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.
READ MORE1250 Grand Lake Rd. Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada B1M 1A2
+1 888-959-9995
registrar@cbu.ca
Visit websiteCape 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
READ MORECBCL 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.
READ MORECBDC – 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.
READ MOREPatricia MacNeil
Executive Director
292 Charlotte Street Suite 100 Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 1C7
(902) 539-4332
patricia.macneil@cbdc.ca
Visit websiteCentre 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
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!
READ MORE37 Nepean St. Sydney NS B1P 6A7
info@collegio.ca
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.
READ MORECorporate Office 257 Main Street Antigonish, Nova Scotia B2G 2C1
1 (902) 747-3142
eastcoast@creditu.ca
Visit websiteEthical 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!
READ MOREExport 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.
READ MORE1605-1969 Upper Water St. Tower 2 Halifax Nova Scotia B3J 3R7
(902) 450-7610
contactatlantic@edc.ca
Visit websiteGrant 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.
READ MORESuite 200 - 500 George St Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 4K6
(902) 562-558
Sydney@GrantThornton.ca
Visit websiteLearnsphere – Commercialization Consulting and Mentoring
The Commercialization Consulting and Mentoring (CCM) Program provides funds to assist Atlantic Canadian businesses and institutions in the final stages of commercialization. Businesses or institutions may use the funds to hire consultants or mentors to help them get a new and innovative product, technology or process to market. CCM funds can also be used to cover the cost of group learning activities for businesses on the verge of commercialization.
READ MORELearnsphere – E-tools for Exporting
LearnSphere’s E-tools for Exporting (E for E) provides financial assistance to help you develop and integrate electronic tools that can help you do business more effectively and get your products and services to international markets more efficiently. If you’ve been working on a recent marketing or business strategy that includes updating or improving your potential to export outside of Canada, you may be eligible for financial assistance. This program can help to hire a consultant or agency for activities such as:
Website development, re-design or rebranding
Responsive web design conversion (ensuring mobile-friendly design)
Integration of e-commerce functionality
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Paid advertising (PayPerClick, Google Adwords, etc.)
Social media strategy or integration
Videos, online catalogues and other online customized tools
Translation of website
Creation/design of language toggle
Training on any of the above
Learnsphere – Export Market Access Program
LearnSphere’s Export Market Access Program (EMAP) provides financial assistance to help you market yourself more effectively, increase your exports and grow your business. If you’re working to enhance the way you market and sell your exports outside of Canada, you may be eligible for financial assistance through EMAP to help hire a consultant, mentor or agency for activities such as:
Market research or strategy development
Export plan development
Mentoring / coaching to improve export market research and planning
Lead generation
Sales
Development of promotional materials (brochures, catalogues, trade booth designs, etc.)
The maximum EMAP contribution is 65% of project costs, up to a maximum of $15,000 per year. Total project costs must be more than $5,000 to apply.
READ MORELSI – Innovate to Opportunity Hiring Incentive
Apply for a wage subsidy to help cover part of the cost of hiring a full-time recent Masters or PhD graduate for 3 years to work on export growth innovations for your business. Eligible work includes: Applied research Product and/or service development Process development or improvement Market analysis for a new product or activity Technical feasibility studies and pilots for market launches Improvement of product quality, customer services, business efficiencies This program is available to small and medium-sized businesses with up to 500 full-time employees operating in Nova Scotia. To be eligible for the program, employers must create a new full-time position that: is based in Nova Scotia is focused on innovation pays at least $60,000 a year The new hire must have successfully completed a master’s or PhD program at a recognized university within a year of the date the employer’s application is received.
READ MORELSI – Workplace Innovation and Productivity Skills Incentive
WIPSI supplements employer contributions to train full-time staff (permanently located in Nova Scotia) to: Improve productivity and profitability Increase innovation Adapt to new technology, machinery and equipment, or work processes Increase inter-provincial and international competitiveness Foster workplace diversity If you are a small business in Nova Scotia with less than 50 employees, you may be eligible for up to 100% of your training costs to be covered up to $10,000. For larger businesses, WIPSI provides up to 50% of direct training costs. WIPSI may also cover other expenses such as travel, books for participants and accommodation costs for persons with disabilities.
READ MOREMaritime Centre 1505 Barrington Street., 4N P.O. Box 697 Halifax Nova Scotia B3J 2T8
1-844-850-2030
Ross.MacDonald@novascotia.ca
Visit websiteLSI – Graduate to Opportunity Program
If you hire a recent post-graduate student for at least 2 years, and for a minimum pay of $35,000, you could receive a contribution covering up to 25% of their first year salary (35% for members of a designated diversity group), and 12.5% in the second year. The program is open to: Businesses with less than 100 full-time employees Businesses incorporated in the last 2 years Social enterprises, not-for-profits, and registered charities with recognized standing
READ MOREMentoring
Gain valuable business advice, learn from the experience of a seasoned professional, enhance your business network and gain confidence from having someone in your corner.
READ MOREMitacs Accelerate Program
Learn how your business could receive specialized expertise by recruiting a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow to research your technology project for 4 or more months. Why apply? Expand your R&D program for an investment of $7,500 Recruit highly-skilled future employees Drive your own research projects Start an internship at any time
READ MORENational Research Council Canada – Youth Employment Programs
You could receive a financial contribution towards the salary of a post-secondary graduate to help you research, develop and commercialize new technologies, or to hire a youth to work on a green project. To be eligible, your business needs to: Be incorporated and for-profit Share a portion of the salary costs Have 500 or fewer full-time employees Be ready to enhance its innovation capacity The duration of the internship must be between 6 and 12 months for graduates and between 3 to 6 months for Youth-Green candidates. Candidates must be between the ages of 15 and 30.
READ MORENew Dawn Centre for Social Innovation
The New Dawn Centre for Social Innovation is a 35,000 square foot converted high school in Sydney’s historic Northend. Blocks from downtown, the Centre offers work and meeting space for small businesses, not-for-profits and government departments/agencies. The Centre is adjacent to The Convent – a 36,000 square foot arts centre opening in late 2019/early 2020. Both buildings benefit from ample parking on site and are situated on 2.5 acres of green space. The Centre and the Convent are vibrant, mixed-use spaces that offer small (150-400 square foot) and larger (750-850 square foot) working/office spaces that are bright and spacious. The Centre is three stories with a large Maker Space on the main level.
READ MORE