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Faculty of Workforce Skills Development
Business Services
Self Employment Benefits Program
The Self Employment Benefits (SEB) Program helps unemployed individuals create jobs for themselves through self-employment by providing them with various types of support when they start up a business. Assistance can include one on one coaching, workshops and income support. The program will be tailored to your individual needs.
To be eligible for the Self Employment Benefits Program, you must meet the following conditions:
- Be unemployed
- Have an established Employment Insurance Benefit (EI) claim, or one that has ended within the last 3 years, or have received maternity or parental benefits within the past five years after which you remained out of the labour market to care for the child and are now seeking to re-enter the labour force
- Be legally entitled to work in Canada
- Attend an orientation session with the Coordinator in your area (a Coordinator is a local community group that is funded by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) to provide assistance to you in your pursuit of self-employment opportunities
- Have no previous participation in self-employment assistance activity funded by HRDC within the past five years
- Agree to provide a business plan acceptable to HRDC within a reasonable period of time, showing potential for long term self-employment
- Start a new business or take over an existing business in which you had no prior ownership
- Agree to work full-time (minimum 30 hours/week) on your business while you receive financial assistance
- Be able to contribute equity, the amount of which will be determined in consultation with the co-ordinator.
Our coaches are leading experts in the industry. They can help you take your business vision and make it into a plan of action.
Contact
Contact your local HRSDC office to find the closest co-ordinator near you.
If you live in York Region, call Seneca College at 416-491-5050, ext. 7360.
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