Business Loans
Affordable loans plus free business coaching to give you the tools for success.
Every ACCESS applicant is offered free business coaching services. Our coaches are volunteers with experience in business, who can help you launch your start-up and answer your burning questions.
Affordable Financing for your Business
Scaling up or starting from scratch? We have your business needs covered with loans up to $5000.
Applicant Eligibility
- 18 years or older
- Canadian citizen, Permanent Resident or Convention Refugee with a legal right to work in Canada
- A resident of the Greater Toronto Area or Hamilton
- Demonstrated financial need
- Unable to obtain a loan from banks and other sources
- Not in a consumer proposal or bankruptcy, or has been discharged for at least 6 months
- Up-to-date with, and not owing taxes to, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or child support to the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) or provide proof of ongoing payments for at least 3 consecutive months
- Able to demonstrate the loan will be used for business purposes as outlined in this application and business plan.
- Business loans cannot be used to pay off debt.
Required Documents
- Proof of income, e.g. copy of pay stub
- Credit report and score from Equifax or TransUnion
- Notice of Assessment from Canada Revenue Agency
- Business Plan and Cash Flow Projections
- Business registration, if registered
- Two pieces of valid photo ID (e.g. Driver’s Licence, Passport or Immigration Documents)
- Proof of residence, .e.g. utility bill, bank statement etc.
- Resume
*Please contact us if you have difficulty submitting any of the above documents.
Next steps:
You will be contacted by ACCESS staff within 3-5 business days to:
- Confirm receipt of your application and to clarify or request additional information
- Inform you if your application will be or has been forwarded to the Loan Review Committee
- Give you a timeline for your 1-2 hour long in-person interview with at least two Loan Officers.
- Please submit the completed application form and supporting documents by email to: biz@accessccf.com.
Business Loans FAQs
Who is eligible for your loans?
- Canadian citizen, permanent resident or convention refugee/protected person, at least 18 years old, legally able to work in Canada and resident of the Greater Toronto Area or Hamilton.
- Demonstrate financial need or inability to get a loan from a bank (We will assess this on an individual basis, considering your income, debt and other factors.)
- Be up-to-date with, and not owing taxes to Canada Revenue Agency or child support to the Family Responsibility Office, or provide proof of ongoing payments for at least three consecutive months
- Not be in a consumer proposal or bankruptcy, or discharged for less than six months
How much can I borrow?
For a small business loan, you can borrow up to a maximum of $5,000. If you need additional funding after paying off the first loan in good standing, you can apply for up to $10,000.
For a foreign credential recognition loan, you can borrow up to $15,000 for career-related expenses.
Are there other fees?
There is a one-time administrative fee of 5% added to business loans at the time of disbursal. All clients will need to open an Alterna Savings account to receive the funds, which also has a small fee to open ($15), similar to most bank accounts.
You may be charged additional fees for paying your loan late.
How much is your interest?
Our interest rates are prime plus 1.25% for business loans.
(Prime is the standard rate which banks charge, which can change and affect the overall interest rate.)
Do you offer grants?
No, however you may find information on grants at https://www.canada.ca/en/government/grants-funding.
How long do I have to pay back the loan?
For a business loan, you have up to three years to repay.
Our loans are open, which means you can pay them back early without additional fees or interest. Interest will be calculated up to the time you decide to pay off the loan if it’s before the given term.
What documents do you require?
For business loans:
• Proof of income, e.g. copy of pay stub
• Credit report and score from Equifax or TransUnion
• Notice of Assessment from Canada Revenue Agency
• Business Plan and Cash Flow Projections
• Business registration, if registered
• Two pieces of valid photo ID (e.g. Driver’s Licence, Passport or Immigration Documents)
• Proof of residence, .e.g. utility bill, bank statement etc.
• Resume
*Please contact us if you have difficulty submitting any of the above documents.
If you don’t have a complete business plan, we provide business coaching for eligible applicants to help you refine your business plan.
What types of businesses do you fund?
We strive to support a wide variety of business ideas, however, there are a few instances where we will not be able to approve your application.
Any business deemed to be harmful in any way will be ineligible. This includes (but is not limited to) businesses that:
• Engage in illegal activities
• Violate The Canadian Human Rights Act and/or The Ontario Human Rights Code
• Are contrary ACCESS Community Capital Fund’s values and reputation
• Are prohibited by our financial partners
As our aim is to help small entrepreneurs, we don’t fund operations owned by large companies, such as franchises and multi-level-marketing businesses.
If you’d like to confirm if your business will be accepted before you apply, please call us to discuss your idea or plan.
How can an ACCESS loan improve my credit?
The loan application process can be completed wherever you are. However, once you’ve been approved for a loan you will need to visit our financial partner, Alterna Savings at 800 Bay Street to finalize your loan.
We will arrange the appointment for you, based on your availability during weekdays.
After your loan account is set up you can choose to go to any Alterna location that’s convenient for you or do your transactions online, including the loan repayment.
