JEDI is Here to Help
JEDI is committed to supporting our regional businesses and salutes the businesses that have endured many challenges over the past few years. We commend you for your resilience and contributions to your communities and the JEDI Region.
We endeavor to communicate and engage on an ongoing basis with businesses to help them navigate the rapidly changing economic environment as well as provide information on grant funding and other business resources.
Below are various lists of business support programs and resources. However, please note that these lists were compiled based on the information available at the time. While we do our best to continue to update this page as new resources or changes to the existing resources are announced, you should always follow the link to the corresponding site to ensure that you have the most up to date information available.
Connect with Economic Development
Please reach out to us via e-mail or phone if there is any way we can be of service to support your business.
BUSINESS RESOURCES AVAILABLE
Government of Canada Resources
| Resource or Program | Summary | Business Development/Training Opportunity | Funding/Grant Opportunity | Other | Date Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Benefits Finder | This tool on the Government of Canada's website helps connect businesses with programs and services. The interactive form allows you to filter results based on specific criteria. | x | x | 2023/03/28 | |
| Work-Sharing Program | The Work-Sharing Program helps employers and employees avoid layoffs when: -there is a temporary decrease in the normal level of business activity, and -the decrease is beyond the control of the employer The agreement provides income support to employees eligible for Employment Insurance benefits who work a temporarily reduced work week while their employer recovers. All employees participating in the agreement must experience a minimum 10% reduction to their normal weekly earnings. | x | 2022/11/28 | ||
| Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) | Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) is the department that diversifies the economy across the Canadian Prairies. PrairiesCan leads in building a strong, competitive Canadian economy by supporting business, innovation and community economic development unique to Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. PrairiesCan is taking action to support tourism and other businesses and workers. Find out how here. | x | x | 2022/05/24 | |
| Futurpreneur Canada | Futurpreneur has been fueling the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for two decades. They are the only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39. Their internationally recognized mentoring program hand matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,400 volunteer mentors. | x | x | 2022/05/24 | |
| Calling all Suppliers- Help Canada Combat Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) | In support of the Government of Canada’s whole-of-government response to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Government of Canada is asking suppliers about their ability to provide products and services. | COVID-19 | 2022/05/24 | ||
| Jobs and Growth Fund (JGF) in the Prairie Provinces | The Jobs and Growth Fund provides funding to businesses and organizations to help create jobs and position local economies for long-term growth. The Fund, delivered by Canada’s regional development agencies (RDAs), provides $700 million nationally over 3 years, which includes up to $70 million dedicated to businesses created after January 2020 that meet eligibility criteria. In the West, Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) is investing $217 million to help job creators and the organizations that support them to future-proof their businesses, build resiliency and prepare for growth by transitioning to a green economy, fostering an inclusive recovery, enhancing competitiveness and creating jobs in every corner of the country. Eligible applicants include: - businesses, including co-operatives - not-for-profit organizations and community economic development partners Indigenous applicants - Indigenous-led organizations and/or businesses are strongly encouraged to apply. Under the initiative, RDAs may contribute up to 100% of eligible project costs for projects with Indigenous clients. | x | 2022/05/24 | ||
| AgriDiversity Program | The AgriDiversity Program aims to help under-represented groups in Canadian agriculture, including youth, women, Indigenous Peoples, and persons with disabilities, to fully participate in the sector by helping these groups address the key issues and barriers they often face for sector participation. Applications will be accepted from March 6, 2023 until September 30, 2027; however, the application period may close sooner if funding has been fully committed or otherwise announced here. The program ends March 31, 2028 | x | 2023/09/07 | ||
| Venture for Canada | As a national charity, Venture Canada is on a mission to foster the entrepreneurial skills and mindsets of young Canadians. Their vision is a Canada where young people can equitably realize their entrepreneurial potential to build the most prosperous place in the world. | x | x | x | 2022/06/21 |
| Energy Innovation Program | Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) provides an important pathway to emissions reductions for energy and industrial activities under conditions where neither electrification nor low carbon fuels are able to provide technically or economically feasible low-carbon solutions. As part of Budget 2021, the government is investing $319 million over seven years into research, development, and demonstrations to advance the commercial viability of CCUS technologies. These funds will support businesses, academia, non-profits, government, and federal laboratories on the path to net-zero emissions by 2050. | x | 2022/07/25 | ||
