Check out mashable.com for up-to-date news in social media, technology and web culture.  The Business & Marketing section of this website highlights relevant articles for entrepreneurs, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals.  One recent article featured 5 excellent business blogs to learn from.

Mashable.com has a Youtube channel, and can be followed on Twitter and Facebook.  You may also subscribe to an RSS feed for your updates.

Looking for Ontario Government tax incentives, tax credits or business support programs?

The Ontario Business Program Guide is a comprehensive, free and authoritative online directory that highlights about 60 programs from across the government.  Searching for relevant programs can be done by category, keyword or program name or organization.  RSS (Really Simple Synication) feeds provide updates to changes in programs or new listings.

The site also provides links to additional business resources, such as Service Ontario’s online gateway to business and Canada-Business Ontario.

Are you opening a new business in Ontario or planning to expand an existing building?  The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has issued a guide to help you obtain land use planning approvals faster.  A Land Use Planning Guide for Business sets out the process of acquiring land use planning approvals for all sizes and types of businesses.  The guide explains the process in plain language  so that business owners can decide whether they need to hire professional staff for help with the planning process, or whether they can work through the process themselves.

After an introductory chapter on land use applications, the guide explains official plans; zoning by-laws; consents; site plan controls; and building permits.  Business Improvement Association (BIAs), Community Improvement Plans (CIPs) and brownfield redevelopment are reviewed.  The guide also highlights other planning approvals and provincial regulations such as the Development Permit System (DPS) and the Green Energy and Green Economy Act, 2009.

Are you a small or medium sized business interested in becoming a supplier to the Government of Canada?  The Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME) has been set up to help small businesses participate in the federal government procurement process.  Six regional offices  are available across Canada for small business owners to contact.

For current information on how to participate in the government procurement process, check out Buy and Sell.  This website shows you how to:  register to become a supplier; access your Supplier Information Registration (SRI) account; find bid opportunities; and find a government contact.  OSME also runs free seminars under the following topics:  Introductory Supplier Seminar; Bidding on Opportunities; and Understanding Select (an online database of approved suppliers in specific fields.)

Could your business benefit from hiring internationally trained workers?  Employer’s Roadmap to Hiring and Retaining Internationally Trained Workers published by Citizenship and Immigration Canada is a guide for employers in small and medium-sized businesses.

Internationally trained workers (ITWs) can help meet your labour needs; increase your competitiveness; help develop new markets; bring fresh perspectives to your organization; and connect you with other valuable workers.

This Roadmap offers tips on preparing your company for a diverse workforce.  It also discusses how to find, assess and select ITWs.  Suggestions are given for the integration and retention of ITWs.

Industry Canada’s Venture Capital Monitor Q1 2010 has just been released.  This quarterly publication provides current information on the venture capital (VC)  industry by tracking trends in investment activity, reporting on VC-related research and examining key technology clusters that are attracting VC investment.

Of particular interest in this update is the article on entrepreneurship boot camps that provide learning opportunities for start-up technology entrepreneurs.  These bootcamps can be organized by investment forums or start-up competitions.  A list of entrepreneurship bootcamps and their contact information is included.

Family-owned businesses can offer challenges not found in non-family businesses.  According to a recent article in Business Week, 40% of family businesses are passed down to the second generation, but only 13% survive to be run by the third generation of family owners.

If you are involved in a family-run business and would like to know more about the experiences of similar businesses, many articles can be found in Oakville Public Library’s online databases for business.  Search Business Source Premier and Canadian Business and Current Affairs Complete using the keywords “family owned businesses” for information on succession planning, how to avoid family feuds, and examples of well-run family businesses. (Note:  An OPL card is needed to access articles from home.)

Want to meet with other owners of family-run businesses?  The Canadian Association of  Family Enterprise (CAFE) is a non-profit organization that promotes the well-being of the family in business.  CAFE holds a National Symposium every two years, providing an opportunity for members to network, discuss the trends in family businesses and hear inspiring keynote speakers.  The organization also facilitates confidential advisory groups at the local level, where business matters are discussed in an environment of trust.

The mission of the Centre for Family Business is to support, energize and educate family businesses.  Its seminars and workshops appeal to the interests of the entire family business, including founders, successors, key non-family members, spouses, significant others and inactive family members.  With the invitation to monthly breakfast seminars with a family business client, professional family business advisors are given opportunites for continuing education.

The Family Firm Institute: Ontario Chapter supports family business advisors from all disciplines, and works to increase public awareness about trends and developments in the family business and family wealth fields.

• The Canada Small Business Financing Program helps small businesses access loans from financial institutions by sharing the risk with the lenders.  The objectives of the program are:
• to help new businesses get started and established firms make improvements and expand
• to improve access to loans that would not otherwise be available to small businesses
• to stimulate economic growth and create jobs for Canadians

The program is delivered by specific financial institutions.  On average, small businesses have accessed about 10,000 loans worth more than $1 billion dollars each year.

Is your business eligible?  Most for profit small and medium size businesses in Canada with gross revenues or projected revenues of less than $5 million are eligible to apply for loans under this program.  Check out these FAQ’s for more details.

Halton Region’s Economic Development Report for Q4 2009  is now available.  Some of the business news highlights are:

• ARCA Canada’s work in picking up and decommissioning old appliances
• the recognition of several Halton companies as part of the “Top 250 Canadian Technology Companies” list
• Halton Region’s Small Business Centre celebrates ten years of helping entrepreneurs

Along with other business highlights, the Q4 report also includes a market overview with key economic indicators and development activity summaries, industrial and housing market overviews, and Halton’s Small Business Centre quick facts.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference is underway in Copenhagen.  Government leaders, diplomats, businesspeople and activists are gathered to determine ways to slow and eventually reduce greenhouse gases, in a effort to reverse global warming.

Sustainability has been defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development as being “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

 Why should small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) be concerned with sustainability?  And how can they explore the potential of sustainablilty?

According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’s report Achieving Eco-prosperity : SMEs’ perspectives on the environment ”sustainability is being seen as not just an extra cost of doing business, but as an opportunity to save money, or even make more money, and help the environment at the same time.”

Where to start?  Environment Canada and Industry Canada have collaborated on Clean, Lean and Green.  This resource identifies the benefits of going green, how to get started, additional resources and awards and success stories.

Environment Canada also promotes the opportunities to SMEs when improving environmental performance and provides related links to help SMEs get started in reducing pollution and improving their environmental footprint.

Many books have been published recently concerning the “greening” of business as a way to improve profits in a small business.  Check out The Green  Business Guide by Glenn Bachman; Build a Green Small Business by Scott Cooney; and Greening your Small Business by Jennifer Kaplan.