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

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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Sydney Credit Union

We are a financial cooperative committed to providing programs and services which enhance the economic and social well being of our members and our community. As a Sydney Credit Union member, you have access to a complete and competitive line of financial products and services – and the convenience of our three full service branches, one in Sydney, one in Sydney River and now one in Whitney Pier. We offer personal and commercial loans, mortgages, chequing and savings accounts, MasterCard® products including CHOICE REWARDS®, RRSPs, RRIFs, RESPs, GICs, Internet and telephone banking, and several money savings package plans, suited to meet your financial needs.

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95 Townsend St. Sydney, NS B1P 6K3

(902) 562-5593

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Cape Breton Partnership-Export Growth Service

The Export Growth Service (EGS) is comprised of a Development Team, an Advisory Team, and an Export Intern, who together provide access to export-related services for businesses including counselling, mentoring, planning strategies, information, workshops, training, and advice on existing programming. Fulfilled through an annual Export Conference going on its second year, holding Export Round Tables across Cape Breton, a monthly newsletter known as the ‘Trading Post’, and one-on-one meetings with new and experienced exporters.

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Lan Zheng

902-217-3065

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Cape Breton Partnership-Global Skills Strategy

The Cape Breton Partnership is a referral partner to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Dedicated Service Channel (DSC). This is a dedicated service for employers to navigate Canada’s immigration system to meet their needs. The DSC gives employers access to an account manager who can: Assess the employer’s needs Answer the employer’s questions Give the employer guidance

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Omar Tag El-Din

902-562-0122

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Cape Breton Partnership-Land Assets

The Land Asset website can direct you to available land assets on Cape Breton Island.

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902-562-0122

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Cape Breton Regional Enterprise Network

The Cape Breton Regional Enterprise Network (CBREN) spans the Island and has the primary goal of supporting the development and attraction of new businesses, and the retention and expansion of existing businesses. CBREN staff are based across the region in Sydney, Baddeck, Port Hood, Inverness and St. Peter’s. The Economic Development team provides support, counselling and guidance to businesses at every stage. Services offered include: Business planning Connecting businesses to support programs and economic development partners Providing support and direction to entrepreneurs considering a business start-up Monitoring workforce training requirements Working with businesses to identify programs and initiatives for their existing workforce

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Shannon MacNeil

902-562-0122

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Cape Breton University – Innovation and Entrepreneurial Centre

The Cape Breton University Innovation and Entrepreneurial Centre is an inspiring community space where students from all five of CBU’s schools and diverse student body can meet to brainstorm, learn, collaborate and work together.

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Todd Graham

902-565-9004

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Cape Breton University – Office of Research and Graduate Studies

Programs and supports offered include: Provides mentoring and supports to entrepreneurs seeking assistance and mentoring around how to start and grow their business Develops and manages research partnerships between various academic units and entrepreneurs Works with companies to help them access students, faculty experts, research departments and specialized equipment for R&D projects through fully funded programs such as Springboard, NRCIRAP, Mitacs, NSERC, Engage, Innovation and Productivity Vouchers, etc. Works with companies to help them access students, faculty experts, research departments and specialized equipment for R&D projects Provides companies with training and mentoring services through targeted workshops, one-on-one meetings, guest speakers, industry sessions, specialized sector meeting and other industry – university collaborative opportunities

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Sarah Conrod

902-563-1842

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Cape Breton University-Startup Cape Breton

Startup Cape Breton is an event that happens several times per year in CBU’s Verschuren Centre and is open to the public. Startup Cape Breton was created to promote entrepreneurship on the island by exploring new opportunities in technology, business, and education, and features speakers from Cape Breton, Atlantic Canada, and outside the region. Startup Cape Breton aims to support and promote the emerging startup community on the island, to help it capitalize on its strengths in creativity and human resources with a goal that the island be home to hundreds of startups. Plans are underway to grow the concept from an event to a social hub, with more frequent and various programming.

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Capital Investment Tax Credit

The Nova Scotia Capital Investment Tax Credit (CITC) is a refundable corporate income tax credit claimed by eligible corporations for capital equipment acquired for use in Nova Scotia on or after January 1, 2015. The capital equipment must be acquired as part of an “approved project”. The rate of the tax credit is 15 per cent of the capital cost of “qualified property” acquired in a taxation year, with a maximum tax credit of $30 million per “approved project.” Find the guidelines here: https://www.novascotia.ca/finance/site-finance/media/finance/CITC_Guidelines.pdf  

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CBDC – Northside Victoria

As CBDCs, we assist in the creation of small businesses and in the expansion and modernization of existing businesses by providing financial and technical services to entrepreneurs. 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. In Nova Scotia, there are 13 CBDCs offering financial, training and advisory services to entrepreneurs. The CBDCs work collectively through the Nova Scotia Association of CBDCs, an umbrella organization that supports the common needs of the CBDCs. CBDCs share best practices promote entrepreneurship and deliver provincial initiatives such as Students in Business and the Youth Internship Program.

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Gordie McGean

Executive Director

1 Fraser Avenue, Suite 7 Sydney Mines, NS B1V 2Y4

(902) 736-6211

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CBDC – Social Enterprise Loan

CBDC Social Enterprise Loans and financing is available to non-profits, including charities, cooperatives or societies in need of business support (in the form of a loan or loan guarantee). Financing will be used to buy assets, renovate existing ones or to expand a social enterprise. CBDC Social Enterprise Loans are specifically intended to provide financial support for revenue generating business operations of officially registered non-profit organizations. The CBDC offers loans of up to $150,000 per eligible applicant. (Loans are repayable with competitive interest rates and repayment terms).

The Social Enterprise Loan may be used to purchase machinery, equipment or other items necessary for continued business operations. Loan amortizations of up to ten years are available. This is based on the life expectancy of the asset(s) the Social Enterprise is using the funds to acquire.

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