The following companies/organizations are Investors of the Cape Breton Partnership and offer services specific to business development.

Cape Breton University

At Cape Breton University, we push the boundaries of innovation and thought leadership to create a global academic experience and build a sustainable future for our island. Surrounded by pristine natural landscape, vibrant culture, and welcoming communities, Cape Breton University (CBU) is home to nearly 7,000 students from more than 70 countries around the world. We are committed to the future of Cape Breton Island, innovative economic development and sustainability programs, and Indigenous learning leadership. CBU offers a comprehensive set of liberal arts, science, business, health and professional programs. As a university that is dedicated to excellence in teaching and learning, CBU provides students with the advantage of outstanding experiential learning and undergraduate research opportunities in a supportive academic environment. Our programs, in diverse fields of study, consistently rank well above the national averages in faculty-student interaction and service learning. Our people, our cultures, and our strong sense of community make Cape Breton University a special place.

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1250 Grand Lake Rd. Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada B1M 1A2

+1 888-959-9995

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Cape Breton University Library – Business Resources

Cape Breton University provides a variety of free research to business seeking to find information on starting and growing their companies. Some of the research that can be accessed at CBU includes: Canadian social and economic data Company information Industry information Country information

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Laura Syms

MLIS

902-563-1994

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CBCL Ltd.

CBCL Limited provides professional consulting engineering and environmental services in the Municipal Services, Water & Wastewater, Buildings, Industry & Manufacturing, Energy & Power, Oil & Gas, Marine, Transportation & Bridges and Environment & Planning sectors.

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Richard Morykot

Manager

(902) 539-1330

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CBDC – Coastal Business

Established in 1985, Coastal Business CBDC’s principal goals continue to be the provision of quality financial and advisory assistance to new and expanding business within our community.  To achieve these goals Coastal Business provides access to capital for qualifying small and medium size enterprises.  In addition it provides advisory assistance, training and general counseling to better ensure the success of the assisted businesses. Financial assistance is available in the form of loans, loan guarantees and equity financing to existing and aspiring entrepreneurs. Business counselling, help & advice is available to small businesses. We help businesses to succeed and therefore we give high priority to the advisory role of our mandate. Entrepreneurship development and training to individuals and small business owners/managers is available in many of our offices. Technical assistance usually takes the form of guidance and coaching, and sometimes advocating on behalf of our clients to other lending establishments or regulatory agencies.

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Patricia MacNeil

Executive Director

292 Charlotte Street Suite 100 Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 1C7

(902) 539-4332

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Centre for Entrepreneurship Education & Development (CEED)

CEED offers entrepreneurs of all ages and stages a wide variety of hands-on learning opportunities. In Cape Breton, programs are delivered both in-person at Navigate Startup House and virtually via Adobe Connect. CEED’s experiential programming is designed to ensure the participant leaves with relevant skills that can be immediately employed in the launch or growth of a business. The following programs are available:

Building Financial Models
Value Proposition Design
Business Model Canvas
Pricing Your Product or Service

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Kim Desveaux

Navigate 37 Nepean Street, Sydney

(902)-217-2092

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Collegio Technologies Inc.

Collegio is focused on providing educational opportunities to organizations and entrepreneurs. They provide digital skills training to help you and your business succeed in today’s competitive landscape. If you want to learn how to update your WordPress site, launch an e-commerce venture, utilize search engine optimization techniques, or polish up on your React skills, they can provide you with training opportunities to help you thrive in the digital age. They can teach you how!

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37 Nepean St. Sydney NS B1P 6A7


East Coast Credit Union

At East Coast Credit Union, members are customers and owners. It’s a better relationship that ensures your needs come first. East Coast Credit Union members take control of their own financial future. As an owner with East Coast, members have access to all of our products and services. Chequing/savings accounts, loans, mortgages, MasterCard® & Choice Rewards products, RRSPs, RESPs, GICs, retirement planning and so much more. Members have access to accounts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through ATM & Internet banking or for those who prefer a little face-to-face you can stop by the branch during regular business hours.

