TORONTO, ON–Mastercard announced more support for Canadian small business owners, including the launch of Small Business Navigator in Canada, which grants small business owners access to resources designed to help simplify operations, control costs, and empower efficiency.
The suite of resources offers free economic insights, cost-saving opportunities and cybersecurity resources, reinforcing Mastercard’s commitment to the small business community that goes far beyond payments. More than half of small business owners in Canada (53%) find it challenging to find reliable resources in one place.*
“Small businesses are the beating heart of our communities, making up nearly 98% of all businesses in Canada, but they often juggle challenges that come from rising costs and limited resources,” said Nishant Raina, Vice President, Product Management, Small & Medium Enterprises, Mastercard, Canada. “We want to help relieve that burden with solutions that make running a business easier, so owners can focus on the things that matter most: their customers and their growth.”
Small Business Navigator: Spurring growth and sparking momentum
Understanding the toll that economic uncertainty takes on small businesses, Mastercard’s Small Business Navigator goes beyond card-linked benefits and provides an inclusive digital resource hub available to all small business owners in Canada, regardless of whether they use a Mastercard product.
More than half of small businesses (52%) face challenges in accessing affordable cybersecurity tools and finding discounts and offers relevant to their business, while half identify access to up-to-date economic trends and business insights as a challenge*.
Small Business Navigator addresses these key areas of need for small business owners and equips them with the resources, education, and insights needed to succeed, including:
- Economic trend reports from the Mastercard Economics Institute and Mastercard SpendingPulse to keep business owners informed of market developments
- Cybersecurity resources to educate small business owners on how they can protect themselves against emerging threats
- Offers from Mastercard and its partners to drive cost savings in key areas such as tax services, payments acceptance and operations.
“Entrepreneurs often lack access to the formal financial tools they need to manage cash flow, plan for the long term, and achieve sustainable growth,” says John Kiru, Executive Director of Digital Main Street, an organization that helps businesses achieve digital transformation. “That’s why programs like Mastercard Small Business Navigator are so exciting–they empower business owners to take control of their financial futures, build confidence, and make informed decisions that drive lasting success.”
By uniting insights, digital resources and offers, Mastercard is supporting small businesses at all stages of their journey, providing tangible tools for real-world needs.
Small Businesses, Big Benefits
Eligible small business Mastercard cardholders will also enjoy a refreshed suite of benefits that provide greater access to tools they need to scale their businesses efficiently, including:
Virtual Gurus: Mastercard Business credit cardholders and World Elite Mastercard for Business credit cardholders will receive a discount on skilled remote talent and AI assistant subscriptions to boost their productivity.
Easy Savings Specials: Small business owners can access offers to save time, money and gain access to new resources via Mastercard’s Easy Savings Specials platform. This year, new offers from Google Ads, Google Workspace, Extra360, Airalo, Transfeero and Salesforce are available.
“At Virtual Gurus, we’re on a mission to give business owners back their most valuable resource: time. The future of work isn’t about doing more–it’s about doing what matters. By partnering with Mastercard, we’re opening doors for entrepreneurs and small businesses everywhere to access skilled remote talent and AI assistants who lift the weight of busywork, fuel productivity, and create space for bold ideas, big goals, and lasting growth.” – Bobbie Racette, Founder & President, Virtual Gurus
“Salesforce is thrilled to partner with Mastercard to empower small businesses across Canada with the tools they need to grow and succeed. Together, we’re making it easier for SMBs to access Salesforce’s trusted technology at a discount, helping them connect with customers, drive efficiency, and scale their businesses with confidence.” – Kris Billmaier, EVP & GM, Sales Cloud & Growth Products
“We are proud to partner with Mastercard to deliver innovative travel solutions that open new opportunities, create lasting value, and help SMEs across Canada grow and thrive.” – Antonino Testa, CEO, Transfeero.
“Extra360 and Mastercard are giving Canadian businesses something powerful yet beautifully simple — the ability to turn every interaction into a lasting relationship. Together, we’re putting the enterprise-grade loyalty technology behind some of the world’s most loved brands into the hands of Canadian SMEs on Shopify, helping them grow, thrive, and build brands their customers truly love.” – Naz Tuzunalper, Marketing & Engagement Director, Extra360 Technology Solutions
*The Mastercard survey was fielded in Q3 of 2025. Response data are derived from a nationally representative sample of Canadian adults (N = 2,000) plus an oversample of small business owners (n = 200). Data are weighted to produce national estimates. Margin of sampling error for nationally representative estimates (N = 2,000) is ±2.2 percentage points (95% CI); margin of sampling error for the small-business estimates (n = 200) is approximately ±6.9 percentage points (95% CI). When combined (N = 2,200), the margin of sampling error is approximately ±2.1 percentage points (95% CI).
Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re building a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.
