Interactive Business Planner - IBP

The Interactive Business Planner (IBP) is a computer software program that uses the capabilities of the Internet to assist you in preparing a 3-year business plan for a new or existing business.

The IBP will:

• help you write your business plan;
• provide a format for writing your business plan;
• take the information you enter and prepare financial projections for you.

Summary

The Interactive Business Planner (IBP) was created to support the development of small business. As a tool accessible through the World Wide Web, the Interactive Business Planner meets the needs of individuals in communities which do not have easy access to the resources needed to produce a business plan. The IBP links these individuals to applicable resources and provides them with a framework to guide them in expressing their business idea.

How Will the IBP Assist You In Preparing a Business Plan?

The IBP will show you what to include in your business plan. The first step in preparing a business plan is to figure out what questions you have to answer. The IBP has 11 sections and each section has several topics. Through this series of sections and topics, the IBP will walk you through what should be included in your business plan.

The IBP will help you identify where you can get the information you need to write your business plan. You will likely already be in a position to address many of the topics in your business plan. For example, you may be able to describe your company, your products and services, and your employees. However, there will be issues that require further research. The next step, therefore, is to find where you can get the information you need to answer these topics. For example, you may ask where can you get market information or where can you get help on how to figure out your costs? For each section and topic, we have developed a list of information sources that may be able to help you.

The IBP can help you collect the information. It is one thing to figure out where you can get information; it is another to collect it. Unlike traditional business planning software programs, the IBP operates on the World Wide Web. This means that it can actually help you collect some of the information by linking you directly with key sources of information on the Internet.

Alberta Contact(s):
The Business Link Business Service Centre
Suite 100
10237 - 104 Street N.W.
Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 1B1
Telephone: 780-422-7722
Fax: 780-422-0055
Toll-free (information): 1-800-272-9675
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: buslink@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.cbsc.org/alberta
Hours of operation: Monday - Wednesday, Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Thursday: 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

British Columbia Contact(s):
Small Business BC
601 West Cordova Street
Vancouver, British Columbia  V6B 2G1
Telephone: (604) 775-5525
Fax: (604) 775-5520
Toll-free (information): 1-800-667-2272 (B.C. Region only)
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 711 (long distance charges accepted)
E-mail: comments@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca/

Manitoba Contact(s):
Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre
250 - 240 Graham Ave
P.O. Box 2609
Winnipeg, Manitoba  R3C 4B3
Canada
Telephone: 204-984-2272
Fax: 204-983-3852
Toll-free (information): 1-800-665-2019
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
TTY (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: manitoba@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.cbsc.org/manitoba
Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday

New Brunswick Contact(s):
Canada/New Brunswick Business Service Centre
Ground Floor, Barker House
570 Queen Street
Fredericton, New Brunswick  E3B 6Z6
Telephone: 506-444-6140
Fax: 506-444-6172
Toll-free (information): 1-800-668-1010 (Atlantic region only)
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: cbscnb@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.cbsc.org/nb
Hours of operation: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday thru Friday - except Government holidays

Newfoundland & Labrador Contact(s):
Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Centre
90 O'Leary Avenue
P.O. Box 8687
St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador  A1B 3T1
Telephone: (709) 772-6022
Fax: (709) 772-6090
Toll-free (information): 1-800-668-1010 (in the Atlantic region only)
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: info@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.cbsc.org/nl
Hours of operation: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Friday

Northwest Territories Contact(s):
Canada/NWT Business Service Centre
8th Floor
701, 5201 - 50th Avenue
P.O. Box 1320
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories  X1A 3S9
Telephone: 867-873-7960
Fax: 867-873-0573
Toll-free (information): 1-800-661-0599
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: yel@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.cbsc.org/nwt

Nova Scotia Contact(s):
Canada/Nova Scotia Business Service Centre
1575 Brunswick Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia  B3J 2G1
Telephone: 902-426-8604
Fax: 902-426-6530
Toll-free (information): 1-800-668-1010 (in Atlantic region only)
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: halifax@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.cbsc.org/ns

Nunavut Contact(s):
Canada-Nunavut Business Service Centre
Hamlet Office
P.O. Box 16
Cambridge Bay, Nunavut  X0B 0C0
Telephone: (867) 983-2337
Fax: (867) 983-2193
Toll-free (information): 1-877-499-5199
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: cnbsc@gov.nu.ca
Web site: http://www.cbsc.org/nunavut

Ontario Contact(s):
Canada-Ontario Business Service Centre (COBSC)
Toronto, Ontario  M5C 2W7
Telephone: (416) 775-3456
Fax: (416) 954-8597
Toll-free (information): 1-800-567-2345 (in Ontario)
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: ontario@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.cobsc.org/en

Prince Edward Island Contact(s):
Canada / PEI Business Service Centre
75 Fitzroy Street
P.O. Box 40
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island  C1A 7K2
Telephone: (902) 368-0771
Fax: (902) 566-7377
Toll-free (information): 1-800-668-1010 (in the Atlantic region only)
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: pei@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.cbsc.org/pe
Hours of operation: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Quebec Contact(s):
Info entrepreneurs
380 St-Antoine Street West, local 6000
Montréal, Quebec  H2Y 3X7
Telephone: 514 496-4636
Fax: 514 496-5934 Toll Free / Sans frais 1 888 417-0442
Toll-free (information): 1-800-322-4636
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: infoentrepreneurs@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.infoentrepreneurs.org
Hours of operation:
Regulars Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Summer Hours: (from June 25 to Labour Day) 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Documentation Centre (Library) Hours for On-Site Research: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday to Friday

Yukon Contact(s):
Canada-Yukon Business Service Centre
Suite 101
307 Jarvis Street
Whitehorse, Yukon  Y1A 2H3
Telephone: (867) 633-6257
Fax: (867) 667-2001
Toll-free (information): 1-800-661-0543
TTY (hearing impaired): 1-800-457-8466
E-mail: yukon@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.cbsc.org/yukon

Saskatchewan Contact(s):
See National Contact.