Mentoring

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.

Mitacs 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

National 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.

New 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.

New Small Business Tax Reduction

This deduction effectively eliminates the Nova Scotia corporate income tax for the first three taxation years of a new small business after incorporation. The corporation must apply each year to the Nova Scotia Minister of Finance and Treasury Board for a Nova Scotia Tax Deduction Eligibility Certificate. Eligibility requirements apply.

Nova Scotia Apprenticeship – Apprenticeship START Program

The objective of the Apprenticeship START program is to encourage employers to register, retain and support their apprentices to completion during their apprenticeship journey. The START program has a focus of small to medium-sized businesses/organizations including not-for-profits, social enterprises and JRA holders (JRA employers only – an employer is someone who hires an apprentice permanently) that have business locations and jobs in Nova Scotia. Companies with headquarters outside of Nova Scotia are eligible to apply only if they also have a physical location in Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia Community College – GradWorks: Employer Incentive Program

You could receive up to 66% of salary costs to a maximum amount of $25,000 to hire a qualified graduate from one of the following programs for up to one year:   Human Resource Management Industrial Engineering Technology Occupational Health and Safety   Employers in most business sectors may apply, but preference will be given to business-to-business organizations focused on export and innovation.

Nova Scotia Department of Business

The Department of Business works with Crown corporations and special operating entities (Develop Nova Scotia, Invest Nova Scotia, and Tourism Nova Scotia) to develop plans, programs and policies that encourage entrepreneurship, help attract venture capital investment and grow sectors of the economy. We also work with other government departments and levels of government, universities, NSCC and the private and social enterprise sectors to create a shared strategy for business growth. working to help make Nova Scotia competitive and business-friendly administering the Invest Nova Scotia fund leading projects including rural internet, Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE) and the Halifax Convention Centre accountability reporting on the Nova Scotia Jobs Fund, Nova Scotia Fund, Strategic Investment Funds and Nova Scotia Film & Television Production Incentive Fund

Nova Scotia Licences and Permits

Once an entrepreneur registers their business, they may need specific licenses and permits to operate in Nova Scotia. This website will help determine the licenses and permits required based on the services and goods they are selling and how to apply for them.

Nova Scotia Office of Immigration

Internationally trained workers are highly motivated to achieve success in their new jobs and in their new communities. This translates into a strong work ethic and high level of dedication to your organization and the new job opportunity you have offered them.