As the Spring 2024 intake for the Business Scale-up and Productivity program is now open, businesses in Ontario have a chance to get an interest-free government loan to complete large-scale expansion, adopt innovative technologies, scale-up, boost productivity, and enter new markets to become globally competitive.

The government reimburses 50% of eligible project costs. The loan is disbursed every quarter and repaid over 5 to 7 years after the completion of the project.

Explore Solutions to Scale Up Your Productivity

Gearing up for the current intake of the Business Scale-Up and Productivity program, we’re thrilled to share valuable insights and support resources through our partners at Building Perspective, experts in providing tailored solutions to support business scale-up endeavors.

Building Perspective offers a comprehensive suite of services, with the first three directly addressing BSP eligible expenses:

• Greenfield warehouse selection and/or layout design
• Correct production equipment sizing/selection and maintenance procedures
• Designing continuous product flow with Lean Principles

Additionally, they provide:

• ISO certification preparation
• Lean training for high-performance teams
• Selection of the right ERP/digital technology

To illustrate, ERP technology selection performed by Building Perspective for one of its clients enabled the business to actually save 25% of their annual software costs by purchasing the ERP selected to replace their existing collection of software. Read full case study here.

Ready to take the next step towards business growth? Reach out to Vani Pasupathy, Managing Partner at Building Perspective: vani@buildingperspective.com.

We’re excited to inform you that the Business Scale-up and Productivity program has just opened its Spring 2024 intake. The program is an interest-free government loan that supports businesses in Ontario as they complete large-scale expansion, adopt innovative technologies, scale-up, boost productivity productivity, and enter new markets to become globally competitive.

This time, the government reimburses 50% of eligible project costs, up from 35% in the past.

The loan is disbursed every quarter and repaid over 5 to 7 years after the completion of the project. A grace period of 12 months following the project completion date applies.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be located in Southern Ontario. If you are in Northern Ontario, a similar program is available.
• Canadian or provincially incorporated businesses.
• Indigenous organizations such as Indigenous-owned businesses.
• Co-operatives.
• Minimum of five (5) full-time employees.
• Market/industry demand (e.g., how the project addresses a significant gap in the market; global opportunity to be seized within Canada; and evidence that southern Ontario is uniquely positioned to capture market share).
• Financial capacity to complete the project and repay the contribution in full.
• A viable project plan with achievable outcomes, supported by verifiable cost estimates.

Eligible Activities

• Acquiring, adapting or adopting leading-edge technologies/processes.
• Expanding manufacturing and/or R&D facility.
• Demonstration of leading edge technologies and/or processes in an operational setting.
• Late-stage technological development to support new markets and/or new industrial applications of technology.
• Increasing business management capacity by building high-performance teams, adopting best management practices, processes and systems.
• Commercializing/producing new innovative products, processes or services.
• Customer and market development, expansion or diversification to support business growth and integration in global value chains and an initial sale.

Hurry up to apply for the Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program, as the deadline for the current intake is June 24, 2024.

We’re excited to share with you another success story from our client, a commercial bakery with multiple locations in the Toronto area, that has recently succeeded in securing over 200K in grants for equipment purchasing and ERP implementation.

The funding helped the company significantly improve its processes, quality, inventory management and bottom line by implementing an ERP system. The bakery also purchased an Automated Injecting Line to fill homogenous creams or jams. Currently, the business employs over 400 employees and serves large wholesale clients.

As a result of the project facilitated by the grants, the company:

• Increased production throughput by 10 to 20%
• Reduced labour costs per line by 72%
• Increased revenue by 30%
• Reduced raw material waste by 10%
• Improved consistency and weight of the products
• Made real-time analytics available on their production line
• Created over 60 new jobs

We look forward to more achievements and exciting results for our client as we are working on applying for grants for international marketing and skills training.

As the Federal and provincial governments have recently tabled their 2024 fiscal year budgets, make sure to explore all the government funding opportunities available for your business to drive its growth and reach new horizons.

We’re happy to inform that intake is now open for the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) and Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF). The programs support projects and investments to businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in southwestern and eastern Ontario.

Eligible Expenses

The objective of the programs is to provide financial support and services to help growing companies in southwestern and eastern Ontario make investments to:

• Construction and project facility modifications or upgrades, subject to Ontario’s approval
• Site servicing, power service upgrades, etc. required to execute the project
• Equipment and machinery necessary for the successful completion of the project
• One-time labour directly related to project costs
• Costs of specialized expertise required for the project including third-party engineering services, software development, management, etc
• Skills training, including employer-provided training, related to the project
• Permits, inspections and other fees directly attributable to the project

Eligibility Criteria

• Be located in southwestern/eastern Ontario.
• Employ at least 10 people (or 5 if you are in rural Ontario)
• Commit to creating at least 5 new jobs (or 30% increase for companies with fewer than 15 employees)
• Be able to provide 3 years of operations/financial statements
• Be located in, or plan to locate in, a community in southwestern/eastern Ontario

Funding Amount

Up to 15% of eligible project costs in government loans with forgivable component (grant).

