Manufacturing Sector Services

Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters SMART Prosperity Now

Web:  www.cme-smart.ca/prosperity-now/funding/funding.html

Funding for the adaptation and adoption of new technologies, processes and skills development that will enhance business productivity. Funding is available in two components: an assessment component and project funding component.

Through the project funding component, companies will receive a contribution of 33% of eligible costs up to a maximum of $75,000.

The assessment component will further help companies assess the current state of operations and understand the barriers they face in the global competitive market by working with a qualified expert and tools available through the assessment program to develop a vision and strategy. The assessment component will cover 50% of the costs up to $5,000 per assessment. The findings from this assessment will allow companies to implement a project under the prosperity funding program.

Eligible projects include:

  • New market development
  • Commercialization
  • Projects that expand to global markets
  • Investments in sustainable and green technology:
    • Recycling
    • Air and water purification
    • Sewage
    • Environmental remediation (removal of pollutants and contaminants)
    • Waste management
    • Green Energy and technology, Smart Grid
  • Purchases of new or upgraded equipment and technology
  • Lean productivity improvement investments

The program is intended for registered corporations in southern Ontario with 15 to 1,000 employees who are exporting or have an export opportunity.

Lean Training Program - Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC)

Tel: 1-866-323-4362
Web: www.emccanada.org

The EMC and the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) have partnered to offer manufacturing businesses 50% off the costs of Lean training programs. For a limited time, reduced member fees have been extended to all Ontario manufacturers for this special initiative. The program is designed to inform key leaders from manufacturing companies across Ontario on how to increase competitiveness and efficiency through productivity skills training.

Manufacturers - EMC Purchasing Cooperative

Tel:  1-888-744-3546
Web:  www.EMCPurchasing.coop

The EMC Purchasing Co-operative Ltd. was officially incorporated, and creates the first co-operative buying group specifically for Canadian Manufacturers, enabling industry to leverage their combined purchasing power and to receive better prices and terms on the common products they buy.

The EMC Purchasing Co-op is the brain child of Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium of Canada (EMC) President and General Manager of Al Diggins. EMC is a unique not-for-profit organization of manufacturers that has grown to become Canada's largest manufacturing consortium. Although the Co-op is an EMC initiative, it is separately incorporated and owned entirely by the participating member manufacturers.

In pursuing this co-operative model, EMC recognized a significant portion of the manufacturing purchases made are common with all manufacturers, with sector / plant specific purchases comprising the balance of the opportunities for companies to work together more strategically.

The Co-Op has assembled its founding members and has begun activities, which includes formation of strategic committees that focus on sector / product specific buying needs. This is a tremendous opportunity for manufacturers to strategically address their buying needs, while gaining competitive cost advantages.

Manufacturers interested in participating in this initiative should contact the Co-op Immediately, as applications for the inaugural membership group are being processed now.

Strategic Aerospace and Defense Initiative (SADI)

Tel: 1-877-290-2188
Web:  http://ito.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ito-oti.nsf/eng/h_00023.html

SADI’s main objective is to promote research & development that will enhance Canada’s global R&D and A&D competitiveness and to encourage collaboration between research institutes, universities, colleges and the private sector. Eligible applicants include Canadian aerospace and defense (A&D) industries that have an interest in conducting R&D activities, further creating employment opportunities for highly skilled and knowledgeable Canadians. Companies are encouraged to apply. The Industrial Technologies Office calculates repayable contributions for strategic R&D projects for each project (based on the minimum amount of assistance required). SADI project contributions will equal approximately 30% of a project's total eligible costs.

Yves Landry Foundation – Achieving Innovation and Manufacturing Excellence (AIME) Global Program

Web:  http://www.yveslandryfoundation.com/m/content/article.php?content_id=166

This program will provide funding to southern Ontario manufacturers with an export focus that are looking to upgrade the skills of employees on the following: 

  • using new or more advanced software;
  • implementing a new process; or
  • investigating new materials or processes and how to use them in the workplace.

The AIME Global program contributes up to 50 percent of eligible project costs to a maximum of $50,000 per business.

Background information from FedDev Ontario.

Visit the Yves Landry Foundation site for full program criteria.