The Summer Company Program has helped 11 local students launch summer businesses in Perth County.
The Stratford Perth Centre for Business announced the launch in a press release on June 26. The new businesses are located in Stratford, St. Marys and other Perth County communities.
The Province of Ontario and the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade supports the Summer Company program.
It provides participants with "hands-on business training, expert mentorship, and a $3,000 micro-grant. To encourage sustainable business habits, students receive half of the grant upfront to cover initial start-up costs, with the remaining balance awarded upon successful completion of the program," according to the press release.
New funding support from Perth County, the Perth Community Futures Development Corporation, investStratford, and the Town of St. Marys has allowed the Stratford Perth Centre for Business to offer the program to three additional students this summer.
"Every year, the sheer energy and creativity of these young entrepreneurs completely blows me away," said Joani Gerber, CEO of investStratford. "The funding provided by the Province of Ontario allows us to build the vital bedrock that makes this program possible. Thanks to Ontario’s commitment—and the incredible way our regional partners stepped up to expand it—we are giving these students the ultimate platform to test their ideas, build real-world skills, and invest directly in the future of our local economy."