The Ontario government released its 2024 fiscal year budget. Our team was pleasantly surprised by the continuity of key provincial funding programs for Ontario businesses. But we have also noticed several new opportunities.

Equipment & Building Purchase – Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit

Even though the intake start date for the Ontario Made Tax Credit is still unknown, the budget for this program is allocated. Any Ontario manufacturer that spends money on equipment, building or leasehold improvements can claim 10% of these expenses retroactively to March 2023. Stay tuned as we will announce the program the minute it becomes available.

Skills Training Grants

Skills Development Fund will have several intakes this fiscal year. There was no specific word on the Canada-Ontario Job Grant in the budget, but the program accepts applications, so we don’t expect any issues. Applicants can get 50%-83% of their skills training costs from the program.

Business Expansion Grants & Loans

Advanced Manufacturing & Innovation Competitiveness (AMIC) will be continued! The next intake start date is unknown, but all Ontario advanced manufacturers that want to scale up will have a chance to apply.

Similarly, the Southwestern Ontario and Eastern Ontario development funds will be continued.

The Invest in Ontario Fund will support large-scale investment projects in Ontario.

Mining Grants

The mining sector will get a boost through the Critical Minerals Innovation Fund.

Other Tax Credits

Other tax credits that are worth mentioning are:

• Regional Opportunities Investment Tax Credit
• Co-Operative Education Tax Credit

We’re excited to inform you that Ontario Automotive Modernization Program (OAMP) is now open for applications.

The program partners with small- and medium-sized automotive parts suppliers in Ontario to help modernize Ontario’s automotive supply chain to make it more competitive and responsive to the changing needs of its customers.

Eligibility Requirements

• Small- and medium-sized Ontario-based enterprises (firms with fewer than 500 employees globally AND global revenues of less than $1 billion) with a Business Number (BN).
• Larger companies are eligible; however, they must partner with at least one Ontario-based small- or medium-sized enterprise.
• Must be in the automotive supply chain to original equipment manufacturers.
• At least 50% of the company’s total sales revenue must come from the automotive supply sector.
• Must be a for-profit business (legal entity) registered to carry out business in Ontario.
• Must have a manufacturing location in Ontario by the time the project starts.
• Must have a minimum of two (2) years of financial statements.
• Must be in substantial compliance with all applicable laws.
• Must be free and clear of any fees, levies, charges or taxes owed to Her Majesty the Queen in right of Ontario or any of her agencies.
• Must be in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

Eligible Projects

• Technology adoption – e.g. using advanced manufacturing equipment, hardware, software and/or training to improve processes and competitiveness. This might include using logistical systems and investing in production hardware or software that digitize production tracking
• Lean manufacturing – e.g. improving operational efficiency and competitiveness by using lean manufacturing techniques or hiring the services of a mentor/consultant to help with lean implementation.

Eligible Costs

• Salaries and benefits: incremental salary and benefits for employees of the company working on the project activities.
• Capital Costs: hardware and software implementation, installation, and setup costs; cost of direct materials, necessary for specifically identified activities and measured as having been used for, the completion of the project; materials used for configuring, testing production processes, systems, and training employees.
• Training Costs: cost involved in providing personnel with training and/or development in novel techniques required for the project for their role(s); sub-contractor and consultant fees (must be associated with LEAN Mentorship).
• Travel and Living: travel costs are explicitly project related, represent the most economical option (economy fare, and standard hotel room).

Amount

The program provides 50% of eligible costs up to a maximum of $150 K.

Deadline

The application intake closes on May 2, 2024.

On International Women’s Day, we are happy to share an initiative that empowers women entrepreneurs across Canada to pursue their dreams and ambitions.

The Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund, backed by the Government of Canada, aims to provide vital financial support to women-led businesses, enabling them to thrive and succeed in their endeavors.

Within the Initiative, the Government of Canada has selected several delivery organizations to provide loans to women entrepreneurs. The selected delivery organizations are now accepting loan applications from women entrepreneurs:

• The Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC)
• The National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA)
• The Northumberland Business Development Assistance Corp
• Coralus, formerly SheEO
• Evol

To apply for the available loans, applicants must prepare their business plans. This ensures that recipients have a clear roadmap for success and helps set them up for long-term sustainability. With a profound background in business planning, our team is here to support you every step of the way, from crafting your business plan to navigating the loan application process.

