How to Make Your Next Business Trip Stress-Free

How to Make Your Next Business Trip Stress-Free

As a business owner, you likely travel quite a bit. Business trips, client visits, conferences, trade shows, and the occasional vacation getaway can make it difficult to stay connected with your team, partners, and clientele. However, stress does not have to be a bi-product of your mobility if you use the right tools and processes…

Job Creation Incentive Program: 2016 Alberta Business Grants

Job Creation Incentive Program: 2016 Alberta Business Grants

Earlier this month, the Alberta provincial government unveiled a new 2-year, $178-million Alberta government grants program called the Job Creation Incentive Program. Alberta Premier Rachel Rotley’s government started off the press conference by expressing their hope for an economy less dependent on oil due to plummeting oil prices and shifting contracts. The Job Creation Incentive…

Innovative Canadian Businesses Embrace Knowledge Transfer

Innovative Canadian Businesses Embrace Knowledge Transfer

According to a 2014 release of Statistics Canada data, Canada continues to decline in its commitment to innovation. The portion of Canadian businesses investing in process innovation fell from 33.5% in 2007-2009 to 29.0% in 2010-2012. Similarly, innovative businesses in Canada fell from 76.3% to 60.1% in the same time period. This decline is alarming….

$1.4M FedDev Ontario Government Funding Awarded to Two London Projects

$1.4M FedDev Ontario Government Funding Awarded to Two London Projects

FedDev Ontario is committed to growing the Ontario economy through a wide range of resources, support services, and government funding for small business, academic, and community projects. In 2013, Ontario accounted for 36.7% of Canada’s GDP, and the provincial government is committed to retain and improve this prominence. As a result, FedDev Ontario has helped…

The 4 New Engineering & Design Technologies Changing How We Create

The 4 New Engineering & Design Technologies Changing How We Create

It seems that in the last few years, society has introduced more new ways to interact with technology than ever before. The origin of the computer keyboard can be traced back to the invention of the typewriter by Christopher Latham Sholes in 1868. This was followed by the computer mouse in 1964, and the first…

Improvements to the Canadian Small Business Financing Act (CSBFA)

Improvements to the Canadian Small Business Financing Act (CSBFA)

Amongst the updates announced in the Economic Action Plan 2015 was an improvement to the Canadian Small Business Financing Act (CSBFA), a popular small business loan to extend cash flows and support growth. As a quick overview, CSBFA was created to help businesses in establishing, expanding, modernizing, and improving their systems and targets. Businesses can…

CME CertWORK+ Provides National Manufacturing Worker Certifications

CME CertWORK+ Provides National Manufacturing Worker Certifications

The Canadian manufacturing sector has identified a great need for national levels certifications for their shop floor workers and management in order to validate industry labour quality standards. The Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) have developed a solution. CertWORK+, is available now as the first national standards and certification…

Automotive Supplier Innovation Program: Research and Development Funding

Automotive Supplier Innovation Program: Research and Development Funding

In recent years there has been a shift in the global automotive market, and, as noted in our Automotive Industry Overview, Canada has slipped to the 11th largest producer of vehicles globally due to increased pressures from lower wage countries, such as Mexico. The Canadian government has taken note and, in their Economic Action Plan…

Artisan Metal Finishing Receives $1.4M in Small Business Funding in 2014

Artisan Metal Finishing Receives $1.4M in Small Business Funding in 2014

Artisan Metal Finishing is a growing business that specializes in corrosion resistant metal treatments for zinc plating, zing flake coatings, decorative plating, zinc phosphate, and component degreasing. The London, Ontario based business has a strong track record of job creation and business expansion, making them an ideal candidate for Canadian government funding. Although Artisan Metal…

Communitech Open Data Exchange (ODX): Canada’s Commitment to Big Data Analytics

Communitech Open Data Exchange (ODX): Canada’s Commitment to Big Data Analytics

This month marks the beginning of a new venture for several Kitchener-Waterloo entities and Canada’s committed to big data analytics. FedDev Ontario has announced up to $3 million for Communitech Corporation to establish the Open Data Exchange (ODX) in Waterloo, Ontario. ODX is a partnership between Communitech, the University of Waterloo, D2L (Desire2Learn), CDMN (Canadian…