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Corporate Office 257 Main Street Antigonish, Nova Scotia B2G 2C1

1 (902) 747-3142

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Ethical Swag

Ethical Swag makes sure your promotional products do what they were intended to do – Get you remembered for all the right reasons! We only work with suppliers that have passed audits related to social compliance, environmental impact, product safety, supply chain security and product quality. Your logo + our products = higher recall and connection to your brand. We are refining the way people experience brands with transparency and cool products!

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902-549-3773

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Export Development Canada

Export Development Canada is Canada’s export credit agency. Their job is to support and develop Canada’s export trade by helping Canadian companies respond to international business opportunities. They’re a self-financing, Crown corporation that operates at arm’s length from the Government. They provide insurance and financial services, bonding products and small business solutions to Canadian exporters and investors and their international buyers. They also support Canadian direct investment abroad and investment into Canada. In 2016, they helped more than 7,150 Canadian companies do business in over 200 countries. The majority of these companies were small business, and more than 30 per cent of this business was conducted in fast-growing emerging markets. Using their financial products and services, their customers’ export sales and investments totaled almost $99 billion. They estimate that this helped generate $63.9 billion of Canada’s GDP, contributed more than 4 cents for every dollar earned and helped sustain 525,400 jobs.

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1605-1969 Upper Water St. Tower 2 Halifax Nova Scotia B3J 3R7

(902) 450-7610

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Grant Thronton

Grant Thornton—a leading Canadian accounting and business advisory firm – and the largest accounting firm in Atlantic Canada – providing audit, tax and advisory services to private and public organizations.  To complement our technical knowledge and expertise, we have professionals who are dedicated to developing in-depth industry knowledge. Together with the Quebec firm Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton LLP, we have approximately 4,000 people in offices across Canada. Grant Thornton LLP is a Canadian member of Grant Thornton International Ltd (Grant Thornton International). Grant Thornton International and the member firms are not a worldwide partnership. Services are delivered by the member firms independently.

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Suite 200 - 500 George St Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 4K6

(902) 562-558

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SENNS – Impact Investment Fund

The Social Enterprise Network of Nova Scotia (SENNS) has launched Nova Scotia’s first Impact Investment Fund, in partnership with the national Social Enterprise Ecosystem Project (S4ES), managed by SENNS partner, the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council. Financing is available for social enterprises who meet the eligibility criteria as outlined on the Fund application form. The maximum amount of financing available is up to $15,000 per applicant.

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Chloe Donatelli

902-322-0985

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SENNS-Research

The Social Enterprise Network of Nova Scotia (SENNS) is a non-profit member led society working on behalf of all of Nova Scotia’s Social Enterprise sector that contributes to the social, cultural, environmental and economic well-being of Nova Scotia. Two reports recently completed by SENNS to assist social enterprise companies are the Social Enterprise Strategy  and the Mapping the Social Shift report that documents the social enterprise network in Nova Scotia

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Small Business Loan Guarantee Program

As a Nova Scotia resident, you could borrow up to $500,000 from a credit union in the form of a loan, line of credit or working capital to start or grow a business. Eligibility is based on your business plan, viability, and character. Acadian Credit Union 15089 Cabot Trail Cheticamp 1902-224-2055 Dominion Credit Union 94 Commercial Street Dominion, NS 902 849 8648 Glace Bay Central Credit Union Main Branch 598 Main St. Glace Bay, NS 902 849 7512 Reserve Mines Branch 2249 Sydney Rd. Reserve Mines, NS 902 849 4583 St. Joseph’s Credit Union 3552 Highway 206, Petit de Grat 1-902-226-2288 East Coast Credit Union Branches Baddeck Branch 902-295-3477 Havre Boucher Branch 902-234-2523 Inverness Branch 902-258-2045 L’Ardoise Branch 902-587-2414 Louisdale Branch 902-345-2015 Mabou Branch 902-945-2003 Margaree Branch 902-235-2659 Port Hawkesbury Branch 902-625-0190 Port Hood Branch 902-787-3246 St. Peter’s Branch 902-535-3101 Sydney Credit Union Sydney Branch 95 Townsend St., Sydney 902 562-5593 sydney@sydneycreditunion.com Sydney River Branch 1280 Kings Rd., Sydney River 902-539-1684 sydneyriver@sydneycreditunion.com

