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

Mi’kmaw Economic Benefits Office

The mandate of the Mi’kmaw Economic Benefits Office (MEBO) is to maximize the employment and contract opportunities for indigenous community members in Unama’ki (Cape Breton).  We achieve this by continually expanding our broad network of industry partners across all sectors. MEBO supports the growth of businesses as well as aspiring entrepreneurs in the establishment of new businesses. We can help with: providing training workshops assistance preparing funding applications business plan development

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Alex Paul

201 Churchill Dr Suite 201, Membertou, NS B1S 0H1

902-562-4700

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Micro-Loan Program

Under the Micro-Loan Program, women+ entrepreneurs from across Unama’ki – Cape Breton will be eligible to apply for a loan of up to $10,000. The Micro-Loan Program is made possible by the partnership and participation of the Cape Breton Partnership, Sydney Credit Union, East Coast Credit Union, Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Strait Area Chamber of Commerce, Centre for Women in Business, and Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development.

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902-562-0122

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Navigate

Navigate, located in the New Dawn Centre for Social Innovation in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, aims to foster and keep burgeoning companies in Cape Breton by providing space, support, and resources. Navigate provides: Subsidized office space for early-stage companies Common workspace available to all members The ability to tap into a worldwide network of experts in the fields of business and technology Event programming provided for tenants, members, and the community includes lunch and learns, workshops, hackathons, and start-up weekends

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Megan MacAulay

Project Director

37 Nepean Street, Suite 105, Sydney, NS, B1P 6A7

902-565-1102

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Nova Scotia Community College- Marconi Campus

Located in Sydney, the Marconi Campus offers a range of programs and a friendly learning atmosphere. Students enjoy plenty of open space with comfy seating, quiet study areas, wireless access and computer labs. The campus business centre serves as an incubator for small businesses and provides opportunities for students to work part-time in their field of study, and build their portfolio. It also provides the resources to help them develop their own small business ideas. A new trades wing features shop space, classrooms, offices and a green design, meeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

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1240 Grand Lake Road Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 6J7

902-563-2450

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Nova Scotia Community College-Strait Area

Located in Port Hawkesbury, the Strait Area Campus offers an extensive range of programs. The Campus is home to the Nautical Institute that provides Transport Canada-approved marine training. Facilities for marine training include a wave tank, fire training centre and state-of-the-art simulators for propulsion systems, navigation and global communications. Students enjoy a spacious and friendly campus environment, amazing outdoor spaces and trails, as well as excellent recreation fitness and entertainment services that are offered in the area year-round. The Strait Area Campus also offers programs in Wagmatcook First Nation at the renovated Wagmatcook Learning Centre.

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226 Reeves Street Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia B9A 2A2

902-625-2380

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NovaStream

Nova Stream Productions offers a full range of professional audio and visual services from commercials to documentaries and feature-length films to event A/V and live streaming. SERVICES OFFERED Film & Video Production Live Streaming Live Event A/V A/V Installations Photography UX and UI Design Custom Built Websites SaaS Development Mobile Applications Managed Hosting Theatre Manager Integration Marcato Festival Integration

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Sydney, Nova Scotia

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NSCC – Customized Business Training Solutions

Customized learning solutions to meet specific industry requirements. NSCC offers a wide variety of services, including:

Consulting – Needs assessments, training plans, business process mapping, preparation of technical documents and related training materials
Curriculum development – New curriculum development, customization of existing curriculum, instructional design
Customized learning – Face-to-face delivery both at your workplace or on-campus, online delivery, combination of delivery methods and locations, coaching and mentoring
Online delivery – Create or repurpose existing training content, host online training, provide technical support to learners and trainers
Capacity building – Pre-employment training programs, train the trainer programs, testing and evaluation

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Amanda Mombourquette or Donald Hanson

Community Innovation Lead

(902)-227-7836 or (902) 919-5225

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NSCC – Your Entrepreneurial Self Program

