MTY to showcase six franchise brands in webinar on 28 October

MTY Group is holding a webinar on Wednesday 28 October 2026 covering six of its restaurant brands and franchise financing in Canada. Aimed at prospective franchisees, the online session is particularly relevant to candidates interested in Western Canada. A Scotiabank representative is also scheduled to introduce a federal small business financing programme.

An opportunity to explore several business models

Titled ‘Discover Your Franchise Fit’, the event is advertised for 6 pm Mountain Standard Time, using the MST designation published by MTY. It will be hosted by MTY Group’s Taylor Lileikis and Jasmit Narula. Registration is through Eventbrite.

The session forms part of the group’s webinar series for people exploring franchise ownership. The agenda includes financial information and an overview of potential locations. Its virtual format allows candidates to attend without travelling.

For those considering a franchise, the value of this session lies in the opportunity to explore several concepts owned by the same franchisor. MTY brings together more than 80 brands spanning fast food, fast-casual dining and full-service restaurants, among other categories. The webinar will feature just six: it is therefore a selection rather than a comprehensive overview of the portfolio.

Six brands with different histories and formats

The selection comprises TacoTime, Mr. Sub, Thaï Express, Jugo Juice, Café Dépôt and Manchu WOK. Their menus, formats and customer bases offer prospective operators several points of comparison.

TacoTime has more than 125 locations in Canada and has operated in the country for over 45 years. The Mexican fast-food brand has a long history in Western Canada. The formats being presented include shopping centre food courts, drive-throughs and standalone restaurants.

Mr. Sub has been operating for more than 55 years and has over 200 locations in Canada. Thaï Express, a Canadian fast-casual Thai food brand, has been expanding since 2004 and offers shopping centre and street-front locations.

Jugo Juice, founded in Calgary in 1998, now has more than 100 locations across Canada. Its menu includes smoothies, bowls and snacks. Café Dépôt has three decades of experience and more than 60 locations, with formats including street-front premises, units within retail developments and kiosks.

Finally, Manchu WOK, which specialises in wok-cooked Chinese food, has more than 80 locations across five countries, including over 60 in Canada. These figures indicate the scale of the networks; they do not, on their own, establish whether an individual outlet is profitable.

Financing on the agenda with Scotiabank

A guest from Scotiabank will introduce the Canada Small Business Financing Program, referred to in the announcement by the English abbreviation CSBFL. Administered by the federal government, the programme helps small businesses access loans from financial institutions by sharing the risk with lenders.

The presentation is intended to give participants an overview of the scheme and its potential role in financing a franchise investment. It complements the brand introductions by addressing a central question for any candidate: how should they prepare to finance their venture?

However, a general presentation should not be confused with a lending decision. Candidates would benefit from asking which eligibility criteria, documents and application steps would apply to their own circumstances, rather than treating the programme’s existence as confirmation that funding will be available.

Prepare your questions before comparing brands

A practical way to make the most of the webinar is to use the same checklist of questions for all six brands: total investment, royalties, working capital requirements, available formats and support provided. This approach helps candidates look beyond their preference for a particular menu or brand.

The advertised formats also deserve close attention. A kiosk, a street-front restaurant and a drive-through outlet are different propositions to discuss with the franchisor. Location opportunities will be among the topics covered during the session.

Key takeaway: this webinar can provide an initial basis for comparison. Before registering, candidates should clarify their budget, preferred territory and the financial questions they want answered.