The value of your ‘journey’ and why you should “go through it” to learn the best lessons. I recently shared an interesting discussion with my colleagues about the wonders of technology and the time, effort, and undue stress it saves us. The particular example being discussed was my freshman year in Waterloo, before the invention…
Businesses are buzzing following Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s announcement of the 2014 Federal Budget on Tuesday. Among the Economic Action Plan 2014 hot topics revealed in the House of Commons, was the government’s continuing dedication to funding Research and Development in Canada. With a proposed 5-year, $1.6 billion of the budget dedicated to propelling Canada’s…
Growing Forward 2 (GF2) is a funding program aimed at encouraging innovation, competitiveness and market development in Canada’s Agri-Food and Agri-Products sector. Growing Forward 2 Ontario Offers Support Against PED In light of the spreading Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED), GF2 has recently announced a special intake of funding to promote biosafety and preventative measures in…
Investing in Regional Diversification (IRD) is a new program offered through FedDev’s Ontario 2013 Action Plan. This program is a non-repayable Canadian government grant, which covers 50% of project costs up to a maximum of $20 million. The remaining 50% must be provided as a cash contribution. IRD Government Grants Canada for Not-For-Profits -Program Focus…
The New Horizons for Medtech (NHM) program is designed for Ontario medical device and advanced health technology SME’s pursuing export opportunities in the Medical Technology industry. NHM receives support from Canada’s Medical Technologies Companies (MEDEC), Canadian MedTech Manufacturers’ Alliance (CMMA), and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). The program has been…
Process and operational improvements can take form in a wide range of applications, from lean manufacturing, system or software upgrades, implementation of new or improved ERP systems, advanced capital equipment, to employee training initiatives. Oftentimes, the transition towards reducing waste, increasing runtime, reducing equipment changeover time and improving throughput—amongst other efficiency metrics—can pose a significant…
The face of the modern business community is changing, and in today’s web-based culture, it is near impossible for a business to thrive without an online presence. As Google replaces the Yellow Pages, search engines become a global business directory and a ‘one-stop-shop’ for users scouring the Internet for wants and needs. Without an established…
Statistics Canada defines businesses with fewer than 500 employees as Small-Medium Sized Enterprises (SME), whereas firms with 500 or more employees are classified as “large” businesses.” An overwhelming number of businesses in Canada fall under the SME category, with 98% of the overall Canadian private business sector standing at less than 100 employees. As of…