Business ER (Emergency) Hotline

About Business ER Hotline

Responding to the increase in questions regarding financing options and business strategies for tougher economic times, Small Business BC has introduced a new service; the Business ER Hotline. The Business ER Hotline offers a direct way to get timely information out to business owners and their employees as well. The small business community is important to our economy and we are pleased to be able to provide a link to current information and provide support as small business owners navigate a changing economic landscape.

Accessing the Business ER Hotline via toll-free, 1-800-667-2272, via email or by visiting our office, you will stay up-to-date with local and provincial economic conditions and have your crisis-related business issues responded quickly and accurately.

An example of Business ER Hotline FAQ’s include:

  1. I am out of work (or underemployed) and would like to explore my options for my career. Are there any programs that can help me do this?
    In the Lower Mainland, the Transitions Program (Vancouver and Burnaby) and North Shore Compass (North Vancouver) provide a 3 week career exploration and planning program. This program is available at no cost to anyone in Vancouver or the Lower Mainland area who is eligible to work in Canada and currently unemployed or working less than 20 hours per week. Visit the Transitions Program or North Shore Compass Centre for more details.

    For all of BC, Employment Assistance Services (EAS) offers many programs that support underemployed individuals in their career exploration.

    If you are considering starting your own business, attending the Small Business BC "Are You an Entrepreneur" seminar is a great place to start.

  2. Are there any retraining programs for displaced forestry workers?
    Yes, there is the Community Development Trust, a three-year initiative helping forest workers, their families and their communities get through challenging times in the forest sector. The Trust creates new job opportunities, helps laid-off workers upgrade their skills and smoothes the transition of older workers who want to leave their forest sector jobs, creating new opportunities for more junior workers. Contact info: 1-877-238-8882 from B.C. communities outside Victoria, 250-387-5349 from Victoria, email: cdt@gov.bc.ca.

  3. My business is struggling. Is there any government financing available to help small business through this recession?
    Yes, in the latest Federal budget, the government has provided additional funding for several existing and new financing programs geared to small business as follows:

    Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBF)
    The Government will increase the maximum eligible loan amount a small business can access under the Canada Small Business Financing Program for loans made after March 31, 2009. The current limit, which has not changed in the past 15 years, will be raised from $250,000 to $350,000 and to $500,000 for loans made for acquiring real property. Under the program, the Government guarantees 85-per-cent of loans made by eligible institutions to qualifying businesses. Currently, institutions with a portfolio of eligible loans above $500,000 can claim reimbursement on losses of up to 10 per cent of the value of their portfolio.

    Tax changes, allowances and incentives
    Capital cost allowance (CCA): recognizing the challenges facing manufacturers, the government is providing an accelerated capital cost allowance. This is an incentive for you to invest in capital equipment that will help you improve your productivity and better adapt to changing market needs and competitive forces.

    Extraordinary Financing Framework
    The Extraordinary Financing Framework new program will commit up to $200 billion to improve access to credit to consumers and to businesses with viable business models, at market rates, and should help you obtain the financing you need to invest in your company and create new jobs.

Business Services Frequently Asked Questions

Business Plan Review FAQ’s

A solid business plan will form the blueprint for your business’s success and help when you approach lenders and potential partners. However, writing and researching a business plan gives rise to new experiences and endless questions.

The following are common questions asked when completing a business plan. In answering these questions, you will be better equipped to make the necessary decisions to begin writing your business plan.

  1. Is there a fee to have my business plan reviewed?
  2. Does my business plan have to be completed before making an appointment with a member from the Business Plan Team?
  3. What resources are available to assist me with my financial statements on my business plan?

1. Is there a fee to have my business plan reviewed?
There are no fees to have your business plan reviewed. This is a service we are happy to provide and support you with. Simply contact the Business Plan Review Team to make an appointment with an advisor.

2. Does my business plan have to be completed before making an appointment with a Business Plan Advisor?

No. You can receive the help you need with your business plan regardless of what stage you are in. You may also visit our office and access the reference material in the library that we have available on business plans. That way we can provide the most value for our Review Service when your plan is already completed.

3. What resources are available to assist me with my financial statements on my business plan?

The financial statements of the business plan can be an intimidating, difficult and frustrating process. You can prepare yourself to work through these sections by utilizing the available resources on financial statements. Check out the link to the financial statements section of our section for guidance on your business’s finances.