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Startup Canada – Entrepreneur Success Investment Fund

Startup Canada and Trushield Insurance have partnered together to launch the Entrepreneur Success Fund to invest in projects, programs, and initiatives that support entrepreneur success across Canada. The fund supports existing tools, technologies, programs, and initiatives that support entrepreneur access to information, training, mentorship, capital and connectivity, and have the potential to benefit from scaling through the Startup Canada Network. The fund provides: Up to $2,500 in micro-grant support Featured on StartupNews.ca and a guest-spot on the Startup Canada Podcast VIP Pass and Program at Startup Canada Day on the Hill on October 18th in Ottawa Concierge introduction to a network of 50 Startup Communities to scale

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56 Sparks Street, Suite 300, Ottawa Ontario

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Student Summer Skill Incentive (SKILL)

Access a wage subsidy to help reduce the cost of hiring post-secondary students for quality summer jobs if you work for a non-profit or registered charity. SKILL helps registered charities and societies offer summer jobs to post-secondary students. Eligible employers can hire students for terms of 8-14 weeks in the summer. You’ll receive a subsidy of $9.10 per hour ($10.10 if the student is a member of designated diversity group) for the wages you pay to your student employees. Designated diversity groups are: Mi’kmaq or Indigenous African Nova Scotians Visible minorities (including persons of African descent) Persons with disabilities (consisting of a physical, cognitive or mental impairment that presents a persistent barrier to work)   Eligibility Organizations can apply for the subsidy if they: are a not-for-profit organization registered as a charity or active society with the Registry of Joint Stock Companies plan to hire a university or college student for 8-14 weeks between April and August pay their summer student-employee minimum wage or more (plus vacation pay) for 30 to 35 hours of work per week aren’t receiving funding from any other government employment program for the same position How to apply If your organization is registered in the online Labour Market Programs Support System (LaMPSS), you can apply now.

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PO Box 578, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 2S9

902 424-6000

1-800-424-5418

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Sydney Makerspace

The Sydney Makerspace gives Cape Breton start-ups, entrepreneurs, students and other creative minds the place, equipment, materials and education to let them design and build innovative products. The 4,000 sq.ft. space in Sydney includes a general work area, a tool library, a metal working shop, a selection of woodworking tools, an electronics/robotics lab, as well as 3D drawing and printing abilities. Discounted memberships are available to students, educators, Veterans, seniors and partner groups (Centre for Craft and Design, Island Sandbox, Navigate, New Dawn Centre for Social Innovation and Mentor Connect)

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(902) 322-4078

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Tax Deductions TD1

TD1, Personal Tax Credits Return, is a form used to determine the amount of tax to be deducted from an individual’s employment income or other income, such as pension income. There are federal and provincial/territorial TD1 forms. Individuals complete the forms and give them to their employer or payer who should keep the completed forms with their records.

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Temporary Foreign Worker Program

If your business is facing a labour shortage, or you are unable to find the talent your business needs, why not look outside of Canada? The following programs can help you hire the right match for your business.

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The Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

The Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is a progressive trade agreement that upholds and promotes the values that Canada shares with the EU. This landmark agreement was signed on October 30, 2016 and entered into force on September 21, 2017.

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Christine Smith

902-426-6660

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The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is a free trade agreement between Canada and 10 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region: Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Once fully implemented, the 11 countries will form a trading bloc representing 495 million consumers and 13.5% of global GDP, providing Canada with preferential access to key markets in Asia and Latin America. On December 30, 2018 the CPTPP entered into force among the first six countries to ratify the agreement – Canada, Australia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, and Singapore. On January 14, 2019, the CPTPP entered into force for Vietnam.

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