $10,000 to help train your employees
Postmedia Local Marketing Grant Program - another way to strengthen our communities and help boost economic growth, one business at a time
Guide to Online Meetings - Cooperatives First
Golden West Business Resource Listings
SREDA Go Money Grants Program - grants of up to $5,000 to promising small business owners launching fresh ideas
Facebook Small Business Resource Hub - Programs and products designed for businesses
Online Portal to connect buyers and sellers of PPE during Covid-19
BuyandSell.ca - Government of Canada site for Covid-19 related PPE
Rapid Recovery Guide - Restaurants Canada
Roadmap to Recovery - The Canadian Chamber of Commerce lays out nine policy areas and specific measures to help ensure a lasting recovery
Covid-19 Cash Flow Workbook - a handy tool to capture all of your business and personal information and take control of your situation. (link opens an Excel file)
Work Integrated Learning - Digital Wage Subsidy Program for employers
Protecting Small Business Cybersecurity - Free cybersecurity assessments provided by RiskRecon "My Cyber Risk" until December 31, 2020
Business Re-Opening Toolkit - Canadian Business Resilience Network. Call 1-866-989-1080 from 8am - 8pm ET for help.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce partners with Salesforce to offer $10K lifeline
Innovations That Matter - SpringWise has curated a database of over 10,000 innovations. Browse by Category, Country, Covid or non Covid, Sector, Business Model, etc.
AnyCard - Made in SK option for purchasing gift cards
Shopify Capital launches in Canada to provide small business loans to merchants
Google Helping Local Restaurants
London Drugs helping local small business in Western Canada
Resources specific to Non Profits & Charities
Local Food Infrastructure Fund - Grant funding to help improve access to food for people experiencing food insecurity because of Covid-19
I Want To Help - Govt of Canada service opportunity program. Students can obtain the Canada Student Service Grant in recognition of their service.
Community Grant Program - Community Initiatives Fund
TechSoup Canada - Donated software and technology resources for Canadian charities, nonprofits and libraries.
DocuSign for Non Profits - Preferred pricing for all plans
Funding For Non Profits - Western Economic Diversification Canada
Resource Listing - Sask NonProfit
Free Professional Business Advisory Service - Canadian Business Resilience Network
SK Non-Profit Corporations Act Amendments - Minister of Justice & Attorney General
Emergency Community Support Fund - a $350 million fund established to improve the ability of community organizations to serve vulnerable Canadians during these times. This handy guide will help you determine where to apply.
Canada Cultural Spaces Fund - Grant Applications
Funding & Information for Small Business
Supports for Canadian Businesses - a comprehensive, up to date compliation of federal and provincial government support measures for businesses. - Created by the BDC
Re-Open Saskatchewan Training Subsidy - a short term program providing eligible employers with financial support to train employees
Re-open Saskatchewan Plan - Phases, updates, etc.
Latest Updates from the Province
Business Response Team available 8am - 8pm Monday through Friday via Ph: (844) 800-8688 / Email: supportforbusiness@gov.sk.ca
Covid-19 Response Plan - Summary of all SK government supports
SK Worker's Compensation Board - Information for employers on COVID-19
SK Small Business Emergency Payment
Financial Support Plan For Saskatchewan Employers And Employees
Health & Safety Guideline Posters - Printable posters from the SK Government
Information for Businesses & Workers
Financial & Consumer Affairs Authority of SK - Combatting Price Gouging
Lumeca Virtual Health Consultation tool Free for SK Residents with a valid Health Card
Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)
- Infographic to visually explain
- CEWS Calculator helps determine elegibility and benefit.
- Application Guide
Agriculture & Food Business Solutions Fund - backed by Farm Credit Canada
Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) - Apply by phone at 1-800-959-2019
Canada Covid-19 Self Assessment Tool & App
Futurpreneur Covering loan payments & providing top-up Loans
Income Tax Deferral & Deadline Changes
Covid-19 Response Plan - Summary of all Federal Government supports
Rapid Response Platform - As Canada's industries return to work, there is an increased demand for PPE. The Rapid Response Platform automatically matches supply with demand, simplifying supplier discovery during the procurement process
Support for Women Entrepreneurs announced
CECRA - Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance
CEBA - Canada Emergency Business Account
Work Sharing Program - Employment & Social Development Canada
BCAP - Business Credit Availability Program
Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) announced May 11
Purchasing Order Financing - BDC
Agri-Food Emergency Aid Package Announcement
Temporary 10% Wage Subsidy Program - Canada Revenue Agency
E-Service for Businesses Account Sign Up / CRA My Account Sign Up for Individuals
Employment Insurance information for businesses & individuals
Online Service Request Form from Service Canada - temporary measure to ensure continuity of critical services
Call for proposals - Covid-19 Challenges - Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security Ideas
Business Resources - Templates, Legal Information, Payroll, Safety
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety (CCOHS) - Pandemic guidance for high risk & essential occupations and industries
Conference Board of Canada - providing Canadian leaders with the insights they need to confidently navigate the shifting realities of COVID-19
WCB Premium Relief Measures - Worker's Compensation Board of SK
Helpful Tips for employers from WorkSafe Sask
Resources for Business - SK Chamber of Commerce offers FAQs, Employee/Employer Support, Legal Guidance, etc
Policy Templates, Checklists - SK Construction Safety Association
Small Business Help Centre includes free templates for business signage - Canadian Federation of Business
FAQ Payroll & Covid-19 - Canadian Payroll Association
Resource Hub - Miller Thomson LLP
Resource Centre - MLT Aikins
Resource Page for Businesses - KPMG
Covid-19 Business Advice Centre - MNP
Mental Health Supports
CMHA Sask Resources (document will open in Microsoft Word)
Anxiety Canada - Coping with Covid-19
Mental Health Through Covid-19 - Service Hospitality Association Presentation
Living the 90% - Coping Tools for these Times with Darci Lang
Wellness Together Canada - Mental Health and Substance Use Support provides free online resources, tools, apps and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals
Canadian Red Cross Psychological First Aid Guideto caring for yourself and others
The Canadian Mental Health Association provides tips to responding to employee anxiety
The Conference Board of Canada has many resources to help with coping strategies to stay mentally well
Worker's Compensation Board - Tools to help manage your mental health during crisis