Atlantic Canada Business Grants

Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Center (SMUEC)

Options Youth

Amount:

 $6,300.00 

Type of Program:

Subsidy

Description:

Options Youth is an employment wage subsidy program funded by Service Canada and facilitated by the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre and Enactus Saint Mary’s. The program consist of personalized skill training and paid work placements to help Nova Scotian youth overcome barriers to enter the workforce.

Comments on Funding:

Funding is a 700 hour wage subsidy, covering up to $9/hr, up to a maximum of $6,300

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

Rolling deadline

Eligibility:

The applicant must:

  • be employers in Nova Scotia,
  • hire a participant who will engage in virtual training throughout the program
  • place the participant on payroll. 

The participant must be:

  • between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at the time of intake/selection,
  • a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act,
  • legally entitled to work in Canada,
  • in need of assistance to overcome employment barriers.

Application Steps:

1

complete the online application form,

2

hire a participant who will engage in virtual training throughout the program

3

invoice the program each month, 

4

provide monthly reports to the Project Manager.

Documentation Needed:

No specific documentation has been identified.

Other Things to Note:

The Options Youth Program is an employment wage subsidy program, facilitated by the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre and funded by Service Canada.

Program Contact:

Options Youth SMU website

Exploration Fund

Amount:

$25,000

Type of Program:

Investment

Description:

The Exploration Fund offers up to $25,000 in the form of a SAFE agreement to businesses who meet the eligibility criteria and successfully pass through the fund’s due diligence process. 

Comments on Funding:

Funding will take the form of a SAFE agreement of up to $25,000.

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

Rolling deadline

Eligibility:

The applicant must be a current Saint Mary’s University (SMU) student or recent alumni who is running a start-up that has:

  • strong user feedback, or traction via early orders or sales;
  • proof of concept, MVP (Minimum Viable Product), or a product already in market;
  • plans to grow the business;
  • well-defined, short-term strategy;
  • clear market differentiation.

Application Steps:

1

Applicants must apply by attending an introductory meeting;

2

Applicants must go through the due diligence process.

Documentation Needed: 

No specific documentation has been identified.

Program Contact:

Exploration Fund – Saint Mary's University Entrepreneurship Centre

March Madness Pitch Competition

Amount:

$10,000

Type of Program:

Competition

Description:

The competition showcases post-secondary student pitchers throughout the month of March. Modelled after the NCAA March Madness basketball competition, 64 student entrepreneurs from across Canada will be selected to compete head-to-head in brackets as they strive to eventually be declared the best in the country. 

Comments on Funding:

Funding will take the form of a prize of:

  1. 1
    $10,000 for the 1st place team;
  2. 2
    $5,000 for the 2nd place team;
  3. 3
    $1,000 for 3rd and 4th place teams.

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

Next deadlines to be determined

Eligibility:

The applicant must:

  • own a startup in the idea or operational phase (annual revenue must not exceed $20,000);
  • not have previously received any sort of venture capital, or Angel investments;
  • be a student at a post-secondary institution.

Application Steps:

1

Applicants must submit the online application form.

Documentation Needed: 

No specific documentation has been identified.

Program Contact:

March Madness – Saint Mary's University Entrepreneurship Centre

Access Ability

Amount:

No Fixed Amount

Type of Program:

Wage Subsidy

Description:

Access Ability is an employment wage subsidy program, dedicated to providing inclusive hiring through federal wage subsidies to employers in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Comments on Funding:

Funding is a Pay- for - Performance wage subsidy, 100% coverage for up to 20 weeks of work experience.

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

Rolling deadline

Eligibility:

The applicant must:

  • be employers in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador,
  • provide a minimum 35-hour work week,
  • cover the mandatory employment related costs (CPP, EI, Vacation Pay),
  • provide $15/hr wage to their new hire,
  • assign an organization supervisor to act as a mentor for the participant.

The participant must:

  • self identify as a person living with a disability,
  • be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person who has been granted refugee status in Canada,
  • be legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations,
  • not be in receipt of Employment Insurance (EI) benefit.

Application Steps:

1

Applicants must complete the online application form.

Other Things to Note:

Access Ability is an employment wage subsidy program funded by Service Canada and facilitated by the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre.

Program Contact:

Access - Ability website

RBC Talent Fund

Amount:

$3,150

Type of Program:

Wage Subsidy

Description:

The RBC Talent Fund is a wage subsidy program aimed to benefit entrepreneurial led companies based in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) area. The program can help grow the business by adding bright young talent to the team through hiring SMU students.

Comments on Funding:

Funding is up to $3,150 per hire.
For full time hire, the wage subsidy can cover 50% of the wage, up to $7.50 an hour for the first 12 weeks (based on a $15/hr wage), leaving the employer to fully fund the final 4 weeks.
For part time hire, the subsidy can cover 37.5% of the total wage (or up to $5.63 an hour) for a work term covering up to 240 hours (based on a $15/hr wage). 

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

Rolling deadline

Eligibility:

The applicant must:

  • be a company in its early stage of development,
  • be located in the Halifax Regional Municipality,
  • hire a Saint Mary’s University Undergraduate Student,
  • provide a minimum of $15/hr wage to the new hire,
  • cover MERC (mandatory employment related costs) – CPP, EI, Vacation Pay,
  • assign an organization supervisor to act as a mentor for the participant.

Application Steps:

1

Applicants must complete the online application form.

Other Things to Note:

Made possible through the RBC Foundation in support of RBC Future Launch.

Program Contact:

RBC Talent Fund