News Release

For release
October 14, 2003

Nova Scotia Community College Campuses Establish Business Centres With Government of Canada Support


Port Hawkesbury/Sydney, N.S. - The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC) and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), today announced Government of Canada funding for the establishment of Business Centres on each of the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) campuses on Cape Breton Island.

The Strait Campus in Port Hawkesbury and the Marconi Campus in Sydney will each establish a Business Centre as a strategic resource for existing and potential entrepreneurs in support of business endeavours. The Centres will provide support for community economic development activity by offering key business skills, information and a network of support. The Business Centres will also provide an environment where entrepreneurial-minded organizations and individuals can turn their ideas into successful, competitive businesses. They will learn the ‘how-to’ and required steps to start, improve or expand a business.

“The Business Centres are designed to work closely with the business communities to increase awareness about starting your own business and the support resources available,” said Rodger Cuzner, MP for Bras d’Or-Cape Breton, on behalf of Minister Byrne. “The Centres promote and foster economic self-sufficiency, community capacity and economic growth.”

“Small business is the principal source of job creation, especially here in Atlantic Canada,” said Mark Eyking, MP for Sydney-Victoria, also speaking on behalf of Minister Byrne. “Research indicates that one of the main things required to enable more young people to successfully pursue entrepreneurship is access to the training necessary to conceive and operate a venture. By partnering with NSCC, the Centres are reaching their target audience.”

“The idea of the Centres is to offer skill development, create networks with community champions and to jump-start ideas,” said Bert Lewis, Principal of the Strait Campus. Dave MacLean, Principal of Sydney’s Marconi Campus added, “This initiative with the NSCC campuses is an opportunity to build confidence in our young entrepreneurs and hopefully provide a way for them to stay in their respective communities.”

The Nova Scotia Community College is a province-wide system of training and education established in 1988. The Strait Area Campus offers courses in applied arts and technologies, business, tourism and hospitality, adult learning, health and human services, forestry, trades and marine programs. The Marconi Campus offers academic, applied arts and communication, business, construction and related, drafting and design, food sciences, health and human services, industrial trades and technologies and metals as well as short-term training courses (customized).

The total cost of the project at Marconi Campus is $422,368. ACOA, through its Business Development Program, will provide a non-repayable contribution of $249,936 and an additional $49,987 non-repayable contribution will be provided through ECBC. The total cost of the project at the Strait Campus is
$262,309. ACOA, through its Business Development Program, will provide a
non-repayable contribution of $129,232 and an additional
$25,846 non-repayable contribution will be provided through ECBC.

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation offers programs in support of economic development initiatives and is responsible for delivering ACOA’s programs on Cape Breton Island and in the Mulgrave area.


FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ralph Meechan
Office of the Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of State
Tel: (613) 941-7241

Office of Rodger Cuzner, MP
Bras d’Or –Cape Breton
Tel: (902) 842-9763

John Coady
Office of Mark Eyking, MP
Tel: (902) 567-6275

D.A. Landry
ECBC Communications
Tel: (902) 564-3617

Bert Lewis
Principal, NSCC-Strait Campus
Tel: (902) 625-4362

Dave MacLean
Principal, Marconi Campus
(902) 563-2344