BUISNESS DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT

NORTH END BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

SUPPORTING THE BUSINESSES OF THE NORTH END OF HALIFAX

The North End Business Association currently has over 350 business which continues to grow annually. Some times new business is well established and expanding, or full of experienced entrepreneurs and trend setters. Other times the new business are fresh to the game, needing a hand in organizing and setting up. The NEBA is dedicated to helping your business ideas succeed. Through X program and Y program

NEW AND SMALL BUSINESS

Nova Scotia Business Navigators

Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service Effectiveness

The business navigators help with your business needs such as:

• Registering a business

• Determining what permits and licenses are required to operate a business

• Understanding applicable inspection requirements

• Finding resources to assist with financing, taxes, staffing and other needs

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Description: Nova Scotia Business Navigators can give you personalized and timely help with regulation and requirements, including registration, permit and licences. They can help new or existing businesses to navigate provincial regulations.

Contact: 

Website: novascotia.ca/businessnavigators

Telephone: 1-844-628-7347

Email: BusNavigation@novascotia.ca

Small Business Safety Toolkit

Workers' Compensation Board of Nova Scotia

The Small Business Safety Toolkit will help you:

• put a health and safety system in place to protect your workers and yourself from injury and illness at work

• learn your basic duties and responsibilities under the Nova Scotia Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations

• understand how health and safety plays a role in the day-to-day operation of your business

Description: The health and safety of your employees is just as important to your bottom line as financial budget sheet. Health and safety is important to everyone. It’s not only the law – it’s the right thing to do. And it makes good business sense. This easy to use toolkit will help make your workplace safer.

Contact:

Website: https://wcb.ns.ca/toolkit.aspx

Telephone: 902-424-5400

Email: ohsdivision@novascotia.ca

Canada Business Network

Government of Canada

The Canada Business Network can help with business needs such as:

• Guides for starting, operating and growing your business

• Financing and loan information

• Business permits and licensing 

• Company directories and trade databases

• Market research tools and information

• Copyright and intellectual property information

• Get information specific to your location and business sector

Description: Government services and information to help Canadian businesses start, grow and prosper. Filled with valuable resources for new businesses, how to handle taxes and hiring and managing employees and more.

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Contact:

Website: Canadabusiness.ca

Telephone: 1-800-622-6232

Innovation Canada

Government of Canada

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Description: Helps you find programs and services that can help you and your business. The website is filled with links to funding, loans, tax credits, wage and subsidies for interns, expert advice, and so much more.

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Contact:

Website: Innovation.canada.ca

Telephone: 1-833-201-4358

EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS

Canada Summer Jobs Grant

Government of Canada

For Business and Non-Profit  Organizations looking for funding for Summer Employment.

• The program provides wage subsidies to employers from not-for-profit organizations, the public-sector, and private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees, to create quality summer work experiences for young people aged 15 to 30 years. Funded employers are no longer restricted to hiring students: all youth aged 15 to 30 years may be eligible participants.

• Not-for-profit employers are eligible to receive funding for up to 100% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage. Public and private sector employers are eligible to receive funding for up to 50% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage.

Description: 

Canada Summer Jobs is an initiative of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, which aims to provide flexible and holistic services to support all young Canadians develop the skills and gain paid work experience to successfully transition in the labour market.

The Canada Summer Jobs program objectives align with the redesigned Youth Employment and Skills Strategy and are as follows:

• provide quality work experiences for youth

• respond to national and local priorities to improve access to the labour market for youth who face unique barriers

• provide opportunities for youth to develop and improve their skills

Contact: 

Website: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/funding/canada-summer-jobs.html

Telephone: 1-800-935-5555 

Graduate to Opportunity (GTO)

Labour and Advanced Education

Employers receive 25% of the first year’s salary – 35% if the new graduate is a member of a designated diversity group – and 12.5% of the second year’s salary. You can apply for the subsidy if you fall into any one of these categories:

• a small business with fewer than 100 employees

• a start-up company incorporated within two years of the application date

• a social enterprise, not-for-profit organization, or registered charity with recognized standing

The position must be new, permanent, full-time and pay at least $30,000 a year. You can’t receive funding from any other government employment program for this position.

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Description: helping to build a stronger workforce and retain young people in Nova Scotia with a salary incentive that makes it easier to hire recent graduates.