We’d also like to remind you that women entrepreneurs qualify for a variety of regular grants and loans beyond the Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund. So, we encourage you to explore all available resources to maximize your business’s potential for success.

In business, you must be flexible and prepared to adjust to constant changes in events and circumstances. As we’ve mentioned earlier, we registered as exhibitors at the N3 NGen Manufacturing Summit on February 8 in Toronto, paid the fees, and invited our clients to attend.

Regrettably, NGen canceled our registration as an exhibitor due to oversubscription of exhibitor spaces. They quoted the venue’s Fire Marshall’s order.

However, our Business Funding Expert, Igor Chigrin, will still attend the event as a regular attendee. We won’t have a booth there. So feel free to register, and we hope to connect at the event for a side conversation.

Why to attend?

N3 NGen Manufacturing Summit is the premier forum for advanced manufacturing in Canada. Join the event for unmissable showcases, countless networking opportunities, industry roundtables, and keynotes that chart Canada’s future in strategic advanced manufacturing.

Exclusive Discount for You

Use the discount code N3Summit40 during registration to enjoy a price reduction on your attendee pass.

Event Details

Date: February 8
Location: Toronto Congress Centre
Event Website and Registration: N3 NGen Manufacturing Summit

Connect with Igor in the Event App

When you register as an attendee, the organizer will send you an event app where you can find Igor Chigrin and even book time for a 1-on-1 meeting.

Don’t miss the chance to be part of an industry-leading event. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

We are excited to share with you that we will be exhibiting at the N3 NGen Manufacturing Summit on February 8 in Toronto, and we wouldn’t want you to miss out on this event!

Why to attend?

N3 NGen Manufacturing Summit is the premier forum for advanced manufacturing in Canada. Join the event for unmissable showcases, countless networking opportunities, industry roundtables, and keynotes that chart Canada’s future in strategic advanced manufacturing.

Exclusive Discount for You

Use the discount code N3Summit40 during registration to enjoy a price reduction on your attendee pass.

Event Details

• Date: February 8
• Location: Toronto Congress Centre
• Event Website and Registration: N3 NGen Manufacturing Summit

Visit Our Booth

Stop by our booth to connect with our team offline, explore the latest funding opportunities, get a copy of our book and discover how we can shape the future of your business together.

Don’t miss the chance to be part of an industry-leading event. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

We are always committed to providing our valued small business customers with tools and resources to thrive in their financial endeavors. Today, we are excited to bring to your attention a special opportunity in collaboration with business funding experts – Swoop.

The Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) was a lifeline for many businesses during the pandemic. Now, through our partnership with Swoop, we are thrilled to offer you a streamlined and user-friendly solution to navigate the CEBA Loan Forgiveness process seamlessly.

What is CEBA Loan Forgiveness?

CEBA loan forgiveness offers the opportunity to have up to $20K of your CEBA loan balance forgiven, provided specific conditions are met.

How does Loan Forgiveness work?

Depending on your loan amount, forgiveness can be 25% to 50%.

To qualify, you need to repay your CEBA loan by January 18th, 2024 or submit an application to refinance by that date. Should you have any questions or require assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out and book a meeting with a funding specialist here.

As the end of the year is approaching, businesses have already started planning their marketing activities and budgets for 2024. It makes December a perfect timing to start exploring the available funding opportunities that support and reimburse marketing costs. One of these is the CanExport grant.

Given program’s popularity & short window of intakes, it’s essential to start preparing for the CanExport grant right now in order to be approved for the end of winter-spring intake. The exact intake dates are to be announced, but we expect them to reopen early next year.

Amount of the CanExport Program

The program reimburses 50% of selected export marketing cost to a maximum of $50K.

Eligible Activities

• Applying for certification in international markets
• Digital and online advertising to foreign audiences
• Business travel (airfare & ground transportation)
• Participation at trade fairs, trade shows, conferences, trade missions, including virtual trade shows and conferences
• Market research;
• Adaptation of marketing tools for a new market; and
• Legal fees associated with a distribution/representation agreement.

We’d like to remind you that the Digital Competence Centre grant is still open for applications and provides funding to select and implement the right digital solution. The program has two streams.

Stream 1. Digital Maturity Assessment Plan (DMAP)

This stream helps Ontario SMEs better understand their organization’s technology needs, guide their digital transformation decision-making, and optimize their technology investments.

