The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) offers many opportunities as well as some challenges for Canadian businesses. If ratified, the new agreement-in-principle will take effect on January 1, 2020 and significantly impact supply chain management, predominantly in the dairy, poultry, and automotive sectors. While there are many businesses across Canada that are concerned about these changes,…
Improving employee skillsets through frequent training is an effective, but financially demanding way to improve your organization’s performance. While there are many benefits to engaging employees with relevant and timely training programs, most companies cannot afford to do so. As a result, organizations across Ontario underperform and continually miss the opportunity to become more competitive….
Axonify is a rapidly growing B2B software-as-a-service (SaaS) company on a mission to improve workforce development. Since being founded in 2011, the Waterloo, Ontario-based business has experienced consistent growth and improvements to their platform. Now as one of Canada’s leading tech firms, Axonify brings it’s microlearning platform to companies all over the world who use…
Please Note: ASCIP’s final application intake has closed. Ontario automotive manufacturers should explore the Ontario Automotive Modernization Program (OAMP) for funding support. The Automotive Supplier Competitiveness Improvement Program (ASCIP) is an Ontario government funding program that supports automotive manufacturing technology adoption projects. Through ASCIP funding, automotive suppliers can access Ontario business grants to offset a portion of costs related…
Ontario’s innovation ecosystem is growing exponentially. With this growth comes the need for more resources for innovators to develop globally-competitive products and services that shape today’s knowledge-based economy. Access to incubation space and entrepreneurial expertise are two areas of support often requested by young, high-growth businesses, but it’s often difficult for these firms to get…
Alberta’s municipalities and non-profit organizations have significant potential to expand tourism within the province. But despite Alberta’s strong reputation and ability to cater to tourists, each year there are many missed opportunities to draw Albertans, Canadians, and international tourists. Groups that organize tourism events should consider ways to expand and create new tourism opportunities within…
Canadian clean technology developers often face difficulties when bringing new ideas and innovations to market. Limited access to capital and difficulty finding end-users that can offer input during the development process are two reasons why Canadian firms struggle to compete with global competition, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Resources are available to…
Development and commercialization of innovative technologies is often a complex process that requires multiple contributors. While most Canadian firms choose to innovate independently, working with research partners offers several benefits. Not only do collaborative research and development projects support improved project outcomes, but they also help control costs and offer new commercialization opportunities. Fortunately, the…
Please Note: Export Market Access is now closed and not accepting further applications. For trade show grants and other forms of export support, learn more about the CanExport program. Export Market Access (EMA) is an Ontario government grant designed to help small and medium-sized businesses reach and expand international markets. The program reduces costs commonly incurred while…
Small business owners frequently face challenges when scaling their operations. With limited cash flow, most seek financial support for growth projects through banks. However, business owners are often rejected for loans and other financial products because they’re deemed a high-risk borrower. As a result, their business stays small and unable to compete with larger, more…