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Canada Digital Adoption Program

The Canada Digital Adoption Program will help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) assess their digital readiness and apply for grants and loans online. This funding helps businesses leverage e-commerce opportunities, upgrade or adopt digital technologies, and digitize operations to stay competitive and meet customers’ needs in the digital marketplace. Depending on their size, specific needs, and goals, businesses can apply for funding through the Grow Your Business Online or Boost Your Business Technology streams

Grow Your Business Online Stream

The Grow your Business Online stream is a micro grant of up to $2,400. Eligible businesses can receive this grant to help with the costs related to adopting digital technologies. Grants will be available through an application portal delivered by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. Service providers (Ontario Chamber of Commerce) will also support a network of e-commerce advisors wo will advise and help small businesses adopt e-commerce.

For more information click here

Boost Your Business Technology Stream

Eligible businesses will have access to a marketplace of digital adoption experts to help develop a digital adoption plan tailored to their needs. Eligible businesses can leverage the grant to pay for the services of a digital advisor. These advisors will work with companies to recommend digital pathways and strategies that will help them achieve their business goals and increase their competitiveness in the digital economy.

The grant covers up to 90% of the eligible cost of retaining the services of a digital advisor, up to a maximum grant value of $15,000 per SME, to develop a digital adoption plan.

Additionally, businesses also have the opportunity to secure a 0% interest loan from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) to facilitate the acquisition of new technology. In addition, applicants can leverage the help of talented post-secondary students and recent graduates through subsidized work placements.

For More Information click here

Intellectual Property Ontario

Intellectual Property Ontario is a new Provincial agency that will provide businesses across the province with access to intellectual property strategy advice, legal expertise and educational resources. It will help businesses, entrepreneurs and researchers innovate and stay competitive.

Intellectual Property Ontario will offer the following types of services:

• IP education and awareness
  Educational tools available through online courses and curricula.

• IP strategy and expert advisory services
  Advisory services offered to help clients develop effective IP strategies and management.

• IP rights generation
  Legal solutions offered to clients to support the protection of their IP.

For more information, click here

Mother Earth Day Sponsorship Opportunity

The City of Niagara Falls’ ‘Park in the City Committee’ is looking for financial and in-kind sponsors for the inaugural Mother Earth Day event, presented by PenFinancial Credit Union, taking place on Saturday, June 11, 2022 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Firemen’s Park. The family-friendly, free admission event is a community-inspired celebration of the environment, featuring:

• Tree planting and park clean up

• Birds of prey demonstration

• Live music & indigenous performances

• Sustainability-focused and environmentally conscious vendors

• Healthy and sustainable food & beverage options

• Hands-on activities for the entire family and more!

For more information, please visit www.motherearthday.ca or contact Jeff Guarasci from Recreation & Culture at 905-356-7521 x 3341 or jguarasci@niagrafalls.ca

Summer Company Open for Applications

The Niagara Falls Small Business Enterprise Centre is now accepting applications for the Ontario Summer Company Program. This program provides students 15 to 29 years old with a grant of up to $3,000 to start a new summer business. Program participants also receive advice and mentorship from local business leaders, as well as business training from the Enterprise Centre. The program is open for applications until May 31, 2022

For more information about Summer Company, visit the portal here.

Career Ready Program

As part of the Government of Canada’s Student Work Placement Program (SWPP), TECHNATION’s wage subsidy program, Career Ready supports businesses by financing their decision to hire a student for a work-term placement. This in turn creates a rewarding opportunity for the student to apply their learning in real-world settings and puts them on a path to a bright career.

The program provides 50% (to a maximum of $5000.00) of a student’s pay in wage subsidies to employers.

An increased subsidy of 70% (to a maximum of $7000.00) is awarded to employers hiring students from under-represented groups:

For more information, and to apply, visit the Career Ready website

New Business Grand Openings

March brought two new business grand openings in Niagara Falls. Triple R Auto and Spice N’ Flames enjoyed their grand opening celebrations. For more information about each business, follow the links below:

Triple R Auto (3748 Main Street) - Website

Spice N’ Flames (3701 Portage Rd Unit 6) - Website & Instagram