FedDev Ontario's focus on economic development
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In this issue
October 2023
Issues archive
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Feddev Ontario recipient news and updates
- Canvass AI releases new software solution for industrial enterprise customers
- Innovation Factory launches new accelerator program for medical technology companies
- FedDev Ontario funding recipients featured on The Globe and Mail’s Top Growing Companies 2023 list
- Sustainable packaging company Omnia Packaging opens new production facility
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SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
- One week left!
- We celebrate @spectrumgymnasticsclub, funded through FedDev Ontario-supported @VentureNorfolk, for its success in creating recreational programs and gymnastic classes for all active children with specialized programming dedicated to those with special needs.
- #DYK, FedDev Ontario’s Small Business Services offers guides to help Ontario entrepreneurs find the government information they need to start or grow a business?
- It’s Small Business Week and we are celebrating businesses.

Making headlines

Celebrating Small Businesses
Small Business Week (October 15-21) celebrates entrepreneurship and recognizes the contributions and successes of Canadian small- and medium-sized businesses.
FedDev Ontario Minister Filomena Tassi spoke with CanadianSME Magazine for their Small Business Podcast to highlight Government of Canada priority sectors and funding initiatives, advice for small businesses seeking growth support and tips on navigating the application process. Minister Tassi also provided a message in CanadianSME Magazine and opening remarks at the Small Business Summit to reinforce FedDev Ontario's commitment to supporting southern Ontario SMEs. In her message published in Canadian Business Owner Magazine for multicultural entrepreneurs, the Minister celebrated the diversity of Canada’s small businesses, and acknowledged the challenges business owners face and outlined measures the government is taking to strengthen supply chains and foster an environment conducive to business growth.
FedDev Ontario is committed to supporting small business across southern Ontario through funding opportunities and business support. Read our success story about two recent investments in Indigenous-led businesses that will enhance services and create new jobs in their communities.

Investments in projects that support business growth
Sheridan College received an investment of $1.6 million to strengthen programming at Sheridan EDGE. EDGE is a collaborative space where entrepreneurs get the resources and tools they need to help start and grow their businesses, and this investment will help EDGE accelerate the growth of entrepreneurs that are focused on creating solutions for social, cultural and environmental issues. This builds on a previous Government of Canada investment of $1.5 million that helped Sheridan College broaden its entrepreneurial support and services to entrepreneurs across Mississauga and Peel Region. It has already supported 130 high-potential companies, creating nearly 60 partnerships and nearly 170 jobs.
L-Squared Digital Signage (L Squared) is accelerating the growth of its digital communications platform the L Squared Hub with an investment of $1.75 million. This innovative cloud platform allows users to control content such as lobby display screens, menu boards and mobile applications to deliver tailored information to audiences. This investment will support upgrades to the L Squared Hub platform to meet the needs of a wider range of clients globally, and will allow L Squared to continue helping businesses improve their productivity, market reach, and competitiveness, along with creating 15 new skilled jobs in Toronto.

Supporting Indigenous businesses through engagement and outreach
The Agency is engaging with Indigenous-led businesses and not-for-profit organizations across the region to learn about future business plans, new products and/or opportunities, and attend several roundtable discussions to hear about current priorities, challenges and to discuss how the government can support and facilitate growth opportunities.
FedDev Ontario staff attended the annual Ontario First Nations Economic Developers Association (OFNEDA) conference in Niagara Falls, where they discussed opportunities for greater collaboration with Indigenous organizations such as OFNEDA, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Businesses (CCAB), Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO) and the First Nations Bank of Canada. FedDev Ontario had an exhibition table at the event, with more than 150 people stopping by to learn about the Agency’s programs and supports. Representatives from the Agency also attended the Forward Summit East conference in Orillia. Participants from across the country took part in panel discussions on topics such as Financing a Wealthier Future (led by the Canada Infrastructure Bank) and Community Capacity Building and Sharing Between Nations. FedDev Ontario met with several organizations including national not-for-profit organization Indigenous Youth Roots to discuss opportunities to support Indigenous youth and aspiring entrepreneurs to position them for future success, and held Indigenous outreach sessions with CCAB on October 24, with a follow-up session scheduled for early November.
Indigenous businesses and organizations interested in additional information on available government funding and support are encouraged to visit FedDev Ontario's website or contact our team by telephone at 1-877-553-5507 or by email at Indigenous-autochtones@feddevontario.gc.ca.