There are also financial accounting and management courses available to all entrepreneurs through the Women’s Enterprise Society of British Columbia that provide an excellent overview of your business's financial statements. It is always recommended that you understand these documents even if you have an accountant, since you will know your business better than anyone else.

Business Registration FAQs

One of the first steps you will do as an entrepreneur is to register your business. In general, registering a business is a straightforward process that can be done by mail or online. As well, there are considerations of registering for a business license, GST, PST and WCB.

The following are common questions during the registration process. In answering these questions, you will be better equipped when registering your business.

  1. How can I register my business name?
  2. I do not want to use corporate online to register my limited liability company. Can I get paper forms to fill out?
  3. Where do I get a business license? How much does it cost?
  4. Can I register for GST, PST, and/or WCB at Small Business BC?

1. How can I register my business name?

There are 2 steps when registering a business name, (1) Business NAME APPROVAL REQUEST and (2) Business NAME REGISTRATION.

(1) Business NAME APPROVAL REQUEST

Small Business BC charges $44.08 (including tax) for business name approval request. Name approvals can also be submitted online at the BC Registry Services for $30.00. Whether the name request is submitted in person or online, the approval process takes 3-7 business days, at which time the results will either be emailed or mailed (depending on your selection) to you.

For every name approval form submitted, it is recommended that you submit 3 business name choices, in order of preference. Your first choice for a name may be approved, if available, and held for a period of 56 calendar days. The approval of any name is at the discretion of the BC Registry Services Office.

To search for the availability of your name, you can do a pre-search online at the BC Registry Services

(2) Business NAME REGISTRATION

Once your business name has been approved, you can register your sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation.

Sole Proprietorship and Partnership Business Registration:

To register for a sole proprietorship and partnership business you will need the following:

  • Name approval request number (found on the RESULTS form of your Name Approval Request).
  • Your business name exactly as it was approved through the Name Approval Request process by the Registrar of Companies.
  • Start date of your business in British Columbia.

Small Business BC charges $50 plus tax to register a sole proprietorship and partnership business. Forms are submitted to the Registrar of Companies and it takes 2 weeks to process the business registration. Your official business name registration documents will be mailed to you by the Registrar of Companies.

OneStop BC Business Registry charges $40 to register a sole proprietorship and partnership business online. For more details on online business registration contact OneStop at (1-877-822-6727) and website.

2. I do not want to use corporate online to register my limited liability company. Can I get paper forms to fill out?

All registrations for corporations must now be processed online at www.corporateonline.gov.bc.ca. If you do not have Internet access or a credit card that you can use online, you can contact the Corporate Registries preferred Service Provider Dye & Durham (1-800-665-6211) who will input your registration for an extra fee of $35.

3. Where do I get a business license? How much does it cost?

Business Licenses are issued through each city/municipal hall. Fees vary from city to city but usually range from $50-$300. Contact your local city/municipal hall licensing department for more information.

4. Can I register for GST, PST, and/or WCB at Small Business BC?

We are not able to register you for GST, PST, or WCB at Small Business BC. Your GST, PST and WCB registrations can be completed online through www.bcbusinessregistry.ca.

Public Access Terminals/Library FAQ’s

There is an abundance of solid business information for you to draw upon. The challenge is in finding and accessing the information that you need for your specific business challenge. Our Public Access Terminals and library provide excellent resources for you to start your search.

The following are common questions asked when using the Public Access Terminals or the Library resources. In answering these questions, you will be better equipped when using the resources.

  1. What kind of information is accessible on the Public Access Terminals?
  2. Can I access information on the Public Access Terminal information from home?
  3. Can I download information from the computer terminals?
  4. Can I print information from the computer terminals?
  5. Can I borrow your library books?

1. What kind of information is accessible on the Public Access Terminals?

There are a variety of databases available, our most popular are:

  • Canadian Business Disc – Used to find information on a specific company, companies in a type of business or companies in a geographic area to locate suppliers or generate leads.
  • Scott’s National Industrial Selectory – Used primarily to locate sources for products - manufacturers, wholesalers or distributors. Can also be used to identify sales prospects.
  • Canadian Business Current Affairs – A periodical database from only Canadian sources, used to locate information on a wide variety of business topics including companies, industries and business people. Also use it to locate consumer interest topics.
  • Kompass – Used to locate manufacturers, wholesalers, importers, exporters, and distributors of products worldwide.

