Small Business

Walmart Starts E-Commerce Site to Target Small Businesses, Taking On Amazon

August 30, 2024

(Bloomberg) — Walmart Inc., which became the world’s largest retailer by serving everyday shoppers, is now targeting a larger share of business customers with a website aimed at small and midsize companies.

The initiative, called Walmart Business, is designed to offer a one-stop shop for office supplies, furniture, food and electronics, Ashley Hubka, the senior vice president managing the program, said in an interview. Walmart is also pitching a business membership plan that dangles extra savings.

The website is tailored to the needs of companies and nonprofits, and will provide more convenience for busy purchasing managers, Walmart said in a

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Small Business

Series of Pointe-Saint-Charles break-ins has small business owners worried

August 6, 2024

A series of smash-and-grab robberies has enraged small business owners in Montreal’s Pointe-Sainte-Charles neighborhood.

The break-ins reached a peak in recent weeks on a stretch of Wellington Street in the Sud-Ouest borough, where the windows of at least five shops and restaurants have been broken so far this year.

On Wednesday morning, Jermaine Wallace, the owner of Boom J’s, a popular Jamaican restaurant, woke up to the news that his glass door had been shattered overnight.

“I was in shock,” he said. “It was like a punch in the stomach because this is my place. I’ve been here for over

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kirara
Small Business

Tory broadcasts new grant to assist small companies via transit development

July 11, 2024

A brand new program will present grants of as much as $50,000 to Enterprise Enchancment Areas (BIAs) and different neighborhood organizations to “deal with the unintended results that transit development can have on native companies,” Mayor John Tory introduced on Thursday.

The Transit Enlargement Building Mitigation Grant Program, launched by the Metropolis of Toronto in partnership with FedDev Ontario and Metrolinx, will likely be made obtainable to BIAs, non-profit organizations and “charities demonstrating a powerful native enterprise involvement.”

“Organizations are eligible for grants of as much as $50,000 for numerous initiatives, reminiscent of enterprise engagement, space advertising and marketing and

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kirara
Small Business

New details of credit card fee reductions reveal a big win for small businesses

July 6, 2023

Toronto, May 18, 2023 – Coming reductions in credit card processing fees will be a big win for small businesses, says the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

Today, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland unveiled important details from the federal government’s agreement with Visa and Mastercard to lower credit card fees at a CFIB member bookstore in Brampton, Ontario. CFIB president Dan Kelly was present at the announcement along with other small business owners.

“This is a significant agreement as many Canadian small business owners will now have access to a special, lower interchange rate designed specifically for them,” Kelly

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Small Business

Ottawa unveils lower credit-card fees for small businesses, but some industries say measures fall short

May 19, 2023
Open this photo in gallery:

People walking past local stores on Yonge street in Toronto. Under new rules announced by the federal government, businesses that receive less than $300,000 in annual revenue through Visa credit cards and less than $175,000 in annual revenue from Mastercard customers will qualify for credit card fee reductions.Ammar Bowaihl/The Globe and Mail

The federal government announced the details of a long-promised reduction in the credit-card transaction fees that small businesses pay, but only the tiniest businesses will likely see any benefit.

The Liberals have promised since the 2019 election to force credit-card companies and

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Small Business

CRA urged to extend tax deadline as looming strike a ‘threat’ to small business – National

May 1, 2023

LATEST UPDATE AS OF 10:53 AM Eastern

  • The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) says its members will strike on Wednesday if no deal is reached with the federal government by 9 pm Eastern on Tuesday.
  • Canadians could face serious delays in accessing federal services if strikes were to happen, most notably in the tax department but also with EI benefits, passport applications, and imports/exports. For more on what we know so far, read the coverage here.

A looming strike by Canada Revenue Agency workers over an ongoing labor dispute “poses a threat to small businesses,” an independent group has

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Small Business

Are governments doing enough to eliminate obstacles for women entrepreneurs?

April 28, 2023

Lack of role models. Unequal access to financing. Stereotypes about women in business. Thanksgiving challenge. Long wait times for health services.

These were always obstacles for women who run their own businesses, long before COVID-19, especially women with small businesses and the self-employed. But the pandemic exacerbated them.

A recent survey of 147 women entrepreneurs in Ontario by the non-profit PARO Center for Women’s Enterprise shows that the pandemic added to the burden on women entrepreneurs, slowing their business growth and taking a toll on their mental health.

Besides coping with pandemic-related restrictions, staffing shortages, supply chain issues and inflationary

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Small Business

3 Ways Small Businesses Can Use AI to Drive Growth

April 6, 2023

For businesses looking to optimize their operations and enhance customer experience (CX), artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as game-changing technology: systems that can perform complex tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as speech recognition, decision-making, and content creation.

With its capability to automate processes and personalize experiences, AI, including platforms such as ChatGPT, has become an invaluable asset for businesses of all sizes. For small businesses, AI offers three strategic advantages to enhance customer service, strengthen marketing and sales, and drive growth.

CustomerExperience

As businesses strive to enhance CX, AI is emerging as a powerful tool for customer service. Chatbots

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