Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut; Brampton,Ontario; and Conception Bay South, Newfoundland are the three most-friendly communities to home-based businesses according to a survey sponsored by RBC Royal Bank, Canada Post and Home Business Report.

"Many communities support the home-based business sector and we want to reward those that have performed splendidly," said Home Business Report publisher Barbara Mowat.

"Our data from surveying 90 Canadian communities show that home-based businesses positively impact our economy," said Home Business Report publisher Barbara Mowat. "It's good to report some good business news in this time of economic upheaval," she said.

Judgement criteria for the 90 Canadian communitites surveyed included having reasonable zoning laws, their educational and mentoring opportunities, and having supportive government agencies and non-profits.

Mowat explains that they searched for towns focused on small-scale entrepreneurism where integrated services create an all-around encouraging environment.

So, what makes these three towns so friendly to home-based businesses?

Brampton, Ontario
Brampton, Ontario was selected for its comprehensive small business package, with strong public - private partnerships.

The Brampton Small Business Enterprise Centre(SBEC), which opened in 1998, quickly became the information hub for HBBs with its "Home-Business Support Package." Acting as a business incubator, for a low monthly fee HBB owners can have a dedicated business phone line at the Centre, use the SBEC as a business address for mail, and book time in the boardrooms.

Partners in the SBEC include the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Human Resource Development Canada, Brampton Board of Trade, Industry Canada, Bell Canada, Microsoft Canada, Hewlett Packard and RBC Financial Group.

Inqualuit, Nunavut
Although a small city by southern standards, Iqaluit, Nunavut's capital, is the largest community in the territory, with its population of 6,000 people.

To help employment expand, several agencies banded together to offer a combination of loans, mentorship, and education. The Agencies include the Kakivak Association, Aboriginal Business Canada, the Baffin Business Development Centre, as well as associations like Nunavut Tourism and the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association.

As a northern city, Inqualuit faces challenges few communities in the southern part of Canada can imagine.

"We have great opportunities and great challenges," said the city's economic development coordinator Cheri Kemp-Kinnear. "Growth creates employment. We have opportunities for skilled workers and entrepreneurs. We also have an arctic climate and enormous distances that can work against us. There are no roads connecting communities, so everything is brought in by air or ship. That makes living and doing business expensive."

Conception Bay South, Newfoundland
Located near St. John's, Conception Bay South, a town of 21,000, is the fastest growing in the province. Realizing that it needed to provide job opportunities to keep young people at home, the town pioneered a program called Business Tax Incentive for Youth Entrepreneurs.

This program helps young entrepreneurs start a business, offering a five-year business tax break as long as their enterprise doesn't compete with existing business. Various fees for young entrepreneurs are waived as well.

Conception Bay South has also taken a forward-thinking approach to its zoning, and has approved zoning that distinguishes between home offices and home occupations. Educational programs in the community include HBB tradefairs, seminars, government and industry-sponsored learning programs, and college courses.

Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell, Conception Bay South Deputy-Mayor Susan Baggs, and Cheri Kemp-Kinnear, community economic developer in Iqaluit, Nunavut will accept awards recognizing each of their community's business strategies at a ceremony this evening at Royal Bank Plaza in Toronto.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to visit CanadaOne's article knowledge base for more informative articles.