2. Can I access information on the Public Access Terminal information from home?

The Public Access Terminals (PAT) are set up with different databases to help you with your business research. The PAT’s have both free and licensed databases. Licensed databases mean that we have paid to subscribe to access the information and are available onsite only. Free databases, which are marked “free” next to the website link, can be accessed from home.

3. Can I download information from the computer terminals?

Yes. There are select databases where you can download information. You are required to purchase a disk for $1 to download any information.

*To avoid potential computer viruses, we don’t allow outside disks.

4. Can I print information from the computer terminals?

Yes. It costs 15¢ per page printed.

5. Can I borrow your library books?

The books in our library are for onsite use only and are not for loaning out.

e-Business FAQs

In the 21st century, business has changed dramatically with the advancement in wired and wireless technology. As a result, e-Business has become an important consideration in doing business locally, nationally and globally.

The following are some common questions that you should consider in regards to e-business. In answering these questions, you will be better equipped to make the necessary decisions to begin the entrepreneurial process.

  1. I am in the start up phase of my business. Do I need to think about e-business now?
  2. How do I determine what e-business applications are right for my business?
  3. Is e-business going to cost me a lot of money?
  4. What do online customers want?
  5. I’ve heard of customers not wanting to purchase online for fear of their personal information being stolen. How do I address my customers concerns about privacy and security?

1. I am in the start up phase of my business. Do I need to think about e-business now?

Most definitely. e-business strategies should be part of your overall business strategy and work most effectively when viewed as an integral part of your overall business plan. You can save time and money by implementing e-business processes from the start and doing away with the headaches involved in transferring from paper-based to electronic processes.

2. How do I determine what e-business applications are right for my business?

Not all e-business solutions will work for you, nor will they be in your budget. Before committing to any e-business solution, you will need to examine your current business processes and determine which ones are time consuming or costly. Then, investigate and choose only those solutions that will work and/or save you money.

3. Is e-business going to cost me a lot of money?

Not necessarily. Assess your overall budget and only implement strategies that are cost effective in the long run. Remember to start small and think local. For example, a very simple e-business strategy such as encouraging email correspondence is a cheap and time saving alternative to telephone and snail mail.

4. What do online customers want?

Online shoppers want easy access to accurate and clear information, and they want alternative ways to get additional information. They want secure online transactions, convenient return policies, and assurance that your business is operating to the highest professional standards.

5. I’ve heard of customers not wanting to purchase online for fear of their personal information being stolen. How do I address my customers concerns about privacy and security?

Fears surrounding credit card security are the most common reason why people do not shop online – even though a cardholder is not liable for fraudulent transactions on his/her account.

Therefore, ensuring the privacy and security of your customers’ sensitive, personal information is paramount to the success of your online business. In fact, you can address your customer’s fears by informing them of the steps your company has taken to ensure their electronic safety.

Provide a plain language online privacy policy and terms of use agreement in a prominent place. Explain how credit card information is collected and stored. Addressing your customers concerns about privacy and security will help you develop a reputation as a safe shopping website.

Business Seminars/START SMART Workshop

One of the challenges you face as an entrepreneur is the ongoing process of educating yourself to ensure that you are on the leading-edge of your business niche. Attending business seminars is an excellent way to increase your understanding of your business and to network with other entrepreneurs who face similar challenges.

The following are common questions asked regarding our seminars and workshops.

  1. Is there a fee for the business seminars?
  2. How long are the courses?
  3. Do I get a certificate at the end of the course?
  4. I am interested in participating as a Small Business BC Business Seminar Speaker. How do I apply?

1. Is there a fee to attend your business seminars?
Fees vary depending on the business seminar. Some of our seminars are FREE and some have a nominal fee for small businesses on a budget. Check the seminar listings for more fee details. Early registration discounts available.

2. How long are the business seminars?

The duration of each business seminar vary from 1-hour to a full day.

3. Will I receive a certificate of completion at the end of the business seminar?

Small Business BC is not an Educational Institution and currently does not have the authority to issue certificate of completion at the end of any business seminars.

4. I am interested in participating as a Small Business BC Business Seminar Speaker. How do I apply?

You will need to submit a proposal to our Business Seminar Team. For proposal details please download the Seminar Presenter information package.