Productivity and Business Skills

The immediate objective of the Productivity and Business Skills program is to encourage small and medium enterprises to improve their competitiveness through:

• the provision of training to existing personnel;
• the acquisition of skills by hiring new employees;
• the development and implementation of plans for improved production efficiency, product quality, or environmental management effectiveness. 

Eligibility Criteria

The clientele targeted for this element is small and medium enterprises that demonstrate potential for growth, are exporters or apt to become exporters of their product(s) and/or service. Normally, they would be beyond the start-up stage.

The wholesale and retail trade and real estate are considered ineligible under this program. Support to certain other industries, although not specifically excluded, may not be warranted because of sector capacity, limited economic benefits, or other considerations.
 
Eligible sectors include, but are not limited to, manufacturing and processing, information technology, business services, aquaculture, and tourism.
 
Non-profit organizations are not eligible under this program.

Eligible Activities

• The provision of training to existing personnel, enabling the employee(s) to acquire new skills that will be beneficial to the company. This training must be part of a human resources development plan or individual training plan(s). The cost incurred to develop such plans may be eligible for funding under this element.
• The hiring of new qualified personnel, including new graduates, that brings skills that are required for the continued viability or development of existing companies. This new personnel may be required in a technical (e.g. R&D, production, quality assurance), commercialization oriented to export markets (e.g. trade, marketing, distribution) or management (e.g. project, environmental, HR, finance) capacity. The qualified person(s) must have a suitable combination of education and experience and normally be at arms length. 
• The cost of finding, recruiting and relocating new employees, to Atlantic Canada from within or outside Canada, that would be bringing new skills not currently present within the company. 
• The development and implementation of a Productivity Improvement program, Quality Assurance program or ISO Certification that will contribute to improved efficiency and/or competitiveness. The cost incurred to develop such plans, including a technology transfer search, may be eligible for funding under this element.
• The development and implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) of a type which would be suitable for certification under ISO 14001, or another well-recognized certification. The investigation of eco-efficiency methods and sustainable development opportunities would also be eligible projects.

Activities and costs must be incremental to the Applicant's normal or existing activities. 

Summary

The ultimate objective is to make Atlantic Canada businesses more successful and more competitive so that they may expand and create additional social and economic benefits for the region by the provision of a contribution to:

• a human resources development project or a skills improvement project;
• a productivity improvement project or a quality assurance project;
• an environmental management project (commercial operations only).

New Brunswick Contact(s):
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
570 Queen Street
P.O. Box 578
Fredericton, New Brunswick  E3B 5A6
Telephone: 506-452-3184
Fax: 506-452-3285
Toll-free (information): 1-800-561-4030
Web site: http://www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca/e/

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National Contact(s):
Pauline Pitre-Savoie
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
3rd Floor
Blue Cross Centre
644 Main Street
P.O. Box 6051
Moncton, New Brunswick  E1C 9J8
Telephone: (506) 851-2267
Fax: 506-851-7403
Toll-free (information): 1-800-561-7862