Starting a business is more than just renting a space and putting up a sign. We offer free online courses and programs that cover a wide range of business topics, as well as resources for market research, industry reports and more. 

Our programs are presented by industry professionals such as CPA accountants, lawyers, certified financial planners, government representatives, and local entrepreneurs. Check our business program listings, always refreshing in the 'What's Happening' box at the bottom of this page, often to stay up to date on new live program offerings.

In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, this year’s Small Business Week events focus on business reconciliation.
 
Learn how small business owners can contribute to an inclusive Canadian economy by supporting Indigenous businesses, hiring and retaining Indigenous talents, and incorporating Indigenous-led business models.
 
Thinking about starting a business or buying a franchise? Discover the basics with Small Business Week.

Monday, Oct 18: Starting a Business

An introductory workshop that walks prospective entrepreneurs through the essential steps to starting a business: learn the essential steps to starting a business, including planning, financing, business registry, marketing, managing employees, and tax planning.

Tuesday, Oct 19: Decolonize YQR: Decolonize the Workplace

Nick Crighton, the Director of Indigenous Engagement for the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, will talk about how to implement an Indigenous strategy for your business and how to hire and retain Indigenous people.

Wednesday Oct 20: Key Legal Considerations When Buying a Franchise Business

Join us to hear from a lawyer about some of the key legal issues you should consider before buying a franchise such as personal liabilities, occupancy rights, renewal rights and exclusive territory.

Thursday, Oct 21: Creating Economic Impact: An Indigenous-led Business Model

Thomas Benjoe, the new Chairperson at the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, will speak about the mission, vision, and principles of FHQ Developments, and the economic impact of an Indigenous-led business model.

Professional Development

Perhaps you are transitioning to e-commerce, increasing your social media engagement, or setting up your online presence. 

Access digital courses that you can take from home to get you the skills you need in:

• Photoshop
• InDesign
• WordPress
• Wix
• Shopify
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Photography
• Business Writing
• Online marketing 
• Content management
• Web design
• Graphic design
• Excel

All of these, and thousands more, can be learned from our digital course databases: 

LinkedIn Learning: Thousands of short video tutorial courses, led by experts, on topics such as accounting, business planning, career development, and many more!

Gale: Longer, instructor led course that let you dive deep into various topics.

Materials and Resources

Business Source Elite: Whole articles from top professional publications, on accounting, banking, finance, international business, marketing, sales, and more. 

Irwin Law e-Library: Find more than 300 volumes pertaining to many aspects of Canadian law, including business topics such as mergers and acquisitions, investing, contracts, labour and trade law.

PressReader: Read newspapers from around the world.

Overdrive/Libby: Read thousands of magazines from around the world.

Legal Trac: Full articles from major law reviews, legal newspapers, specialty publications, Bar Association journals, and international legal journals.

Reading lists

We also have live Zoom business webinars facilitated by local experts; make sure you check back often on our program listings, as we are constantly adding new topics. All you need is your library card to access these important live courses.

Resources for Students

Need resources to help you understand your professional path, homework and research projects? RPL has you covered.

Business Source Elite has full-text coverage of the world’s top business, management and economics journals, including well-known publications such as Harvard Business Review series, McKinsey Quarterly, and Ivey Business Journal.

Brainfuse offers study guides and learning activities connected to Saskatchewan curriculum for grades 1 to 12. Students can also submit their writing to receive grammar help. From 3:00 PM to 11:59pm daily, students can connect with a live tutor.

Britannica School is ideal if you are looking for an online encyclopedia. When you log in, you can pick whether you want to be connected to the elementary, middle or high school version of the encyclopedia.

Canadian Points of View Reference Centre brings together research on hotly debated issues, and helps you navigate facts from opinions. An added bonus to this resource is that it is Canadian, so it features Canadian laws and issues.

Mango Languages is a great resource for teens if they are interested in learning a new language or improving their English skills, and there are over 70 languages to choose from. Note: If you are interested in language learning for young children, check out the Little Pim videos available on Kanopy.

ELibrary, Gale in Context: High School Edition are great for finding magazine articles and news on various research topics.

Looking for more supports? Check out our list of online products available to access.