Business Resource Toolkit

News Release           

ONLINE BUSINESS RESOURCE TOOLKIT WILL HELP BUSINESSES

BRANTFORD (July 22, 2025) – Smaller businesses have a new online tool to help find local resources and professional services to support their operations.

The Business Resource Toolkit is a directory of services and consultants offering expertise in a wide range of fields, including accounting, legal support, insurance, IT, marketing, workplace health and safety, and human resources, such as hiring internationally trained workers. It also includes resources tailored to the needs of Indigenous and agriculture-related businesses.

In all, there are more than 500 businesses and organizations listed for the Grand Erie and Elgin-Middlesex-Oxford regions, with their contact information and websites.

“The idea is to make it easier for businesses, especially smaller businesses and those in more rural areas, to find services to tap into when they need support with HR or other issues,” said Danette Dalton, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.

“Many businesses do not have a full-time HR or an IT person. Or, for example, may not know where to turn to get expert advice on how changes to government regulations affect them.”

The Business Resource Toolkit is a partnership between the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie and the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board, with support from South Central Ontario Region Economic Development (SCOR EDC) and will be housed on the websites of both boards. The project was funded in part by the Government of Ontario. 

The design and promotion of the Business Resource Toolkit were enriched by the creativity and expertise of students from Wilfrid Laurier University Brantford’s User Experience Design and Business Technology Management programs, Conestoga College’s Human Resource Management program, and the Marketing Management program at the University of Guelph, all of whom played key roles in its development, design, and marketing.

“Businesses in more rural areas sometimes have unique issues. They also like to support and build relationships with other small businesses in their community,” Dalton said. “The toolkit helps with that, allowing businesses to search for nearby services.”

In today’s challenging economic climate, including the impacts of global tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and rising operational costs, tools like the Business Resource Toolkit are more important than ever. The toolkit helps build resilience and sustainability into the local economy by connecting businesses with other local, Ontario-based businesses. Supporting Canadian-owned businesses not only keeps money circulating locally but also strengthens community ties and reduces reliance on international services that may be costlier or vulnerable to external pressures.

A user can search the directory for specific types of services or by location.

The Business Resource Toolkit can be found at https://workforceplanningboard.org/business-resource-toolkit/.

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ABOUT: The Workforce Planning Board is one of 26 non-profit organizations in Ontario that play a leadership role in labour force planning in their communities.

Contact: Danette Dalton, Executive Director, Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie

Email: danette@workforceplanningboard.org