Government of Canada supports wood manufacturers
The forest industry is a pillar of the Canadian economy, with over 3,000 companies that employ 35,000 workers, and contributes more than $7 billion in revenue each year. The Government of Canada supports wood manufacturers as they evolve, adopt new processes and technologies and increase their production capabilities.
At the Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario (WMCO)’s Quarterly Networking Event, MP Bardish Chagger announced nearly $2.9 million for the organization to help SMEs in southern Ontario adopt new digital strategies. WMCO is an industry-led cluster that supports SMEs specializing in cabinetry, commercial fixtures and millwork, furniture, flooring, mass timber construction and other niche products. With this investment, WMCO will support manufacturers as they adopt digital technologies, and will provide seed funding for eligible SMEs undergoing digital adoption projects, creating 50 new jobs. As part of this investment, 50 new products, services and processes will be commercialized. WMCO will also prioritize SMEs in rural and Indigenous communities through targeted outreach activities.

Support for virtual meeting software company
The Government of Canada continues to make strategic investments in southern Ontario’s technology sector, to drive innovation and growth and foster high-quality employment opportunities throughout the region.
FedDev Ontario announced an investment of $1.5 million for Software as a Service (SaaS) company GetQuorum to help reach new markets and create jobs in the Toronto area. GetQuorum provides an all-in-one virtual meeting and voting platform that helps corporations connect and share with team members quickly and easily, and also provides tools such as record-keeping, reporting, and analytics. This investment will accelerate GetQuorum's sales and marketing efforts to meet a growing market opportunity for virtual and hybrid corporate governance meetings, and is expected to create 13 new jobs.
“Encouraging participation and transparency are critical aspects of good governance and beneficial for members, voters and stakeholders alike. FedDev Ontario's investment in GetQuorum will allow us to further develop our platform and services to meet the changing needs of Canadians and extend our services throughout North America in the post-pandemic world."
- Ben Zelikovitz, Co-Founder, GetQuorum

Support for Francophone communities
Canada’s Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs) play an important role in our country’s economy, and the Government of Canada is committed to ensuring Francophone entrepreneurs are supported and thriving.
FedDev Ontario recently announced an investment of nearly $330,000 for l’Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario (AFO), a provincial Francophone-led not-for-profit organization, to collaborate with partners in OLMC communities to develop a strategic vision for sustainable, thriving Francophone communities. MP Fortier made the announcement during AFO’s Congrès Annuel, which brought together more than 300 stakeholders from Francophone communities and organizations to discuss the theme of sustainability of French language and culture in Ontario.
Through this investment, AFO will collaborate with three identified OLMCs, including Cornwall and surrounding region, Windsor-Essex-Kent and Hamilton-Niagara, to develop regional plans that support local economic development and Francophone-led businesses in the regions. The project will also support the development of a roadmap for a centralized OLMC community hub and service centres that will make it easier for community members and business owners to access the resources they need.
This investment builds on a previous FedDev Ontario investment of $1.25 million for AFO, which supported more than 70 Francophone businesses and not for-profit-organizations between 2019 and 2023.

Feddev Ontario recipient news and updates
Canvass AI releases new software solution for industrial enterprise customers

Canvass AI releases new software solution for industrial enterprise customers
Industrial AI software leader Canvass AI announced the release of its newest software, a solution it describes as Elevating Enterprise Integration And Decision Excellence. Canvass AI is a leading AI software provider, whose platform is used by large industrial companies in the automotive, chemicals, energy, food and beverage, and metals and mining sectors. This new software features seamless integration with AVEVA Data Hub, a fully managed cloud-native SaaS for aggregating and analysing data, and Microsoft Sustainability Manager, a solution that monitors and manages an organization’s ESG (Sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance) compliance. Through this new software, Canvass AI aims to help industrial enterprises seamlessly and efficiently scale operations to gain an advantage in competitive markets.
In 2022, FedDev Ontario provided Canvass AI with a $5.7-million investment through the Jobs and Growth Fund to expand and accelerate the commercialization of their AI software platform, create 45 new jobs and help position the company for future growth.
Innovation Factory launches new accelerator program for medical technology companies

