One-Stop for Business:putting Hamilton businesses on the right

path for success

Why One-Stop for Businesses?

• Corporate-wide strategy

• Enhance and improve customer service

• One location saves businesses time and money

• Offers complimentary services that assist businesses at all stages in their development or expansion

Why One-Stop for Businesses?

Save Time and Money: Understand what your business needs to do BEFORE you begin to develop, build or expand.

Make Informed Decisions: Know the timelines, application costs and processes for starting or expanding your business.

Get the Right Resources: Access customized resources, key contacts and information to moving your business forward faster and more efficiently.

Who does One-Stop serve?

• Business Owners

• Development Industry

• Prospective business owners and the general public

What are One-Stop’s key services?

1. Small Business Assistance:

Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC)

2. Business Facilitation:

Development Planning Section – municipal applications and processes

3. Business Licensing:

Municipal Law Enforcement – Licensing and

Permits team

How does the Economic Development team fit in to One-

Stop?Economic Development Business Consultants provide:• Site selection assistance for business location requests• Repository and analysis of all economic data and business information particularly in key industry groups• Businesses and developers with a conduit to the municipal processes• Internal referrals and approvals• Collaboration with SBEC and Business Facilitators

Business LicencesInformation on Required Licences

Licence ApplicationsBy-law information and Interpretation

Business FacilitationStep by Step Planning Application Guidance

Customizable Development Kit

Small Business Enterprise CentreConsultation & Access to BizPal

How could you use One-Stop?

Understanding

the Three Key Services

Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC):

Receive assistance and resources to help, start, run or expand your business (including business registration)

SBEC Background

• Provided assistance to small businesses in Hamilton since 2001

• Receives 39,223 general inquires/year

• Created 725 jobs in 2009

Resources

• Comprehensive on-site business library with demographic info, trade & association directories

• Computer workstations with internet access

• Access to on-line databases of business information, suppliers, competitors or customers

• Business name registration kiosk

Training Programs and Worksops

• Business Development Series

• Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Business Planning

• Marketing

• Legal and Insurance Considerations

• Book keeping and Taxes for Business

• New Importer/ Exporter

Consultation Services

One-hour session with an SBEC consultant:

• Help entrepreneurs prepare and review a business plan• Monitor a client through the crucial start-up stages• Assist in identifying rules and regulations that can impact a client’s business• Identify government and private sector programs and services

818 consultations in 2009

Youth Programs

Two Key Programs:Canadian Youth Business Program (18 – 34 yrs of age): • Loan of up to $15,000 combined with mentor• 26 loans to date• 43 jobs• $450,000 invested Summer Company (16-29 yrs. of age):• Grant of up to $3,000 mentorship• 53 students• over $250,000 investment• 126 jobs

Business Facilitation

Business Facilitation:

• Provides a central contact to help businesses through the municipal processes of starting and/or expanding their business

• Facilitates, coordinates and provides advice on development proposals

• Reduces and resolves issues and problems relating to Development proposals

• Advocates on behalf of the customer

Business Facilitation:

The Big Picture

The key role of the Business Facilitators is to provide an overview of what to expect for your particular planning process including:

• Timelines

• Required Applications

• Costs

How Business Facilitators can help your business:

• Guides you through the clearing of Conditions of Site Plan Approval

• Move more quickly and easily through the approval system

• Reduces and assists with the release of securities

• Suggests creative solutions to facilitate development

• Prioritization of Infrastructure Funding Projects and Corporate Projects

What is the link with Economic Development’s Business

Development Consultants?

Business Facilitators:• attend Corporate calls at the request of

Economic Development to provide companies with Planning perspective, knowledge of the Planning Process, and additional internal an external contacts to help speed up the process

• act as the front-line (physical main floorpresence) to ensure businesses anddevelopers connect with experts from Planning and Economic Development and other City departments

Development Checklist &Development Application Brochures

Official P

lan

Amendments

Zoning By-law

Amendments

Draft Plan of

Subdivision

Land Division

Site P

lan

Control

Part LotControl

Minor Variance

Sign Variance

Land Division

Part Lot Control

Minor Variance

Sign Variance

Customizable Development Kit

Official Plan

Amendment

Zoning By-law

Amendment

Draft Plan of

Subdivision

Site Plan Control

Development Checklist

Parkland Dedication

Development Charges

Consent Agreements

Licensing

Licensing

• The Licensing counter at the One-Stop is primarily focused on new businesses, but will also process licence renewals

Staff help businesses:• Understand if their business needs to be licensed;

• Find out what their business needs to become licensed; and

• Process business licence applications

Examples of Business that Need to be Licensed

• Taxi Cab (driver, broker and owner operator)• Residential Care Facilities and Lodging House• Trades: Contractors and Masters• Restaurants (includes refreshment stand)• Public Garages• Kennels and Pet Shops• Cigarette/Tobacco sales• Hairdressers, Piercing and/or Tattoo Parlours•Adult Entertainment Establishments•Body Rub Parlours

Why Businesses Need to be Licensed

• Public health and safety

•Consistency across similar types of businesses or licensing categories

•Consumer protection

•Nuisance control

Why Licensing is Essential at One-Stop and How Services Work

Together

• Services provided by SBEC and Business Facilitators will help businesses understand and locate information required to complete their licensing application faster and more efficiently.

• Two essential requirements to get your business licensed include: a copy of the business registration and Zoning Verification Certificate.

•SBEC can help get your business registered and Business Facilitators can assist with understanding the Zoning associated with the business.

One-Stop for Businesses

Opened on June 7, 2010

Where to Find One-Stop:

Hamilton City Hall

71 Main Street West, 1st Floor

Phone: 905-540-6400

Make an appointment or just walk-in

Website: www.hamilton.ca/onestop