Join the Better Way Alliance
Great local jobs start with Better Way businesses. Tell us your story.
The BWA is Canada’s voice for businesses creating good jobs and social impact in their communities. Our members are passionate leaders who develop thoughtful company culture and a people-first mentality – often in low-wage industries.
When you join, you’re gaining a peer group of deeply passionate colleagues from across Canada. We’re business owners creating a people first approach to Canada’s economy – if you are too, keep reading.
Benefits of Joining the BWA
Connect With Other Businesses
Join our network and you become part a growing movement of progressive businesses in all industries.
Inspire and be inspired by peers from across Canada. Connect with other leading business owners and help each other along by sharing your expertise.
Our group of values-based business owners always want to hear from new members.
Get Your Voice Heard
Do you have a story you need to tell but don’t know where to start? We help tell your story to media, politicians and other businesses.
Whether it’s celebrating a success or working through a difficult rent increase, we’ll connect you to changemakers, politicians, and other future economy leaders that need to hear your story.
Find Your Fellow Leaders
When you adopt Ethical Employment practices, you’re leading the future of work while creating a strong business community.
Meet people that are leading industry change – across all industries. Get the tools and networking to create competitive advantages for your business. Develop allies and mentors that can help you become a true changemaker in your industry.
Access Resources
We’re always creating new tools to make business owner lives easier.
We’ve made it easy for you to quickly calculate the cost of turnover, pay raises, paid sick days and more.
Joining the BWA gets you a free 1-on-1 session to talk through your costs and programs with one of our expert staff members.
Exclusive Events
Curious about a new tax credit or political issue facing your business? Or do you want to meet with other business owners and talk through challenges?
We regularly host both online and real life events across Canada. Meet fellow progressive business owners and cultivate a culture of success with us.
Free for 2025
Business is tough right now – membership with the Better Way Alliance is free in 2025.
There’s no better time to join our growing network of businesses than right now.
Your membership includes an hour long 1 to 1 meeting to talk over costs and employee programs with one of our expert staffers. You’ll also receive access to exclusive events & tools.
Become a Member Today
Join our network and unlock the people power in your business. When you join the BWA, you’re gaining a group of peers unlike any other business group in Canada.
Do You Qualify?
There is currently no cost to join for 2025 and we evaluate every business on a case by case basis. Do you have questions? Read our FAQ.
To be considered for a successful application, your business must have or be working toward adopting 2 of the 3 practices below. Not sure if you qualify? Fill out the form and we’ll schedule a 1-on-1 evaluation.
Paid Sick Days
BWA Members offer their employees Paid Sick Days – or are working toward development of a PSD program for all staff.
This could also be considered or called a Health Day, Personal Day or any other variant where an employee receives pay during a day off due to illness, mental health, or family needs.
Stable Scheduling
Our Members plan ahead by offering comprehensive and predictable schedules. This can look like:
– Predictable 2-week schedules
– Paying for called off shifts
– Offering more hours to PT staff before hiring
– 4-Day Work Weeks
More Than Minimum Wages
Our Members pay more than minimum wages. This isn’t necessarily your local Living Wage – but many BWA members offer it.
If you’re making an effort to pay more than the local minimum, especially in low-wage industries, you likely qualify.
From our Blog
The Fixed-Cost Crunch: Rent, Not Wages, Are Driving Costs for Toronto Small Businesses
As minimum wage increases in Ontario and other provinces this fall, BWA's new analysis reveals what's actually driving small business cost pressures. Our Fixed Cost Crunch report presents five years of comparative data showing that fixed costs - not wages - are...
A redesigned Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP) will unlock efficient growth for Canadian SMEs
The Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP) needs an urgent overhaul to address today’s small business financing barriers. The program has not kept pace with the realities of rent volatility, succession risk, and constrained credit markets. It also fails to...
Better Way Alliance Submits SME-Focused Recommendations to Canada’s Pre-Budget Consultations #YourBudget2025
Toronto, ON — August 28, 2025 — The Better Way Alliance (BWA), a national voice for smarter local business policy, is pleased to submit its recommendations to the Canadian government as part of its official 2025 Pre-Budget Consultations focused on building a stronger...