Innovation Factory launches new accelerator program for medical technology companies
Innovation Factory, a Hamilton-based not-for-profit Regional Innovation Centre that offers training, workshops, mentorship and programming to businesses, announced the launch of the Canadian Medtech Alliance Program (CAMEDA). This new program will focus on accelerating the commercialization of medical technology innovations in the life sciences sector, offering services such as access to expertise and facilities, and creating connections between medtech companies and domestic manufacturers.
Minister Tassi spoke about the important work of the Southern Ontario Pharmaceutical and Health Innovation Ecosystem (SOPHIE) program, when she met with companies participating in SOPHIE and the SOPHIE delivery partners on October 20 in Hamilton. SOPHIE is an initiative between Innovation Factory and Synapse Life Science Consortium that helped pave the way for the launch of CAMEDA, and spoke of the work that the companies going through the program are doing for the health of Canadians.
FedDev Ontario provided an investment of $6 million for Innovation Factory and Synapse Life Science Consortium to launch SOPHIE and provide businesses with advisory services, testing capabilities and financial support from experts in the healthcare field to develop and commercialize their specialized health innovations and scale up their companies. This was followed by an additional $1 million FedDev Ontario investment in 2023 to support the creation of the CAMEDA program.
FedDev Ontario funding recipients featured on The Globe and Mail’s Top Growing Companies 2023 list

FedDev Ontario funding recipients featured on The Globe and Mail’s Top Growing Companies 2023 list
The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business released its annual list of top growing Canadian companies, and many FedDev Ontario funding recipients made this year’s list. Ranking is based on three year revenue growth, and criteria for qualification includes being Canadian-run and having at least $2 million in sales in its most recent fiscal year.
Congratulations to health tech company BlueDot Inc., developer of an infectious disease tracking platform, human resources specialist Humi, developer of an all-in-one HR platform for Canadian enterprises focused on employee benefits, business insurance, and payroll, and Chickapea, a food manufacturer specializing in organic pasta made from chickpeas and lentils. These companies have shown tremendous resilience and growth and their success is a testament to the competitiveness of the southern Ontario region’s manufacturing and technology sectors.
Sustainable packaging company Omnia Packaging opens new production facility

Sustainable packaging company Omnia Packaging opens new production facility
Family-owned and operated Omnia Packaging is a manufacturer of sustainable and innovative food packaging, producing 100% recyclable paper and plastic trays for the food packaging industry. The company was joined by Minister Tassi to announce the grand opening of its new production facility in Guelph, Ontario. The facility will produce glue-free paper trays for fruit and vegetable produce, and plastic tubs with in-mold labelling, for dairy and confectionery producers, made from mono-material Polypropylene, recognized as the purest and most recyclable polymer. In February 2023, FedDev Ontario provided Omnia Packaging, a subsidiary of Italy-based Sunino Group (Gruppo Sunino SPA) with a $3.7-million investment to purchase new equipment to accelerate production of its innovative packaging solutions. The opening of this dedicated facility is the result of dedication and passion for the sustainable manufacturing solutions of Sunino Group, and is another positive step in positioning Canada for a greener future.

Social media highlights
Funding is available for southern Ontario businesses and organizations. Apply by November 7, 2023: https://ow.ly/2jSE50Q1zHp
Located in Simcoe, Spectrum Gymnastics has acquired 400 clients from the surrounding community and beyond within its first year of operations, and owner Teagen Fitch received the 2023 Community Futures Ontario award for Outstanding Youth Entrepreneur.
#SmallBusinessWeek #SBW2023 #ProudToSupport #southON #YouthEntrepeneurs
Horizon Aircraft, in Lindsay, received funding through our investment in KLCFDC and LAUNCH Kawartha. Horizon Aircraft’s Cavorite X7 concept is a made-in-Canada hybrid-electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft built to solve real-world problems, including disaster relief, MedEvac service, cargo transport and air taxi service. The Cavorite X7 leverages advanced technology available today to offer a cleaner, more environmentally friendly solution for a better future. #aerospace #SBW2023 #ProudToSupport #SmallBusinessWeek #innovation #cleantech

Upcoming Events

November 8-9
HardTech Summit (Markham)
A technology and innovation focused summit supporting hardware, semiconductor, MedTech, AI, and automobility. This year's summit will look at how hardware technology is helping to push the boundaries of what’s possible, why inclusivity is crucial to innovation in this sector, and what needs to be done in order to elevate Canada’s semiconductor leadership on a global scale.

November 15
Small Business Information Forum – with a focus on social, green and youth businesses (Online)
The forum will feature a keynote speaker, as well as presentations on government and non-government funding, programs and key resources that support youth-owned and/or led businesses, enterprises with green and/or social impacts.

November 22
CleanTech Conference (London)
The 2023 Cleantech Conference will bring partners, industry sectors and government together with Western’s leading researchers to focus on key priorities and strategies that will further develop clean tech opportunities.
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