Programs, support and services

Your company may have shipped products to other markets, but does that mean you are an exporter?

Selling outside of Ontario can be an effective way to grow your business while reducing your dependence on local markets. An export ready company is one that has the capacity, resources and management required to deliver a product or service on a global level and at a competitive price. Exporting has many challenges and requirements all of which our programs are designed to help you overcome. If you want to learn what it takes to become an exporter or have new staff who need some foundational knowledge, the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade has programs, services and resources to help you get started.

Before selling outside of Canada

Before you can begin selling outside of Canada, you must have a Business Number (BN) and an Import/Export Program Account from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

  • Visit Business Revenue Online to register for a BN and/or add an import-export account to an existing BN.
  • You must include your BN Import/Export Program Account on all of your customs documents. This applies to most shipments coming into or leaving Canada.
  • If you have questions, contact the CRA: Business Window at 1-800-959-552 or visit Business Registration Online (BRO)

Webinars and workshops for new exporters

We offer a wide selection of free export education webinars and workshops to help businesses learn about exporting and international markets. These range from topics such as how to get started with exporting, Do’s and Don’ts when crossing the U.S. Border with goods, and beginning to export technology or services to exporting to markets beyond the U.S. such as Europe and more advanced sessions such as industry-specific webinars tailored to a specific industry/sector, for example:

  • First Steps in Exporting series and general exporter preparation webinars offering hands-on, practical advice from industry experts
  • pitch preparation workshops highlighting how to effectively pitch your business to potential buyers and partners
  • cross-border seminars/webinars, including New Exporter to Border States (NEBS), New Exporters of Technology and Services to the US (NETSUS), and Dos and Don’ts when crossing the U.S. Border, which are designed to help Ontario companies get their goods and services across the border
  • market/region-specific webinars for companies looking for exporter opportunities in global markets beyond the US, such as Exporting to Europe and more advanced sessions such as industry-specific webinars offering learning opportunities tailored to a specific industry/sector

Our experts can save you hours of hassle looking for this information online.

See the full calendar of trade programs and events.

Talk to an advisor

Our skilled export advisors can help you get your business ready for new markets. Contact us to learn about the resources available to help you select markets to target and develop market entry strategies. 

For more information contact us:

 trade.officer@ontario.ca

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