Square partners with Digital Main Street to help even more businesses adapt

Every type of business, from restaurants to beauty services to personal trainers, needs support

TORONTO- October 15, 2020 — Today, payments and point-of-sale company Square announced a partnership with Digital Main Street to help Canadian businesses—no matter the size, shape or type—adopt digital tools and skills. This partnership recognizes that all business owners, not just retailers, need resources to navigate the challenges of 2020, and will broaden access to tools so service businesses in food and beverage, beauty, health care, repair, and more sectors can rebuild and thrive long after COVID-19.

“Owning a business today means owning a lot of uncertainty. Every business has different needs but all businesses need new and easy ways to reach buyers online and in person, and to manage their operations,” said Alyssa Henry, Seller Lead at Square. “We are proud to partner with Digital Main Street to help even more Canadian business owners get the right tools to make the shifts they need to stay connected with their customers.”

Building on the continued support of FedDev Ontario and the Province of Ontario, Square and Digital Main Street will work together to ensure all types of Ontario business owners, from salon owners in Ste. Saint Marie to restaurant owners in Stratford, health-care practitioners in Oshawa to home renovators in Barrie, receive much-needed guidance in embracing digital tools and gaining skills to adapt their business at this challenging time.

“We’re working to support Main Street businesses that are a source of local jobs—and local pride,” said Hon. Mélanie Joly, Canada’s Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. “With the expanded Digital Main Street program and partners like Square, we’re ensuring that more types of businesses can recover faster from the impact of COVID-19 and get back to building their business.”

In the years ahead, this new collaboration will strengthen Digital Main Street initiatives across Canada, addressing the needs of all kinds of businesses in the following ways:

• The Digital Service Squad and Transformation Teams for the Future-Proofing Main Street program will have a broad set of flexible tools from Square that can be tailored to business owner’s needs—whether that’s taking touch-free payments with contactless hardware, offering delivery and pickup, sending professional invoices, booking appointments, promoting digital gift cards or having a versatile point of sale.
• The ShopHERE Powered By Google program will provide every type of business, from restaurants to contractors, with the ability to quickly launch a website free with Square. And businesses only pay when they make a sale.
• Alongside other industry experts, Square will host and be part of DMS Academy workshops and tutorials focused on the learning needs of business owners in the restaurant and hospitality, services and trades and retail sectors.

“The pandemic has had an indelible impact on the business community and Digital Main Street program is helping small businesses in Toronto, across Ontario and now the country adapt to new realities”, says John Kiru, Executive Director of the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA). “We’re delighted to have Square joining our network that also includes: Google, Mastercard, Shopify, Microsoft, Facebook and Intuit Canada, all working together to support the small main street business community and maintain vibrant neighbourhoods.”

“Ontario’s small businesses are the backbone of our province, and are key to our economic recovery. It’s more important than ever to make sure businesses can pivot and digitize their operations,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction. “With partners like Square, the Digital Main Street program is helping more businesses across the province gain access to new digital tools and resources to build resiliency in the face of challenges the future may bring.”

To learn more about Digital Main Street and the programs and learning opportunities available to all business owners, visit digitalmainstreet.ca.

About Square
Square, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) builds tools to empower businesses and individuals to participate in the economy. Sellers use Square to reach buyers online and in person, and to manage their business. Square has offices in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Ireland, Spain and the UK. More information about Square is available at square.ca.

About Digital Main Street
Digital Main Street is a program that helps main street businesses achieve digital transformation. The program is built around an online learning platform, structured training programs, and our Digital Service Squad, a team of street-level team members who help main street businesses grow and manage their operations through technology.

Digital Main Street was created by the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) with direct support from the City of Toronto. DMS is also supported by a group of strategic business partners, including Google, Mastercard, Shopify, Microsoft, Facebook, and Intuit QuickBooks.

Media Contact:
Leslie Jackson, Square
press@squareup.com

Darryl Julott, Digital Main Street
darryl.julott@digitalmainstreet.ca