Launching your business

Before you start

Before you start a new business, it’s a good idea to consider your entrepreneurial potential and to evaluate what kind of business would suit you best.

Tools for budding entrepreneurs:

• Info-guide: Before starting your business 
• Test your entrepreneurial potential
• What legal form suits your business? (in French)
• Workshop: Introduction to launching a business

Training for entrepreneurs

It’s essential that you keep developing your entrepreneurial skills. Many different organizations offer training tailored to your real needs, whether your business is for profit or in the social economy.

• SAJE accompagnateur d'entrepreneurs
• Yes Montreal
• Commission scolaire Marguerite Bourgeois (in French)
• Compagnie F (in French)
• Réseau Coop: Workshop: Introduction au démarrage d’une coopérative (in French)
• Starting a restaurant (in French)

Taxes and different registrations

Many tools are available to help you with tax matters. See these guides, web pages and training workshops:

• Do I have to register with Revenu Québec?
• Special considerations concerning the QST
• Registration with different authorities
• Tax checklist from Revenu Québec (in French)
• Tax workshops

Information required when applying for financing

When applying for financing from PME MTL, you will need a complete business plan and current or forecast financial statements and any other supporting documentation deemed relevant.

Guide to preparing a business plan

• Business plan for a for-profit enterprise
• Business plan for a for a social economy enterprise
• Modelo de plan negocios de una empresa de economía social (Los planes de negocios presentados a PME MTL para obtener un apoyo financiero deberán estar escritos en francés. Sin embargo, para facilitar su comprensión obtenga aquí un plan de negocios en español.)

Forecast financial statements

• Financial forecasts (download) (in French)

Competition and awards

Enter your business plan in a competition or for an award and you could win prizes, get excellent visibility and expand your network.

There are many competitions just for entrepreneurs: 

• Défi OSEntreprendre (in French)
• Les prix ESTIM (in French)
• Prix Femmes d’affaires du Québec (in French)
• Desjardins Entrepreneur Awards
• Mouvement, le concours d’innovations sociales (in French)
• À go! On change le monde (in French)
• Fonds Jeunes entreprises
• Fondation Montréal Inc.
• Spin Master Innovation Fund
• Les Offices jeunesse internationaux du Québec (in French)

Organizations that support entrepreneurship

Support from specialized resources greatly increases start-ups’ survival rate while reducing risks for young businesses.
Consult these Montréal organizations that offer services tailored to entrepreneurs’ needs:

• Futurpreneur Canada
• Fondation de l'entrepreneurship (in French)
• Filaction (in French)
• Support for self-employed workers
• ACEM
• Prêt à entreprendre (in French)
• TransTech for R&D
• Centech de l’ETS (in French)
• Centre de transfert d’entreprises Montréal

Technology start-ups

Montréal is fertile ground for technology “seedlings." Many organizations help fertilize this entrepreneurial garden, with specialized support, customized office space and investments.

• District3
• Notman House
• Founder Institute
• Founder Fuel
• CEIM

Social enterprises

Businesses with a social impact and social economy enterprises can call on a vast network of organizations and partners ready to support them as they start out or grow.

• RISQ – Réseau d’investissement social du Québec (in French)
• Ministère de l’Économie, Science et Innovation Québec, direction de l’entrepreneurship communautaire (in French)
• Esplanade (in French)
• CDR Montréal-Laval (in French)
• Fondaction CSN
• ACEM
• Réseau de la coopération du travail du Québec (in French)

Female entrepreneurs

Thanks to several well-known organizations in Montréal, female entrepreneurs can obtain specific services tailored to their needs: consulting, training and financing programs.

• Centre d’entrepreneuriat féminin du Québec (in French)
• Compagnie F (in French)
• Réseau des femmes d'affaires du Québec (in French)