Small and medium-sized businesses * Entrepreneurs wishing to start a business

Open to self-employed individuals and businesses

Applicants must:
-Be a resident of PEI age 18 years or older and be owner/operator of the business.
-If the business is a partnership, each partner must be a co-applicant. For a corporation, each shareholder must be a co-applicant.
-At the time of loan approval, you must have 10% of the total loan available in equity.
-Working capital financing will not exceed $35,000. Funding for capital costs will only be issued when Finance PEI receives invoices/receipts, minus refundable taxes.

Specific activities within the business sector which are NOT eligible for financing include:
-Pawnbrokers, pay day loan, cheque cashing, and white label cash machines
-Consulting
-Grocery/convenience stores
-Food and beverage services
-Fishing, farming and forestry where similar supports already exist
-Real estate development/brokerage, bed and breakfast/motel/cottage operation, and insurance or business brokerage
-Schools, charities and religious organizations
-Professional/financial services

People who:
-Are unemployed and looking for full time employment
-Are legally authorized to work in Canada (Canadian citizen or permanent resident)
-Have a current claim for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits OR
-Have a previous EI claim whose benefit period ended within the previous 60 months OR
-Be an unemployed person who paid, in at least 5 of the last 10 years, employee's premiums that did not entitle the person to a refund (i.e. if the applicant made less than $2000.00 in earning in a year, any EI premiums that they have paid would have been reimbursed)
-Must not currently be operating your own business
-Other criteria may apply

People with sight loss who want to start their own business

Ages 9-16 years