| CanExport - SMEs | Small and medium sized companies may access up to $50,000 in funding to assist with international market development activities. CanExport covers up to 50% of costs for export marketing of your products and services in international markets where you have little or no sales. Now accepting applications for fiscal year 2023-24 for projects starting April 1, 2023. | x | 2023/03/20 | ||
| Creative Export Strategy | The Creative Export Strategy helps Canadian creative industries maximize their export potential and stand out in the global market. | x | 2023/03/20 | ||
| Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) | The federal programs, which include AgriAssurance, AgriCompetitiveness, AgriDiversity, AgriInnovate, AgriMarketing and AgriScience, are currently delivered through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership and are being renewed for 5 years. | x | 2023/03/20 | ||
| Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax incentives | Learn about the SR&ED tax incentives and how they can benefit your business. | x | 2023/05/31 | ||
| NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program | The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) is Canada's leading innovation assistance program for small and medium-sized businesses. If you operate an innovative small or medium-sized business in Canada, they can help you build your innovation capacity and take your ideas to market. They do this through financial assistance, advisory services and connections to the best business and R&D expertise in Canada. | x | 2023/05/31 | ||
| Innovative Solutions Canada | Are you an innovator? Through the Innovative Solutions Canada program, the government is partnering with eligible Canadian small businesses and facilitating the early development, testing and validation of prototypes. | x | x | x | 2023/05/31 |
Province of Alberta Resources
| Resource or Program | Summary | Business Development/Training Opportunity | Funding/Grant Opportunity | Other | Date Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Economy Program | The Digital Economy Program (DEP) is designed to help small businesses take their businesses online. This program, a partnership between Business Link and Digital Main Street, will help small businesses in Alberta undergo digital transformations and adopt eCommerce practices. DEP is open to home-based or commercial small businesses registered in Alberta with less than 50 employees. The program consists of 2 parts: Digital Service Squads guiding businesses through digital transformation and ShopHERE powered by Google guiding businesses through launching and managing their online stores. Small businesses can apply to participate in one or both programs, free of charge. | x | 2022/03/09 | ||
| Canada-Alberta Job Grant | The Canada-Alberta Job Grant helps to cover training expenses for existing employees and new hires. If you are hiring and training an unemployed Albertan, up to 100% of training costs could be covered, up to $15,000 per trainee. | x | x | 2022/04/06 | |
| Alberta Jobs Now Program | Due to strong demand, the third application intake period for the Alberta Jobs Now program closed on June 30, 2022. Check back for updates. The program provided up to $370 million to help private and non-profit businesses with job supports to get thousands of Albertans back to work. Employers could apply for funding to offset the cost of hiring and training unemployed or underemployed Albertans in new or vacant positions. This federal-provincial investment is the largest job training program in Alberta’s history. It will support our province’s recovery, help businesses re-open or grow their workforce, and give Albertans an opportunity to gain the skills they need in today’s job market. | x | 2022/06/30 | ||
| Driving Back To Work Grant Program | Unemployed Albertans have an opportunity to start careers as commercial truck drivers through the extension of the Driving Back to Work Grant Program (DBTW). Unemployed Albertans can access funding to take the Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) program to earn a Class 1 driver’s license. This grant will help to fill an expected shortage of commercial drivers, forecast to be more than 12% by 2023, putting the province’s supply chain at risk. This grant supports Alberta’s Recovery Plan. The objective of the program is to help more Albertans become Class 1 drivers. This will help support the economy by keeping the province’s supply chain open by ensuring an adequate number of Class 1 drivers are available. The DBTW is administered by third party contractors, driver training schools and is financially supported by the Canadian Government and Government of Alberta. | x | x | 2021/10/01 | |
| Alberta's Recovery Plan | Alberta's Recovery Plan is a plan to breathe new life into Alberta's economy and create new opportunities for every Albertan. It's a plan to build, to diversify, and to create jobs. | x | 2022/05/24 | ||
| Innovation Employment Grant | The Innovation Employment Grant encourages economic growth by supporting small and medium-sized businesses that invest in research and development (R&D) with a grant worth up to 20% of qualifying expenditures. The program promotes investment and diversification by rewarding all R&D spending in Alberta, regardless of the industry, and complementing the Job Creation Tax Cut by focusing on small and medium-sized firms in the earlier stages of operation, when they might not yet be profitable. Together, the Innovation Employment Grant and the Job Creation Tax Cut support companies of all sizes and at all stages of their business cycles. | x | 2021/01/01 | ||
| Alberta Bits & Pieces Program | If you, your company, or your organization has a product or service to offer you can visit the Alberta Bits and Pieces online portal as well as Alberta Purchasing Connection. | x | 2022/05/24 | ||
