Small Business Week across Canada is celebrated the third week of October, and this year’s Bay of Quinte Small Business Week will run from October 20 to October 24, 2025. Canada’s 1.1 million small businesses remain the backbone of the economy, employing millions of Canadians and representing more than 98% of all businesses in the country. Ontario is home to over 418,000 of these enterprises, making it the province with the largest share of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
For more than half a century, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) has united entrepreneurs across the country, recognizing and nurturing their courage as visionaries and creators. BDC Small Business Week continues that tradition by bringing together thousands of entrepreneurs, partners, and leaders to learn, network, and celebrate Canadian entrepreneurship.
This year at the Bay of Quinte Small Business Week, we’re taking a close look at how our business community has been navigating changing times with a fundamental shift in global economics, the rise of AI technology, and a generational transfer in business ownership. Throughout the week, entrepreneurs will discover strategies, resources, and new opportunities that lay ahead as Canadian entrepreneurship is being transformed.
The week’s events will kick off on Monday, October 20 at 11:00 AM at Loyalist College with an official opening hosted by BDC. Local Chambers, along with municipal leaders, MPs, and MPPs will share key messages highlighting the impact of small business on the Bay of Quinte Region. The keynote speaker will be Véronique Dorval, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of BDC, who will provide insight into the evolving entrepreneurial landscape.
A full week of programming follows, featuring workshops, women’s event, business mingles, roundtables, and a “Not a Trade Show” Business Expo designed to help businesses connect, collaborate, and access practical resources. The highlight of the week will be the Quinte Business Achievement Awards on Friday, October 24, celebrating business excellence across the region. To learn more and to purchase a ticket for the Awards Presentation Gala go to www.qbaa.ca.
There is no cost to attend most Small Business Week events, but online registration is required. Visit your local Chamber’s website or social media channels for full details.
A full line-up of the week’s events is available online here: 2025 Bay of Quinte Small Business Week
Bay of Quinte Small Business Week is made possible through the collaboration of the Belleville, Prince Edward County, and Quinte West Chambers of Commerce, and many local partners. Special thanks to our sponsors: Chamber Group Insurance Plan, BDC, Trenval Business Development Corp, Centre for Workforce Development, Small Business Centre, Huff’s Estate Winery, the City of Quinte West, Belleville Economic Development, Virgin Mango, the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board, Women’s W.O.R.K funding brought to you through Business and Professional Women Hastings Prince Edward, Thairific, YourTV Cogeco, The Pentecostals of Quinte, and Aspire Quinte Gardens Retirement Living.
(PAUL MARTIN)
