From auto parts and cabinetry to global cuisine and community retail, Scarborough’s entrepreneurs bring both economic value and social impact.
The Scarborough Business Association (SBA) is proud to be the voice of Scarborough’s business community—working to drive local prosperity, champion entrepreneurship, and strengthen the connections between business, community, and opportunity. As a volunteer-led, member-based organization, we are focused on creating forums for networking, advocating for equitable development, and ensuring that Scarborough’s economic potential is fully realized.
This year, we’ve already seen momentum building. Our Mayor’s Lunch brought together civic leaders, entrepreneurs, and institutions to discuss Scarborough’s future. We’ve just hosted a career fair at the Toronto Pan Am Centre, connecting jobseekers with employers across sectors. And on June 20, we’re teaming up with the Scarborough Shooting Stars for a unique After Five networking event—combining sport, business, and community building under one roof.
These initiatives reflect what the SBA stands for: inclusion, opportunity, and practical support for the small businesses that power our economy.
As Scarborough continues to grow, one truth remains clear—small businesses are not just part of our economy. They are the economy. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Golden Mile.
Local businesses across the Golden Mile and Eglinton East have shown incredible resilience. They’ve endured years of major LRT construction, lost foot traffic, pandemic disruptions, and rising operational costs. And still, they’ve stayed open, continued to employ local residents, and served as economic and cultural anchors.
In a 2022 SBA-led survey of 236 Golden Mile businesses, 66% reported a drop in traffic due to construction, and over 80% cited major impacts to operations and cash flow during the pandemic. These aren’t just numbers—they represent people, families, and livelihoods.
And yet, supporting small business isn’t just about helping them recover. It’s about making smart economic decisions for Scarborough’s future.
Small businesses provide more local jobs per dollar invested than large enterprises. They keep dollars circulating in our community. They’re faster to hire, more adaptable, and deeply connected to our neighbourhoods. From auto parts and cabinetry to global cuisine and community retail, Scarborough’s entrepreneurs bring both economic value and social impact.
Investing in small business means creating safer streets, walkable neighbourhoods, and vibrant commercial corridors. It means giving youth a first job. It means growing our manufacturing base while protecting our cultural fabric.
At the SBA, we are advocating for:
• Commercial rent support and construction mitigation for small retailers
• Greater inclusion of Scarborough businesses in public procurement
• Targeted economic development in areas like the Golden Mile
• Stronger collaboration between government, institutions, and entrepreneurs
Scarborough’s story is being written now—and small business must be at the centre of it.
Let’s keep building forward, together.
By Ryan Somer, President of The Scarborough Business Association
