Ontario’s aging workforce, combined with the growing need for technology in manufacturing, has created a perfect storm. Growth opportunities are available, but can’t be accessed due to diminished skillsets or physical capacity.

Before Ontario manufacturers can compete globally, they must have an agile and skilled workforce that can work with modern technology.

When this happens, industries can create more innovative products and increase production to serve global customers.

In order to develop this workforce efficiently, businesses need to invest in employee training programs.

Manufacturers across Canada have begun investing in training their workforce, but nearly 40% believe that providing formal training to employees is too expensive.

The Government of Ontario recognizes this trend and has developed a government funding program to assist the training of manufacturing talent.

By providing support to manufacturers, more employees will receive skills modernization, paving the way to greater exporting success.

FedDev Ontario Training Productivity Initiative – Up to $50,000 in business grants

Formal training to improve production processes is essential for business success. This is especially true in the manufacturing industry, where advanced computing and engineering systems are required.

Whether provided internally or through a third-party trainer, updating your employees’ skills and abilities will ensure that your business is operating with maximum productivity.

The Training and Productivity Initiative, funded by FedDev Ontario, supports these types of production-based training programs by offering government funding.

The funds are provided to offset training costs with the intent of improving productivity and export sales.

Southern Ontario manufacturers can receive up to 50% of training expenses to a maximum $50,000 for manufacturing skills development programs that:

1. Support the adaption/adoption of new manufacturing technologies, processes, or procedures to support business innovation and export expansion.
2. Support and develop a highly skilled production workforce that leads to new efficiencies or export opportunities.

For manufacturers who have already received the Training Productivity Initiative, up to a quarter (25%) of training program expenses will be paid (to a maximum $50,000), as long as you have not received funding through this program in the last two years.

If you have, you will become eligible to receive funding after the two year period has been completed.

Is your business eligible for the FedDev Ontario Training Productivity Initiative?

In order to qualify for up to $50,000 in Ontario government training grants, manufacturers must adhere by the following program criteria. In order to be approved, applicants must:

• Be a southern, central, or eastern Ontario-based manufacturer;
• Maintain between 10 and 1000 employees;
• Be in business for at least three years with financial statements for that period;
• Export their product or have plans to export as a result of the training program; and
• Have not received funding through this grant program in the last two years.

Types of training programs eligible for FedDev Ontario’s Training Productivity Initiative

Ontario manufacturers are eligible to receive this government funding for a variety of productivity and innovation boosting topics, such as:

• Engineering skills development;
• Software training; and
• Machinery or equipment training.

Find Canadian government grants to grow your business internationally

Aside from the Training Productivity Initiative for manufacturers, businesses can receive government grants and loans to support international expansion activities.

CanExport: grants for international market development

Announced earlier this year, the CanExport government funding program provides up to 50% of expenses to a maximum $99,999 in support of marketing activities for new international markets.

Small and mid-sized businesses from across Canada can use these funds to participate in trade shows, travel to prospective markets, and modify marketing materials to reflect international laws, languages, or preferences.

Export Market Access: Ontario business grants for export marketing

CanExport is often compared to a similar funding program specific to Ontario businesses, Export Market Access (EMA). Export Market Access provides up to 50% of project expenses to a maximum $30,000 per application, or $60,000 per year.

Like CanExport, EMA supports participation in trade shows and travel costs for company representatives.

Find Canadian government grants and loans to enable international expansion

The main difference between these two programs is who is eligible to apply. Businesses from across Canada may apply to CanExport, while only Ontario-based businesses may apply for Export Market Access.

Understanding this eligibility criterion for government funding is essential to successfully receiving grants and loans.

To learn more about receiving government funding for international market expansion projects, businesses can download a free white paper, the Canadian Small Business Funding Guide, to gain a better perspective on the Canadian government funding landscape.

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In many ways, exporting in international markets can be easier than expanding to other regions within Canada. However, unique challenges can make international expansion quite difficult for the average business.

Challenges such as:

How do you effectively evaluate each potential market?
How do you build your supply chain and brand exposure?

There are several major areas your business will need to address to become “trade ready” and ensure you are well positioned for global success.

Experienced export researchers make a big difference

Market research can be the most difficult stage of exporting for many SMEs to accomplish. Which foreign market should you pursue and how do you do it? Due to the need to keep costs under control, many SMEs will opt to do this research internally.

Choosing an existing team member to perform these researching duties has its benefits and drawbacks. A member of your marketing team may be qualified to conduct this research, but may lack the experience of building an international marketing plan that a more seasoned Export Manager might have.

Hiring a dedicated and experienced Export Manager is an excellent way for businesses to quickly and effectively branch out into international markets.

They have the expertise to limit risks associated with export expansion, understand export strategies, and can pair your specific product lines to the culture and needs of the target market.

However, not all SMEs are able to afford a dedicated Export Manager.

Fortunately, through the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and FedDev Ontario, the Ontario Exporters Fund (OEF) grant will assist established Ontario SMEs in priority sectors by providing 50% of an Export Manager’s salary – up to $40,000 per year – for two years.

