Ontario's Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative

Ontario's economic growth and job creation is driven by our entrepreneurs. They will be responsible for our continued economic prosperity in the rapidly-changing world of the 21st century.

Surveys and studies conducted in the past few years reveal that while one in three young people age 18-34 cite entrepreneurship as the most desirable profession, they face a number of barriers to becoming successful entrepreneurs. These barriers include a lack of:

-Recognition of entrepreneurship as a viable career option on the part of parents, educators and the corporate world;
-Awareness and access to programs/services available to young entrepreneurs;
-Start-up financing.

Ontario's young entrepreneurs programs aim to remove these barriers by:

-Promoting entrepreneurship as an excellent and desirable career option to young people beginning in Grades 7 and 8;
-Providing a continuum of support through secondary, post-secondary and early career years;
-Improving access to programs and services;
-Improving access to business financing.

More here.