Summer Company Program

Are you looking for a summer job? Have you always wanted to try 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 15–29 and returning to school in the fall.

Applications for the 2026 Summer Company program are now closed. Interested in participating next summer? Join our waitlist to receive updates when applications are open.
 

Join the waitlist

Meet our 2026 cohort of entrepreneurs, a group of motivated students bringing a wide range of business ideas to life this summer! Read our blog post to learn more about these 12 entrepreneurs.

Through the 2–3 month program, you’ll receive:

• Start-up funding to help launch your summer business 
• Advice and mentorship from local business leaders to help get your 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 are eligible to apply, if you:

• are a student who is returning to high school, college or university in fall 2027 
• live in Ontario 
• are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident 
• are between 15–29 years old 
• are not already running a business 
• are not going to school for more than 12 hours a week during the program 
• are not enrolled in another self-employment program 
• are able to work over the summer program period: 
  • a minimum of 280 hours if you’re a high school student 
  • a minimum of 420 hours if you’re a post-secondary student

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).

Applications for the 2026 Summer Company Program were accepted until April 30, 2026. 

Ready to turn your business idea into a summer job? Join the waitlist and be among the first to receive application information for the next Summer Company Program.
 

Get program updates

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