Summer Company Program

Are you looking for a summer job? Have you always wanted to test the water with entrepreneurship, but are unsure of where to start? Our Summer Company program might be a great fit for you! This program is available to students in Barrie, Simcoe County and Orillia who are between the ages of 15 and 29 and are returning to school in the fall.  

Summer Company applications ARE NOW OPEN and will be evaluated on a rolling basis. Please email smallbusiness@barrie.ca to receive an application package.

Through the 2-3 month program, you get:

• start-up money to kick-off a new summer business
• advice and mentorship from local business leaders to help get the business up and running

Learning how to run your own student business is one of the best summer jobs you can have. You get to be your own boss while learning what it takes to manage a business. Sales, marketing, bookkeeping, customer relationship management and networking are just a few of the highly useful skills you’ll develop.

You could be eligible, if you:

• are a student who is returning to high school, college or university in Fall 2025
• live in Ontario
• are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• are between 15–29 years old (if under 18, a parent or guardian must sign the agreement for the applicant)
• are not already running a business
• are not working at another job or going to school for more than 12 hours a week during the program
• have not received a Summer Company grant in the past

If you are on social assistance (Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program) you can still apply to Summer Company. Payments from the program may be exempt as income and assets under social assistance, so your monthly social assistance payment may not be affected. Please call your local Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program office for more information.

Maximum award: $3,000
Successful Summer Company applicants get:

• up to $1,500 up front to help with start-up costs
• up to $1,500 when you successfully complete the program requirements

Start date: usually May to July.
End date: Labour Day (but you can choose to keep running your summer business while in school).

Over the summer program period, you must be prepared to commit:

• a minimum of 280 hours for high school students
• a minimum of 420 hours for post-secondary students

You can choose to start almost any type of business, as long as it:

• is a sole proprietorship or corporation (where you are the majority shareholder)
• is an independent business venture (not a part of an existing or family business)
• qualifies as “self-employed” for income tax purposes
• operates in Ontario on a full-time basis
• follows government rules for operating a business

Learn more about self-employed workers (Canada Revenue Agency).

2025 Summer Company program applications are now open! Please email smallbusiness@barrie.ca to learn more and to request an application package.

To learn more about the program’s guidelines and potential post-acceptance process, read the Ontario Government’s Summer Company Program Guidelines.