Inverness County Resources

Summary

Community Business Resource Network

To serve you better, the Canada/Nova Scotia Business Service Centre has entered into partnerships to create ten Community Business Resource Sites throughout Nova Scotia. The resources, available at each site, include free Internet access for business research and a selection of frequently used reference publications.

For a list of all sites see the document  Community Business Resource Network.

The Inverness County site is located at: 
Career Development Association of Inverness Richmond
Canada Business Resource Network
609 Church Street, Suite 101
Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia  B9A 2X4
Telephone: (902) 625-5656
Fax: (902) 625-4179

Partners located at the site include:

·  Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC)
·  Nova Scotia Business Inc.
·  Nova Scotia Economic Development
·  Strait-Highlands Regional Development Agency (RDA )
·  Rural Cape Breton District Planning Commission

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation

A federal crown corporation dedicated to providing direct financial assistance or leadership for specific ventures including: Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry, Fisheries and Small Business.

Port Hawkesbury:
Phone: (902) 625-3111
Fax: (902) 625-3266
E-mail:  annette.moar@ecbc.ca
Web site:  http://www.ecbc.ca/e/default/asp 

Nova Scotia Business Inc.

Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI) is a private-sector led organization whose goal is to expand business activity in Nova Scotia .  NSBI is primarily focused upon activities that result in sustainable, value-added growth to the economy in order to increase employment and provincial revenues.  

Phone: (902) 625-4205
Fax: (902) 625-7918
Web site:  http://www.novascotiabusiness.com/services/advisory/index.html

Nova Scotia Economic Development - Rural Development

The Rural Development branch helps communities and business organizations capitalize on strengths and opportunities to grow the rural economy.  Staff can provide information on how to access provincial economic development programs and services.

Phone: (902) 625-3200
Fax: (902) 625-3069
Web site:  http://www.gov.ns.ca/econ/cedif

Strait-Highlands Regional Development Agency (RDA)

Coordinates and integrates the work of other local agencies and service providers in order to achieve specific tasks at the community level.

Phone: (902) 625-3929
Toll Free: 1-800-546-3390
Fax: (902) 625-1559
E-mail:  info@strait-highlands.ns.ca
Web site: http://www.strait-highlands.ns.ca/

Rural Cape Breton District Planning Commission

Provides the planning, sub-division, development control, civic addressing and building inspection services for the counties of Inverness , Richmond , and Victoria and the Town of Port Hawkesbury .

Phone (Main ): (902) 625-5361
Director:  (902) 625-5364
Planning: (902) 625-5363
Subdivision:  (902) 625-5365

Building Inspection:
Arichat: (902) 226-2900
Baddeck:   (902) 295-2900
Port Hood:   (902)787-2900

Civic Addressing:  (902) 625-5366
Fax: (902) 625-1559
E-mail:  jbain@rcbplan.ns.ca
Web site:   http://www.rcbplan.ns.ca/

Access Nova Scotia

Access Nova Scotia is a provincial government initiative through Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations designed to improve your access to government information, programs and services.  Access Centres provide information on provincial permits, approvals and licenses for business and limited services of the Registry of Joint Stock Companies.  Many Access Centres have free computer access and a wide-range of business-related materials in a variety of formats - print, video, CD-ROM and computer disk. Using ANS Centres you can link directly to the Nova Scotia Public Tenders Noticeboard.

The Access Centre closest to Inverness County is in Sydney , Cape Breton County .

Toll-free: 1-800-225-8227
Web site:   http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr
E-mail:  anssyd@gov.ns.ca
Address: 380 King’s Road
Sydney , NS B1S 1A8

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)

ACOA provides financial assistance to business in the following sectors/areas:

·  manufacturing & processing (involves value-added activity)
·  tourism
·  aquaculture
·  innovation (new or improved product, service, or process)
·  information and technology based industries
·  non commercial services to business which are not personal in nature

ACOA does not provide financial assistance to the following sectors/areas:

·  real estate development
·  government services
·  services of a personal nature
·  retail or wholesale
·  purchase of an existing business
·  debt consolidation or restructuring
·  business in a fully competitive local market

For more information, contact the Canada/Nova Scotia Business Service Centre at 426-8604 or 1-800-668-1010 or visit ACOA's Web site at: http://www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca/e/index.shtml

ACOA programs and services for Cape Breton County are administered by the Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation.

For further information, please contact:
Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation
Phone: (902) 564-3600
Toll Free: 1-800-705-3926
Web Site: http://www.ecbc.ca/e/default.asp

Black Business Initiative (BBI)

The BBI is a province-wide business development initiative designed to support the development of business and job opportunities among African-Canadian Nova Scotians.