NSCC Entrepreneurship provides entrepreneurial skill awareness and development opportunities for students, faculty and staff. Programs and services include:

Free Entrepreneurial Resources including workshops, presentations, activities, lesson plans, templates, toolkits
Business Counselling –One-on-one business counselling for students, staff and faculty who are interested in starting a business or want to take their existing businesses to the next level. Guidance offered for business plan development, marketing, HR, government regulations and financing.
Curriculum Consulting – One-on-one curriculum consulting and support to integrate entrepreneurship into the classroom (integrating tools such as the business model canvas, business plans, software and activities)
College Wide Activities – entrepreneurial activities for students, staff and faculty including challenges, contests and competitions and professional development opportunities
Community Connections – Entrepreneurial Service Providers and Community Resources – we work with other entrepreneurial service providers and connect students/staff to relevant resources and supports, workshops and training events, available in our communities

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Sheri Williams

902-491-8869

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Sampson McPhee Lawyers

For over 30 years, Sampson McPhee has provided innovative and practical solutions, timely and efficient service and a breadth and depth of knowledge and experience in all areas of the law to a diverse client base. They provide services of the highest calibre in every area of law, a goal to which the members of their firm are committed to at every level. The success of their firm has only one measure: the success of the clients they serve. At Sampson McPhee, they have long been guided by a tradition of doing the best that they can for their clients by doing good work. This tradition continues to serve as their foundation and their inspiration. Today, doing good work for their clients means advancing their position as knowledgeable, multi-disciplinary service providers with global competence. Sampson McPhee’s lawyers continue to demonstrate their qualities as innovative strategists, well able to handle the complexities of emerging industries, advancing technology and variable international economics to maximum advantage. Above all, their lawyers, students and staff share a common goal, excellence in all that they do. Sampson McPhee vigorously fosters an environment that encourages the individual and supports the firm. The unique qualities that each individual brings to the collective effort are fundamental to the continued success of their firm and its clients and they proudly acknowledge their contributions to their past and to their future.

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66 Wentworth Street Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 6T4

(902) 539-2425

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Strait Area Chamber of Commerce

SACOC provides unique opportunities for businesses to promote and develop through advertising, seminars, trade shows, networking and events. It also provides access to member discounts on business expenses such as group insurance, point of sale systems, advertising, etc., in addition to 15-20 training courses each year to help businesses be more efficient and grow. SACOC annually hosts a “Small Business Road Show” that engages SMEs and service providers in rural communities across rural Cape Breton. The objective is to build awareness of the many services provided to SMEs and new entrepreneurs. SACOC periodically hosts women leadership events that provide networking and skill development opportunities for women in business and leadership.

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Tanya Felix

902-625-1588

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Invest Nova Scotia

Invest Nova Scotia enables the bold. With strategic investments, we support community-based projects that spark innovation and collaboration and build stronger, more competitive sectors and regions.

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Invest Nova Scotia – Export Growth Program

The Export Growth Program supports businesses looking to increase their export sales outside of Nova Scotia. The program provides financial incentives for projects that assist a business’ ability to overcome barriers to export growth. This includes: Supporting travel to marketassociated with visiting a client, potential partner, or investor in another market, or inviting a foreign client and/or potential partner to visit the Nova Scotia operation; and Mitigating trade show/conference costsby funding floor space, conference fees, travel and accommodation costs. The Export Growth Program contributes up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum of $15,000 CAD for a business to: Travel to a market outside of Nova Scotia to attend a trade show, conference or to visit clients, potential partners or investors; Have foreign clients, potential partners or investors visit the business’ Nova Scotia facilities for the first time.

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902.424.5054

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Invest Nova Scotia – Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)

The Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) offers the only national professional designation that recognizes an individuals’ experience in international trade. The Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) designation is the highest level of professional accreditation for international business and trade professionals in Canada. A CITP must meet rigorous education, training, and experience requirements and make a commitment to adhere to the Standards of Ethical Conduct established by FITT.