Stream 2. Technology Demonstration Program (TDP)

This stream supports Ontario (SMEs) that have completed a Digital Modernization and Adoption Plan (DMAP) project to adopt and implement the digital technology identified in their DMAP.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Be incorporated federally or provincially with a valid Business Number;
• Be a for-profit, privately owned business;
• Have between 1-499 full-time equivalent employees;
• Have the capability to implement and internally sustain new technologies;
• Have a permanent establishment in Ontario.

Eligible Expenses:

• Digital consultant fees;
• Digital solution adoption and implementation costs;
• Costs related to website search optimization, installation of a technology platform (including subscription fees/costs), back-office solutions to support a technology strategy, creation of customer databases, development of new technology;
• Costs of social media advertising;
• Salaries for technical staff directly related to the demo project;
• Upgrading existing technology site for added functionality;
• Software to track and manage product inventory, as well as fulfill and ship orders; to simplify marketing, track sales, market to customers, offer discounts, maintain a loyalty program; for product databases, cyber security software of certifications;
• Hardware and accompanying software.

Funding Amount:

• 50% of the digital assessment and plan preparation costs;
• 50% of the technology implementation costs.

We’d like to remind you that the Canada Ontario Job Grant (COJG) program is still open for applications and offers great funding opportunities for skill training. With COJG, businesses can tap into valuable resources to enhance their workforce’s skills and capabilities.

One of the great aspects of the COJG program is its versatility. So, the grant can be also used to invest in Lean Training, a powerful approach that can help you address rising business expenses and the labor deficit. Lean Training helps create a training culture where employees share a common understanding of how they can contribute to the company’s growth and profitability.

Our partners at CTM provide a range of Lean Training options. CTM also offers a Learning Management System (LMS) platform that hosts various Lean courses, making it convenient for employees to access valuable training materials.

Here’s a glimpse of what CTM has to offer:

• Level 1: A senior management course that provides insights into Lean transformation strategies for your company’s leaders.
• Level 2: Six Lean Belt Certification courses designed for your entire workforce, ensuring that all your employees share the same level of Lean knowledge.
• Level 3: Seven Lean tool courses for project teams, empowering employees with in-depth knowledge of Toyota tools and the ability to self-implement them.

WATCH THE VIDEO: LEAN THINKING TRAINING
FOR SMALL-MEDIUM BUSINESS

Here’s a brief reminder of the funding amount provided by the Canada Ontario Job Grant (COJG) program. The grant covers 1/2 to 5/6 of the training costs depending on the size of your business.

If you follow the mainstream Canadian media, you may have noticed a developing story around Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC). SDTC is a non-profit organization that provides Federal funds to the Canadian clean technology sector through grant and seed funding programs. The programs and the organization were around for almost two decades.

An audit of the organization recently conducted by the Federal government revealed multiple cases of conflict of interest between the organization’s executives and the approved application. Another alarming discovery was that many applicants were not in line “with the spirit” of the contribution agreement.

The funding for the organization is currently stopped as well as its application process. Further investigation and corrective action implementation will take at least 6 months. During this time, there will be no dedicated source of government funding for Canadian clean technology firms. The flow of funds from the program also stopped.

This is a very bad situation considering the sector’s impact on future jobs, prosperity and climate change.

Here are the links to learn more about the story.

• https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-sdtc-funding-canada-cleantech-companies/
• https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/sustainable-development-technologies-canada-champagne-1.6985847

We’d like to invite you to Interactive Strategic Planning Workshop – Business B4 Breakfast – hosted by our partners at Robbinex.

The workshop has been created to help entrepreneurs, that are planning on exiting their business in three to five years, develop a strategic plan and empower them to make the right decision at the right time.

The interactive workshop lasts 3 hours (7:30 am – 10:30 am) and includes a continental breakfast.

• Nov 22, 2023, Holiday Inn – 2325 Wyecroft Rd, Oakville
• Nov 23, 2023, Crowne Plaza – 105 King St E, Kitchener
• Nov 29, 2023, Holiday Inn – 327 Ontario St, St. Catharines
• Nov 30, 2023, 300-170 Attwell Dr, Toronto (Airport)

The entry is free of charge for our clients.

To learn more and register for the workshop, please, visit: https://www.robbinex.com/selling-your-business-workshop/

We’d like to inform you that the Meat Processors Capacity Improvement Initiative was abruptly closed due to oversubscription. This is remarkable because the program opened just a few weeks ago and had no deadline originally. We are following all the updates about the program and will share them with you as soon as they are available.

So, if you plan on applying for other government grants and funding programs, do not wait and start your application process now! Don’t wait until other programs run out of funding!