Phone: (902) 426-2224
Toll Free: 1-800-668-1010 (Press 1, 3)
Fax: (902) 426-6530
E-Mail:  bbi@bbi.ns.ca
Web site:  http://www.bbi.ns.ca
Address: 1575 Brunswick Street
Halifax, NS B3J 2G1

Canadian Federation of Independent Business

A national organization representing 100,000 small and medium-sized business owners with a voice over laws that govern business in Canada .

For further information, please contact:
Contact: Leanne Hachey
Phone: (902) 420-1997
Fax:  (902) 422-8270
Web site:  http://www.cfib.ca
Address: 1888 Brunswick Street, Suite 819
Halifax, NS   B3J 3G8

Cape Breton Growth Fund Corporation

The objective of the Cape Breton Growth Fund Corporation is to promote sustainable long term economic development for Cape Breton Island .

Phone: (902) 564-7330
Fax: (902) 564-7339
Web site:   http://www.cbgf.ca/e/Home/default.asp
Address: 15 Dorchester Street
Sydney NS,  B1P 6J9

Le Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse

A non-profit organization which promotes economic development and the creation of sustainable jobs for Acadians and francophones in Nova Scotia .

Contact: Julie Oliver, Executive Director
Phone: (902) 424-7230
Fax: (902) 424-6002
Email: joliver@cdene.ns.ca
Web site:  http://www.cdene.ns.ca (not available in English)
Address: Cogswell Tower
2000 Barrington Street  Suite 603
Halifax, NS   B3J 3K1

Community Access Program (CAP)

Provides public computer access to the Internet at the local community level.  The overall objective is to provide all Canadians with affordable, convenient access to the global knowledge-based economy and the opportunity to use its technologies.

For further information, please contact:
Phone:  1-800-268-6608, or 1-800-575-9200
Web site:   http://cap.ic.gc.ca

Community Profiles

The following web sites provide a variety of information (labour market/statistical) about selected communities in Nova Scotia :

Human Resources and Social Development:  
http://www.hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca/en/gateways/topics/ns0-ala.shtml
Statistics Canada :  
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/Profil01/PlaceSearchForm1.cfm

Industrial Parks

There are over 60 business/industrial parks in Nova Scotia with serviced and non-serviced lots of all sizes with incubator malls at specific locations.  Many have existing buildings for sale or lease and provide build-to-order services.  These sites are placed for cost-efficient transport to market, include all the usual services and amenities, and are attractively priced.

The following industrial parks are located in Inverness County :

Cheticamp Marine Industrial Park
Inverness Industrial Centre
Port Hawkesbury/Richmond County Joint Industrial Park

For Additional Information, Contact:
Strait-Highlands Regional Development Agency
Toll-Free: 1-800-546-3390   
Phone: (902) 625-3929  
Fax: (902) 625-1559
Email: info@strait-highlands.ns.ca
Web Site:   http://www.strait-highlands.ns.ca/

InRich Business Development Centre Limited

Flexible term loan programs for small and medium-sized businesses.  Up to $150,000 in financing for business start-ups, expansions and other business purposes, including fixed asset acquisitions, working capital and change of ownership.

Port Hawkesbury:
Phone: (902) 625-3029
Toll Free: 1-888-303-2232
Fax: (902) 625-3266

Inverness County :
Phone: (902) 258-3698
Toll Free: 1-888-303-2232
Fax: (902) 258-3689
E-mail:  perry.chandler@cbdc.ca
Web site:   http://www.cbdc.ca
Address:  PO Box 600
15991 Central Ave.
Inverness , NS   B0E 1N0

Municipal Contacts

To locate municipal contact information for your region, town municipality, rural municipality, or village visit the following Web site:  http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/muns/contact

For further information contact:
Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations
Phone:  (902) 424-5200
Toll-free:  1-800-670-4357
Fax: (902) 424-0720
Web site:  http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr
Address: West End Mall
6960 Mumford Road   
Halifax, NS B3L 4P1

Special Programs/Services

There are special programs/services for entrepreneurs in the following categories: Aboriginal, Black, Disabled, Employment Insurance (EI) Recipient, Immigrant, and Young Entrepreneur (16-34).  If you would like further information on any of these programs, contact the Canada/Nova Scotia Business Service Centre.

For networking opportunities, check the telephone book for a Board of Trade or Chamber of Commerce in your area, or contact the Metropolitan Halifax Chamber of Commerce at (902) 468-7111 or visit their Web site at http://www.halifaxchamber.com

This information is updated on a regular basis, but organizations change unpredictably – therefore, not all the information as presented may be timely or accurate.