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Jessica McCall

902-424-5448

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Invest Nova Scotia – Innovation Rebate Program

The Innovation Rebate Program supports Nova Scotia businesses looking to increase their global competitiveness. The program provides financial incentives on projects that enable a company to increase innovation capacity through private-sector capital investments or adoption of new technologies and business processes. The Innovation Rebate Program will work as a rebate against a company’s direct costs. An Eligible Project may include: implementation of new or significantly improved production processes or waste stream processing; investment in production capacity to enter new markets and/or produce new products; and establishment of new production facilities in Nova Scotia. An Eligible Project must have a total budgeted Nova Scotia investment (excluding tax) of not less than $2,000,000. The maximum amount of Eligible Project Costs to which the Innovation Rebate Program rebate will be applied is $15,000,000.

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Wanda MacLean


902-227-7144

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Invest Nova Scotia – Innovation Rebate Program

The Innovation Rebate Program (IRP) provides financial incentives for projects that assist Nova Scotia companies as they scale to increase their competitiveness.

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Wanda MacLean

902.227.7144

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Invest Nova Scotia – Nova Scotia First Fund

The Nova Scotia First Fund targets emerging venture-grade technology companies with high growth potential and attractive risk-return prospects. We co-invest with institutional, private sector and angel investors from across Canada and beyond.

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Bob Pelley

902-564-2951 (ext 1)

902-577-2689

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Invest Nova Scotia – Payroll Rebate

A payroll rebate is an earned incentive, paid out yearly after a company achieves pre-determined targets. The rebate is a return on a company’s eligible gross payroll. It is issued over a set number of years – usually between three and five – and to a set amount. This means that for every dollar a company spends in salaries and benefits, Invest Nova Scotia rebates back a negotiated percentage. The payroll rebate agreement includes performance targets that a company must achieve in order to receive the rebate, including: Number of new positions created Average annual salary

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Wanda MacLean

Regional Business Development Advisor

902-227-7144

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Invest Nova Scotia – Productivity and Innovation Voucher Program

The Productivity and Innovation Voucher Program helps small and medium sized companies access direct assistance to help make their business more productive and innovative. The program lets businesses seek out expertise within post-secondary institutions to: Improve productivity Develop a new product, service, or process Create growth There are two tiers of the Productivity and Innovation Voucher Program. Tier 1: Vouchers of up to $15,000 for eligible businesses that have not previously been awarded a voucher or are applying with a new project. Tier 2: Vouchers of up to $25,000 for eligible businesses to build on work already done. Vouchers are used to obtain services from eligible service providers. Businesses must select a provider and service that best fits their needs.

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Wanda MacLean


902-227-7144

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Invest Nova Scotia – Small Business Development Program

The Small Business Development Program supports Nova Scotia businesses looking to increase their export capacity. The program provides financial incentives on projects that assist a business to grow current exports or participate in a global supply chain by providing access to: Research expertise Expertise to improve productivity and competitiveness Expertise to improve capacity Expertise to remove barriers to exporting The Small Business Development Program supports the acquisition of a private sector consultant to provide professional expertise. The program contributes up to 50% of eligible project costs to a maximum incentive of $15,000. A business with revenue growth of at least 15% in its previous complete fiscal year will be eligible for up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum of $25,000.

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Wanda MacLean


902-227-7144

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Invest Nova Scotia – Trade Accelerator Program (TAP)

Nova Scotia Business Inc., in partnership with the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to offer the Trade Accelerator Program (TAP). The program welcomes eligible businesses from across Nova Scotia to apply.  TAP is an innovative and dynamic program aimed at helping enterprises overcome barriers to exporting.  The program is quickly gaining momentum across Canada, and has a reputation of achieving real results, fast.

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Kayla Lynch

902-481-1229

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