On June 16th, the
Thunder Bay Public Library (TBPL), in partnership with the Thunder Bay
Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) and the Northwestern Ontario
Innovation Centre (NOIC), launched hub:north, the new small business incubation
zone at the Waverley Library. hub:north will allow a vibrant and innovative
culture to develop in Thunder Bay’s downtown core. By providing the space,
tools, and training, hub:north is equipped to help entrepreneurs grow their
ideas into fully-fledged businesses at a very low cost.
“It's about providing
professional spaces where entrepreneurs, innovators, and small businesses can
congregate to work, to share ideas, to socialize, and get help from a variety
of on-site resources,” says Stephen Hurrell, Director of Systems at TBPL. “I'm
quite excited by the possibilities for business, social and community building
this project [provides].”
Location is key for
making hub:north into a business and community hub. Not only is the small
business zone located in Thunder Bay’s desirable downtown core, it is also
located next to the makerspace on Waverley Library’s ground floor. Having the
makerspace on hand is ideal for anyone who wants to make a prototype or needs
some help programming an app.
Around hub:north are
plenty of desks that everyone is welcome to use daily for free. Entrepreneurs
can rent a dedicated desk for a small monthly fee of $50 a month, or share a
desk with other entrepreneurs for $25 a month. The second option is ideal for
anyone who doesn’t need the dedicated space on a full time basis. Anyone who is
renting a desk can also rent a storage locker for a $35 security deposit.
Waverley Library has
two new bookable meeting rooms that are part of the hub:north space. The
smaller meeting room can fit 5 people comfortably, while the larger one can fit
8. An auditorium seating 120 chairs is also available for a fee; no matter the
size of your meeting, the Library has the space to accommodate you. hub:north
has business services available such as free wifi and access to printers. And
business advisors from NOIC and CEDC are on hand at designated times to help!
TBPL is an ideal
place for a small business zone because along with all of these perks, you have
access to our many business resources. Anyone is welcome to use the on-site
resources at the library, including our current business books, our magazines,
and our databases; library cards are free for Thunder Bay residents. We have
brand new books on topics of interest for entrepreneurs, such as The Startup Equation: a Visual Guidebook to
Building, Launching, and Scaling Your Startup by Steven Fisher or The Crowdfunding Handbook by Clifford R. Ennico. We have print
versions of business magazines such as Canadian
Business, and access to many
more business publications online through CBCA Complete and CPI.Q. Our
other databases, including PCensus and InfoCanada, let you do market and
statistical research. And our friendly and knowledgeable staff are always on
hand to help with your research needs.
hub:north
is currently home to five businesses who are part of NOIC’s 13 week Costarter
program, an intensive program that helps people grow their ideas into a full
business. The five businesses are Intridio, an app designed to expedite the
hiring process; Brainshift, an app to help patients regain motor function,
Ski-Lines.com, an online marketplace and news hub for skiing; HAIL Cosmetics,
environmentally friendly beauty products; and Microbiate, a chemical
neutralizer for cleaning hazardous spills safely. At the end of the Costarter
program, these businesses may continue to remain in hub:north; we’re looking
forward to seeing their innovations become a reality!
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