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Summer Company
About Summer Company
The Summer Company program, funded by the Ontario government, has been helping students, aged 15 to 29, start and run their own businesses since 2001. As a Summer Company entrepreneur, participants receive hands-on business mentoring from local business leaders and $3,000 to make their dream job a reality.
If you’ve got a winning idea for starting a new business and are a student who is not afraid of hard work, you should consider applying to the Summer Company program – a great opportunity for enterprising young people who want to be their own BOSS! The program provides hands-on business coaching and mentoring from local community business leaders who will work with you to make your Summer Company a reality.
If your application is accepted, you will be eligible to receive an upfront award of $1,500 to put toward start-up costs and up to $1,500 upon successful completion of the program. Successful completion requires that you:
· Implement your project substantially in accordance with the business plan;
· Participate in coaching and training;
· Meet with local business mentors as specified;
· Provide documents related to the experience and business operations as required in the guidelines, and
· Meet all program requirements for establishing and operating the business
Applications are now closed for 2025!
“Summer Company provided me with the resources they said they would and more. Honestly, it’s been one of the greatest experiences of my life.”
Meet the 2024 Summer Company Participants
Blake Aylesworth, A+ Lawn Services
A+ Lawn Services, founded by Queen’s University kinesiology student Blake Aylesworth, offers professional lawn care and gardening services to the South Frontenac and Kingston areas. Services include lawn cutting, trimming, yard clean-ups, leaf blowing, weeding, planting, and mulching. Blake maintains high standards while providing opportunities to local students, blending professional development with quality work.
Kaie Bain, Backyard Swimming Lessons with Kaie
Backyard Swimming Lessons with Kaie, created by LCVI student Kaie Bain, offers one-on-one swimming lessons for children in the Kingston community. Kaie, an experienced lifeguard and swim instructor, helps kids learn crucial water safety skills in a supportive environment, ensuring both safety and fun.
Corben Enright, Corben’s Rooster Ranch
Corben’s Rooster Ranch focuses on raising pasture-raised, free-range white rock chickens, which are sold directly to local families and restaurants. The chickens are raised on-site in movable chicken tractors, ensuring ample grass feeding. Corben aims to provide his community with locally raised organic meat products.
Elli Parsons, EGL Graphics
EGL Graphics, founded by St. Lawrence College student Elli Parsons, offers affordable, customizable sports apparel live at events. EGL Graphics’ goal is to create an inclusive environment for athletes by allowing them to design apparel on demand. It solves the common issue of overordering event apparel and provides a hands-on experience for tournament participants.
Caiden Chase, Gear Glow Details
Gear Glow Details takes a different approach to the car detailing industry. Seeing heavy competition in the automotive sector, Caiden targeted a niche market: heavy machinery. Seeing the need for washings, Gear Glow began targeting heavy machinery on construction sites, farms, and marinas.
Ben Renwick. NoSplat Painters
NoSplat Painters, founded by Benjamin Renwick, a St. Lawrence College student with over three years of industry experience, offers high-quality commercial and residential painting services in Kingston and surrounding areas. Ben emphasizes direct client interaction, aiming to provide top-tier service by leveraging his leadership development and business education.
Matthew Kong, Portal Wear
Portal Wear, founded by Matthew Kong and Jonathan Li, offers dynamic clothing embedded with smart tags. By tapping or scanning the tag with a smartphone, users access the wearer’s personalized online profile. This innovative approach enhances interpersonal connection and self-expression, merging graphic design and technology.
Ian Sheppard, Scrub N’ Shine
Scrub N’ Shine is a premier window washing service that delivers exceptional quality and outstanding customer service. Founded on the principles of meticulous care and customer satisfaction, their mission is to help homeowners rediscover the beauty of their homes through sparkling clean windows.
Sterling Seunarine, Silver Candles
Silver Candles is a candle company that offers affordable candles that care about your health. The candles are made from essential oils, soy wax, and cotton wick. The targeted market is males or individuals who appreciate masculine scents. To give back to the community, a portion of the company sales goes towards Men’s Mental Health Initiatives.
Nathan Kashira, SkyShot Kingston
SkyShot Kingston is taking to the skies with aerial photography and videography using a drone. Nathan, the founder, owner, and pilot, brings creativity and expertise to his shots. He makes sure to capture an interesting angle and then touches it up using editing and cutting techniques to make a remarkable end product.
Griffin Wicke, TimeSavers
TimeSavers is a local business that focuses on tidying and cleaning services so their clients can focus on what they love in life. Griffin, a local high school student, created the business when his neighbor noticed junk piling up in his neighborhood and Griffin turned his need to unclutter into a thriving business.
