For anyone (like me) interested in supporting the Canadian startup landscape, it was encouraging to see MaRS announce MaRS Commons, a physical workspace and community to support the most promising startups.

Ilse Treurnicht, CEO with the MaRS Discovery District, said the new facility is “designed as a focal point for Toronto’s burgeoning Web and mobile technology ecosystem, combining a great space with community, education, networking and mentorship”.

MaRS Common is an encouraging development because it provides more support for Canada’s burgeoning but still fragile startup ecosystem. Although there many positive things happening, including an increase in the number of startups getting seed financing, startups and entrepreneurs will happily take all the help they can get.

But here’s another way to look at things: How much support should startups really get? Establishing and growing a startup is a huge challenge and, in many ways, the strong survive and thrive, while bad ideas or ideas badly executed stumble and eventually fail.

By offering different kinds of support are we bolstering some startups that don’t deserve it? Are we giving entrepreneurs and startups false hope by allowing them to take a shot of establishing themselves? Is this a good or healthy thing to be doing?

It’s a difficult question because startups need support if we’re going to establish a vibrant landscape that encourages entrepreneurs to jump into the startup fray. The more ways they can be supported – facilities, community, money, mentors, etc. – the better the chances of them being successful or, at least, creating a large pool of startups that will include some success stories.

I guess the key issue is how much support should startups receive? And how much is too much?

What do you think? Is enough being done for Canadian startups?