Immigrant Self-Employment and Entrepreneurship in the GTA by Dr. Sarah Wayland explores whether self-employment and entrepreneurship is a viable option for lifting new Canadians out of poverty in the Greater Toronto Area.

The report describes:

• Characteristics of self-employment and entrepreneurship amongst immigrants;
• Challenges faced by immigrants in starting new businesses;
• Existing services, programs and policies available in the Greater Toronto Area for immigrant entrepreneurs;
• Lessons learned from other jurisdictions and;
• Preliminary observations about the efficacy of existing supports for self-employed immigrants, and gaps in services.

The research finds that there are a suite of services for entrepreneurs in the GTA, but that there is a paucity of supports targeted towards the unique barriers immigrants face when starting a business. It identifies the need for future research and suggests possible policy and program ideas for various stakeholders.