CORNWALL, Ontario – Stormont, Dundas, South Glengarry MPP Jim McDonell announced that four Cornwall companies have received support from the Digital Main Street Project to help them grow their businesses online.
The Digital Main Street Project is a partnership between the provincial and federal governments and gives small businesses access to up to $2,500 in funding and a tech savvy student to help them build an online store.
The students are able to support small businesses in the following ways:
Information on how to access the Digital Main Street digital transformation training program
· Help in creating a Digital Transformation Plan and applying for and spending the $2,500 Digital Transformation Grant
· Support to create or update a website and adopt best practices
· Advice on social media promotion and advertising
· Technological support and recommendations on tools for specific business needs
· Advice on additional digital transformation support including loyalty programs, point-of-sale systems, e-commerce and back-end business operations support.
The four businesses in Cornwall received a combined $10,000 through the Digital Main Street Project.
According to a press release from the province of Ontario, only 60 per cent of small businesses have an online presence, while only seven per cent accept online payment.
“Eastern Ontario’s small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our community,” said McDonell. “The Digital Service Squads are helping our businesses transition online, allowing them to access new customers safely and reliably. By choosing to shop local by shopping local we are helping our businesses stay in business.”
