Canada invests in DMS, increasing student jobs

Investments by the Government of Canada in Digital Main Street [DMS] support businesses as well as students.

A program and service helping main street businesses achieve their digital transformation, Digital Main Street runs various programs as part of a partnership between the federal government and the provincial government of Ontario.

Impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, many retail-oriented main street businesses have had to pivot their operations from brick and mortar locations to the digital marketplace.

Through the support of the federal government of Canada, many main street businesses have turned towards digital solutions for maintaining their operations, thereby strengthening their resilience for future growth.

On June 11, 2020, a $42.5 million FedDev Ontario investment was announced for the expansion of the Digital Main Street [DMS] platform, providing targeted support for main street businesses as well as small and medium enterprises [SMEs].  

This investment by the Canadian Government extended the support to businesses across Ontario to go digital, leading to job creation for graduate students and post-secondary youth.

Within the 5 months since the announcement of the funding, more than 6,900 businesses have received free digital training, consultations as well as hands-on support for the enhancement of their online presence and e-commerce opportunities.

By making Digital Main Street support available across Ontario, the Canadian government is assisting businesses pivot their operations, expanding to wider markets. As a result, not only will the businesses be able to better position themselves for weathering the COVID-19 pandemic, but they will be better equipped for succeeding in a growing digital economy.

With the local economies looking at ways for dealing with the impact of the pandemic, the federal government of Canada is focused on ensuring that the main streets not simply survive, but thrive.

Key facts

The expansion of the Digital Main Street program – through the $42.5 million as government investment – will support almost 22,000 businesses, creating 1,400+ jobs for students.

The Ontario Government is also contributing another $7.45 million as support for the project.

The Digital Main Street partners include Invest Ottawa, Communitech, Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas, and Ontario Business Improvement Area Association.

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