Yamen Abuelyazed, Urban Greens
Urban Greens, founded by Yamen Abuelyazed, offers an innovative automated planting system designed to facilitate indoor, all-season gardening. Yamen, a student at Frontenac Secondary School, aims to revive the spirit of gardening in Ontario homes and urban environments. Urban Greens empowers consumers to grow their produce at home, promoting sustainability and reconnecting city dwellers with greenery.
You’re eligible to participate if you’re:
· A student between 15 and 29 years old as of April 30, 2025 (a parent or guardian must sign the application for applicants under 18)
· Want to start your first business.
· Attending school and returning to school in the fall (this includes full-time, part-time, homeschooling, e-learning, distance learning, apprenticeships, trade schools, etc.)
· A resident of Ontario
· A Canadian citizen or a permanent resident
· Not working at another job or attending school for more than 12 hours per week during the duration of the program
· Following the Canada Revenue Agency definition of being self-employed
· Able to work over the program period:
· A minimum of 280 hours if you’re a high school student
· A minimum of 420 hours if you’re a post-secondary student
· We may approve exceptions
· You must meet all of the above requirements
· You’re not eligible if you’ve received funding from Summer Company in the past
Almost any type of business is eligible, as long as it:
· Is a sole proprietorship or a corporation where you (the applicant) will be the majority shareholder
· Is an independent business venture
· Is a new business, not previously registered or operated on an on-going basis
· Operates at arm’s length from family business ventures
· Operates in Ontario
· Operates full-time as defined in the business plan
· Follows government rules and regulations for operating a business
· Businesses must meet all of the above requirements
These types of businesses are not eligible for funding:
· Partnerships/co-operatives
· Franchises
· Distributorships
· Incorporated businesses that are controlled directly or indirectly by a person who would not be eligible for a Summer Company award
· Business ventures that are subsidiaries or divisions of an existing business
· Business ventures that are continuations of existing commercial endeavours
· Commissioned sales
· Multi-level marketing ventures
· Single events such as a theatrical production, a DJ gig, a music concert, a dance/party event, a fundraiser, a sporting tournament, etc.
· Businesses that are strictly pay-per-click
· 1-900 businesses
The program gives students the full experience of running their own business. Note that:
· The program provider may, at its discretion, determine that a particular business is ineligible for the Summer Company program
· Online businesses are acceptable, but there must be face-to-face opportunities to market and sell your product
· App and tech businesses must be market ready and must generate sales by the end of the summer
· If you plan to run a business that requires certification, you’ll need to show proof to your program provider. If you’re unsure about certification obligations, ask your program provider. Certification examples include:
· Food handling certification for businesses that produce and/or sell food
· National Life Saving certification for businesses that offer swimming lessons
· Canada Professional Fitness Certification (CanFitPro) for businesses that offer personal fitness training
· Licences for businesses that specialize in drone photography
Once approved, you’ll be required to:
· Sign a Letter of Agreement with the program provider describing each party’s rights and responsibilities (a parent or guardian Must sign the agreement for applicants under 18)
· Sign a Release and Consent form (a parent or guardian must sign the form for participants under 18)
· Show your business name registration and any required licensing documents to your program provider for verification
· Open and operate a bank account for the business
· Spend your first payment within the first 30 days
· Operate your business over the summer program period, according to your business plan and cash flow, for:
· a minimum of 280 hours if you are a high school student
· a minimum of 420 hours if you are a post-secondary student
· Meet with your local program provider and mentors for a minimum of four meetings to review and track your progress
· Agree to one site visit by the program provider
· Maintain appropriate business records of income and expenditures including receipts
· Participate in business training with your program provider
To receive the second payment (up to $1,500), you need to:
· Meet your requirements to participate (listed above)
· Participate in an exit interview at the end of the summer
· Provide the following to your program provider for review, in a professional and business-like format:
· a cash flow record of your business operations
· copies of all your bank statements
· copies of all business receipts and invoices organized to show that you used the first payment for start-up costs
· Submit a signed confirmation that you’re returning to school
· Complete the anonymous online participant survey
If you don’t successfully complete the program, you will not receive the second payment and you may be asked to reimburse the first payment.
If you met all the requirements to complete the program but did not spend the full first payment within 30 days, the difference will be deducted from your second payment.
You may decide to start and/or continue your business while you’re in school, but for the purpose of the program’s administration, business operations can start no earlier than April 1 and must end by Labour Day.
The award is taxable under the Canada and Ontario Income Tax Acts. A T4A slip will be issued to the recipient of the award.
Contact Simon Denford
Business Programs & Community Outreach Coordinator
613-544-2725 x 7222
Cell: 613-328-5613
denford@investkingston.ca
