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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Employment and Social Development Canada – Skills Link

You could get up to $25,000 per participant to hire and train youth between the ages of 15 and 30 who face barriers to employment. Participants must also be:   Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons who have been granted refugee status in Canada Legally entitled to work Not in receipt of employment insurance benefits   Employers must:   Recruit participants Propose a project that involves a minimum of 8 youth participants Provide work experience-type activity Enable participants to gain experience and skills to help them find work later on   Contact the Service Canada Centre in your region http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/tbsc-fsco/sc-lst.jsp?prov=NS&lang=eng

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Employment and Social Development Canada – Student Work-Integrated Learning Program

If your business is having difficulty finding qualified workers in the field of science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) and business, you can apply for a wage subsidy to hire a post-secondary student. Subsidies cover:   Up to 50% of the wage cost (up to $5,000) per student Up to 70% of the wage cost (up to $7,000) per placement of a student from an under-represented group (first-year students, women in STEM, Indigenous students, persons with disabilities and newcomers)   You can apply to one of many participating employer groups.

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Employment Nova Scotia – Job Creation Partnerships

You may be eligible for funding to hire an unemployed person for up to 52 consecutive weeks. You will need to:

Create a new full-time position with start and finish dates
Provide a meaningful work experience
Supervise and mentor the participant
Ensure that the work project benefits your community or local economy
Register for the Labour Market Support System

Part-time work may be created for participants with disabilities.

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Employment Nova Scotia- START

Receive a financial incentive to hire an unemployed, ready-to-work Nova Scotian. Different types of funding are available for employers, depending on the type of employment offered, the employer’s needs and the employee’s skill level. Wage incentive Wage incentives help offset some of the salary and benefit costs related to hiring a new employee. Preference is given to employers who can offer full-time, sustainable employment. Short-term jobs may be eligible if they help the employee develop transferrable skills that can improve their chances of finding other employment in the future, or if they’re related to a priority sector or industry where a short-term contract is being implemented. Employment Nova Scotia determines wage incentive amounts on a case-by-case basis, considering : type of employment offered wages offered employee’s skill level how long the employee has been looking for work whether the position supports a priority sector in Nova Scotia (like ocean technology, information and communication technology, financial services, clean technology, life sciences or aerospace and defence) Other factors may also be considered.

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1-877-223-0888

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Enactus Canada

Guided by academic advisors and business experts, student leaders create and implement community empowerment projects and business ventures with a strong focus on social entrepreneurship. This helps students unleash their entrepreneurial spirit and develop the talent and perspective essential to leadership. Student Entrepreneur National Competition recognizes and rewards the commitment, determination and achievements of full-time university and college student business owners.

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Michaela Epifano

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Export Development Canada-Working Capital

EDC’s bonding and guarantee support provides breathing room to pursue opportunities without depleting working capital. Programs include the Export Guarantee Program, Foreign Exchange Facility Guarantee, Account Performance Security Guarantee and Surety Bond Insurance.

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Dan Dooks

902.403.1646

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Federal Tax Credits

A list of Federal Tax Credits available in Canada.

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Financing

Futurpreneur Canada supports young entrepreneurs with up to $45,000 in financing, an expert business mentor for up to two years, and resources to help you plan, manage and grow your business.

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Franchise Opportunities

In order to select the franchise that is most appropriate for your location, we present below a directory of business opportunities available in your region. At Canada franchise opportunities, our objective is to help prospective franchisees in finding the right franchise business to become their own boss. We strive to be your one stop shop to learn and acquire your future business whether it’s a franchise opportunity, small business or homemade business.

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Futurpreneur Canada Newcomer Financing Program

If you’re new to Canada and don’t have a credit history, Futurpreneur Canada wants to help you launch your business. We provide tailored support and eligibility criteria to reflect your new status in Canada. Using character-based lending, our program for newcomers provides greater flexibility than most banks. But we can’t do it alone. We’re able to finance up to $7,500 per business. If you need more money, BDC may provide up to another $7,500. Eligibility requirements apply.

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