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Contact:

Website: https://novascotia.ca/programs/graduate-to-opportunity/

Telephone: 902 424-6000

Email: yepinfo@novascotia.ca

Co-oporative Education Incentive 

Labour and Advanced Education

The Co-op Education Incentive helps employers:

• hire post-secondary co-operative education students for work placements.

• Employers can hire a co-op student for a work term of 12-16 weeks.

• You’ll receive a subsidy of $7.50 an hour ($9.00 if the student is a member of designated diversity group) for the wages you pay the student. 32 week terms are available in some education programs

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Organizations can apply for the subsidy if they:

• are  private-sector, government-funded, non-profit, or charitable organization, a social enterprise or a municipality

• want to hire a co-operative education student for a work term of 12-16 weeks

• will pay the student at least $15 per hour, plus vacation pay, for 32.5 to 40 hours of work per week​

Description: The Co-op Education Incentive helps employers hire post-secondary co-operative education students for work placements.

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Contact:

Website: https://novascotia.ca/programs/co-op-education-incentive/

Telephone: 902 424-6000

Email: yepinfo@novascotia.ca

​Student Summer Skills Incentive (SKILL)

Labour and Advanced Education

• Eligible employers can hire students for terms of 8-14 weeks in the summer.

• You’ll receive a subsidy of $8.85 per hour ($9.85 if the student is a member of designated diversity group) for the wages you pay to your student employees.

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Organizations can apply for the subsidy if they:

• are a not-for-profit organization registered as a charity or active society with the Registry of Joint Stock Companies

• plan to hire a university or college student for 8-14 weeks between April and August

• pay their summer student-employee minimum wage or more (plus vacation pay) for 30 to 35 hours of work per week

• aren’t receiving funding from any other government employment program for the same position

Description: SKILL helps registered charities and societies offer summer jobs to post-secondary students.

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Contact:

Website: https://novascotia.ca/programs/student-summer-skills-incentive

Telephone: 902 424-6000

Email: yepinfo@novascotia.ca

Workplace Innovation and Productivity Skills Incentive (WIPSI)

Labour and Advanced Education

• Applications for the WIPSI program may be submitted by individual businesses or by an organization/association on behalf of a group of businesses.

• WIPSI supplements employer contributions to train full-time staff * (permanently located in Nova Scotia) to

• Improve productivity and profitability

• Increase innovation

• Adapt to new technology, machinery and equipment, or work processes

• Increase inter-provincial and international competitiveness; and

• Foster workplace diversity.

• * Full-time seasonal employees may be considered.

• If you identify a training opportunity that would provide new and/or incremental skills to your workforce which will result in

• A new direction or expansion to your core operations; and

• Business and/or sector growth and profitability, you could be eligible for WIPSI funding.

• WIPSI Funding

• If you are a small business in Nova Scotia with less than 50 employees, you may be eligible for up to 100% of your training costs to be covered up to $10,000. For larger businesses, WIPSI provides up to 50% of direct training costs.

• WIPSI may also cover other expenses such as travel, books for participants and accommodation costs for persons with disabilities.

• If you are an organization/association and you apply for WIPSI funding on behalf of member businesses, you may also be eligible for WIPSI to cover administration costs to host the training.

• What to Consider Before You Apply

• Is your business

• Located in Nova Scotia

• Registered and active in the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies or incorporated by an Act of the Nova Scotia Legislature

• Over one calendar year into operations

• Generating directly or representing businesses (e.g. Sector councils) that have at least thirty percent (30%) of revenues from commercial activity*

• Producing a minimum of $25,000 in wages or owner remuneration

• Not solely generating profit from wholesale, retail, and accommodations and foodservices (e.g. businesses that manufacture and sell products)?

Description: 

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Contact:

Website: https://novascotia.ca/programs/student-summer-skills-incentive

Telephone: 902 424-6000

Email: yepinfo@novascotia.ca

YMCA

The YMCA Nova Scotia Works Employment Services Centre helps job seekers and employers navigate a range of programs – from career planning, job searches and on-the-job development, to recruitment, planning and HR support. Find them at http://www.ymcansworks.ca/ or 2269 Gottingen St, Halifax, NS B3K 3B7

NEW TO CANADA

Human Rights Commission

Provides a free online course to designed to help frontline service staff address and prevent consumer racial profiling. Take the free course at www.servingall.ca

Immigration Services Association of Nova Scotia

Immigration Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) helps immigrants build a future in Nova Scotia. This is achieved by helping to link employees and employers together through a job board, English lessons, and networking events. While simultaneously helping new immigrants find work. You can find more information at www.isans.ca