Business Assistance

Self Employment Benefits Program
(SEB)

To qualify for the SEB program clients must meet the following criteria:

Currently on Employment Insurance Benefits (EI)

• Or have been on EI within the preceding three years or five years if a maternity/parental leave was within that time frame and clients remained out of the labour market.
• Legally entitled to work in Canada.
• Proposing to start a new business within the area administered by the SEB program (confirm with your local HRDC office which area you are in).
• No participation within the SEB program for the preceding five years.
• Will provide an acceptable business plan to the coordinator establishing the potential for a viable business.
• Agree to work full time at the business while receiving financial assistance from (HRDC).
• In the event that a client is taking over an existing business they cannot have had any prior ownership of that business.
• Be available for the training offered by the coordinator.

Application Process
Contact the local SERVICES CANADA office and establish eligibility.
(Bancroft Office: 332-2528)

Once eligibility is established, clients are given a package of information. The "eligibility certificate" is then returned to the CFDC and the coordinator will conduct an interview and provide the client with the SEB application for them to complete. The completed application is then returned to the CFDC and the coordinator in conjunction with Services Canada will determine the validity of the proposal. If the business idea appears sound, the client would then start the mandatory business training at the CFDC office. During training, the client completes a business plan for assessment by the coordinator and the Services Canada representative to establish if the client is approved to start their business under the SEB program.