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How will social media spending boost your revenues? We do the math
One of the most common questions business owners have around digital marketing is, “How much money will we make from running Facebook ads?” As the president of a digital agency who works with owners and senior marketing teams, I’m asked this almost daily. Story
Toronto eyes extending 10-per-cent cap on tax increases for commercial properties
With soaring property taxes and lease rates putting intense pressure on small business, the City of Toronto is proposing a 10-per-cent cap on all commercial, industrial and multi-residential tax increases for a second year in a row. Story
Going cashless: Small business owners face pressure to accept plastic
On a busy day at Huong Trang Fish Market – a stall within the indoor, year-round Hamilton Farmers’ Market – owners Trieu Tran and Yao Xue don’t get much downtime. Ms. Tran often handles the transactions while Mr. Xue cleans the fish, an efficient system the couple have refined over years working together. They say the main reason they only take cash is because they don’t like making customers wait very long. Story
Cambridge cybersecurity firm raises US$47-million for hiring, automation
Cambridge, Ont. cybersecurity company eSentire Inc. has raised US$47-million from existing investors including New York private-equity giant Warburg Pincus LLC. The fundraising round is the company’s first since Warburg became eSentire’s majority owner a year and a half ago. New Jersey’s Edison Partners and Toronto-based venture company Georgian Partners, one of Canada’s largest venture investors, are also returning for the funding round. Story
Scotiabank launches partnership, leads investment in women-focused venture fund
The Bank of Nova Scotia is deepening its ties to the tech sector with an investment in and formal partnership with Disruption Ventures – moving the 10-month-old startup fund closer to becoming the largest private, independent, women-focused venture fund in Canada. Story
You shouldn’t need to be a man to get venture capital funding in Canada
Think everyone with a great idea gets a fair shake in the world of venture capital? Think again. According to new data, companies founded by women received just 2.2 per cent of the venture capital money invested in the United States in 2018. That’s down from the 2.5-per-cent level reported for 2017. “The fundamental issue remains that the bulk of large dollars are going to male-only founders,” said Eva Ho, a leader at All Raise, an organization that supports women in startups. Story
WHAT WE’RE READING ELSEWHERE
Vancouver craft breweries could be forced from communities they helped create
Twenty years ago, the run-down industrial area was replete with vacant buildings and empty storefronts. Thanks to an animal waste processing plant and a chicken slaughterhouse, it didn’t smell too nice, either. Vancouver Courier
Calgary to look at shifting business tax burden to homeowners
Calgary council is studying if it can alleviate the tax burden on businesses by raising taxes on homeowners. “What we’ve learned is that the program that we’ve used over the last couple of years was not as effective as it should have been,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. CBC
Small business to get rebates for some of the cost of energy efficiency projects
The federal government’s plan to ease the carbon-price burden on small businesses will include rebate payments to cover some of the cost of making energy-efficiency upgrades. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna -- who kicked off a month-long carbon-price tour at a Canadian Tire store in her Ottawa Centre riding Monday morning -- said the final details of the plan are being worked out with business associations. CTV/Canadian Press
Sarah Efron