With up to $80,000 in grant funding available for businesses to hire an Export Manager, it’s easier than ever to conduct market research and develop an export expansion plan.

Learn about your competition and target market at the same time

Participating in trade shows provides a unique opportunity for businesses to expand internationally. While the main focus of most vendors is to gain direct contacts and build a lead database, there are other significant benefits.

The forefront of these advantages is that the business owner, or representative, is able to perform competitive analysis for other brands which are growing in the same market.

This knowledge is as important as understanding the market itself, and without attending trade shows it can be difficult to conceptualize who your real competition is.

Similar to the problem faced with hiring an Export Manager, SMEs are often unable to afford such an undertaking. Not only do businesses need to travel to these foreign markets, but also need to invest in trade show related expenses and marketing costs.

Travel expenses, booth costs, creative executions, market research, and other forms of promotions can create a barrier to entry for businesses.

Export Market Access (EMA) is another Ontario government grant which is specifically tailored for priority sector businesses who wish to participate in international trade shows. SMEs can receive up to 50% of their expenses (to a maximum $30,000 per application).

Some expenses that this program will cover includes the payment of travel, trade show exhibiting costs, print and design costs for marketing materials, product certification expenses, and third party market research.

Only established businesses that reside and produce their product in Ontario can apply for this program, with 5-500 employees and at least $500,000 in annual revenue.

Expedite your export expansion

In addition to FITT’s many valuable resources for starting international trade activities, there are a couple of others that you should know about to accelerate your plans.

The free Canadian Guide to Export Expansion is a comprehensive white paper which details government publications, statistics, trends, and tools which will allow you to formulate a baseline for your international trade strategies. Feel free to ask a funding question if you’re interested in learning more about grants for your export activities.

Is exporting to international markets part of your company’s growth strategy? Will you be applying for one of the grants mentioned in this article?

The post How Canadian and Ontario SMEs can get the help they need to grow internationally appeared first on Trade Ready.

Despite this renewed optimism, Canadian business owners and leaders remain cautious, and compared with other OECD countries have been slow to make investments required to take advantage of the improving global economy.

Fortunately, federal and provincial governments have stepped up to offer funding programs that help Ontario businesses that manufacture goods in Canada and are currently engaged in or planning to export in 2014.

Here are three of the top Ontario government grants to support growth of Canadian exporters 2014:

Ontario Exporters Fund Support the Hiring of an Experienced Export Manager

The Ontario Exporters Fund (OEF) is a program established by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) to help encourage international export activities. The program funds up to $40,000 per year (for 2 years) in salary costs to hire an experienced export manager.

OEF Ontario Business Grants –Details:

• Amount: $40k (50%)/ year grant for 2 years ($80k max.).
• Timeline: Open and accepting applications. Must apply 3-4 months in advance of your hire; incentive lasts for the first 2 years of the position.
• Eligibility: 10-50% of total sales in exports, $1M-20M in annual revenue, $2M+ in liability insurance, company’s goods/services must be produced in Ontario and they must fall inline with one of the following focus industries: advanced manufacturing, aerospace, building products and construction, cleantech, exportable professional services, ICT, or life sciences.

CME SMART Prosperity Now Canadian Grants for Capital Expenditures

The CME SMART Prosperity Now program is funded by FedDev Ontario and distributed by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME). This grant program offers up to 33% or $75,000 to fund projects aimed at improving operational efficiency and/or waste reduction, and focuses on supporting businesses that are engaged in global expansion efforts.

• Amount: Projects selected for funding will receive 33.3% of eligible project costs, up to a maximum of $75k.
• Timeline: Funding expected to launch in April 2014. Projects must be carried out over less than 1 year.
• Eligibility Factors: Incorporated for 2 years, actively exporting or with an intention to as a result of the project, 15-1000 payroll employees, and with a manufacturing operation in Southern Ontario.

Export Market Access: Ontario Small Business Grants to Support Accessing New Global Markets

Through the Export Market Access program (EMA) SMEs are able to improve their position in accessing global markets such as China, Hong Kong, India and the U.S. EMA enables companies to access existing export markets with new products or new export markets with existing/new products.

Activities covered by this program include international trade shows, fairs and exhibits, and marketing tools for foreign audiences to sell products.

• Amount: Max of $30k non-repayable or 50% of project. Can be applied for twice in 12 month period.
• Timeline: Only one project open at any one time. Must allow 30 business days for approval prior to first payment of booth rental or airfare expenses.
• Eligibility: Between 5-500 people on payroll, >$500k in revenues and 2 years incorporated, business must be located in and products/services produced in Ontario.

Take Advantage of Government Money Set Aside to Help Grow Businesses like Yours

These three programs represent only a few of the hundreds of funding programs established to help Canadian SMEs.  The competitiveness of each application process varies, but for each program it is important to be proactive in your strategic business planning.

Over all, the process is not easy but can be simplified by linking strategic goals to funding programs and being ready to complete and submit the applications when funding is released.  In the end, you can be like many Canadian businesses that receive tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding annually by essentially replicating the same or similar applications every year.

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