| Supports for Women Entrepreneurs | The Government of Alberta is investing $6 million in grant funding for business loans to help women entrepreneurs get easier access to capital. The loan program offers low interest business loans and business advisory supports like advising and mentorship. Alberta Women Entrepreneurs and Community Futures Network of Alberta will each receive $3 million in grant funding through the Women’s Economic Recovery – Capital Growth Investment and will be responsible for administering the loans. The grant funding will help support more women as they start or expand businesses, helping diversify Alberta’s economy and creating job opportunities throughout the province. | x | x | 2022/05/12 | |
| Alberta Biz Connect | Biz Connect provides supports to help Alberta entrepreneurs and small businesses start, grow and succeed. | x | x | 2022/05/24 | |
| Alberta Export Expansion Program | The Alberta Export Expansion Program provides funding support to Alberta small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), municipalities, industry associations, Indigenous communities and economic development organizations promoting Alberta exports. | x | x | 2022/07/25 | |
| Self-employment Program | Training, business plan development, and one-to-one guidance for eligible Albertans to develop and start a new business. | x | 2022/09/22 | ||
| Alberta is Calling Campaign | Alberta is the best place in Canada to live, work, and raise a family, and a new campaign to attract talented professionals will tell that story. | x | 2022/09/22 | ||
| Work-integrated learning pilot program | The Work-integrated Learning Industry Voucher pilot program is a new initiative that provides paid work placement for hundreds of students in their field of study, ensuring they get meaningful, hands-on experience from industry experts and launch successful careers after graduation. | x | x | 2022/10/17 | |
| Alberta Economic Dashboard | The dashboard compiles the Alberta economy's most important indicators for businesses in one place. Get a quick snapshot of Alberta's current economic state or explore each indicator in more detail. | x | 2023/01/17 | ||
| Film and Television Tax Credit | The Film and Television Tax Credit (FTTC) offers a refundable Alberta tax credit certificate on eligible Alberta production and labour costs to corporations that produce films, television series and other eligible screen-based productions in the province. Applicants may apply for either a 22% or 30% tax credit rate. | x | 2023/02/07 | ||
| Regional economic development resources | Resources available to help community leaders, industry and business diversify and grow their regional economies. | 2023/02/07 | |||
| Tourism Investment Program | Travel Alberta's resources and funding opportunities to grow your tourism business. | x | 2023/09/07 | ||
| Alberta Agri-processing Investment Tax Credit | The Agri-processing Investment Tax Credit provides a 12 per cent non-refundable tax credit against eligible capital expenditures for corporations investing $10 million or more to build or expand agri-processing facilities in Alberta. This program builds on Alberta’s other competitive advantages to make the province the preferred destination for large-scale agri-processing investments. | x | 2023/02/08 | ||
| Workforce Partnership Grants | Workforce Partnership grants provide funding to organizations such as employers, industry and sector associations, regional organizations and Indigenous organizations to support labour market adjustment strategies and workforce development, including initiatives to attract and retain workers through partnerships. | x | 2023/02/22 | ||
| Alberta Petrochemicals Incentive Program | The Alberta Petrochemicals Incentive Program (APIP) is a key part of Alberta’s Recovery Plan and the Natural Gas Vision and Strategy to turn the province into a top global producer of petrochemicals. It provides grants to companies to attract investment in new or expanded market-driven petrochemical facilities. | x | 2023/03/20 | ||
| Made in Alberta Labeling Program | The unique Made in Alberta label clearly identifies local food and beverages that are made right here in Alberta. | x | 2023/04/20 |
County of Wetaskiwin Resources
| Resource or Program | Summary | Business Development/Training Opportunity | Funding/Grant Opportunity | Other | Date Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StartUp Leduc Wetaskiwin Regions | JEDI is a proud partner in Start Up Leduc Wetaskiwin Regions, a business incubator initiative for prospective and new businesses. Their mission is to fill the need for a local business incubator that provides programing, mentorship, and a business resource centre hub. | x | x | 2023/01/04 | |
| Rural Entrepreneur Stream – Participating Community | The County of Wetaskiwin (JEDI) is a participating community in the Rural Entrepreneur Stream. It is an economic immigration program & immigrant entrepreneurs who want to start a business or buy an existing business in a rural Alberta community can submit an Expression of Interest to participating communities. Contact JEDI for more information. | x | 2023/02/22 | ||
| 2023 County of Wetaskiwin Regional Profile | The County of Wetaskiwin Regional Profile is a robust and comprehensive document that provides information on labour force, demographics, quality of life, and more! | x | 2023/05/31 |
Business & Banking Resources From Other Sources
| Resource or Program | Summary | Business Development/Training Opportunity | Funding/Grant Opportunity | Other | Date Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Chamber Leduc, Nisku, Wetaskiwin Regions | The Chamber helps you run your business more effectively, strengthens the economic climate of the region, and gives you unparalleled networking and promotion opportunities. | x | 2020/12/01 | ||
| Pigeon Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce | The Pigeon Lake Regional Chamber promotes the Commercial, Industrial, Social and Civic interests of our community. Whether you are starting a business in the Pigeon Lake region or you are looking to grow your established business, the Chamber can help you! | x | 2022/07/07 | ||
| Central Alberta Access Prosperity | Central Alberta: Access Prosperity is a not-for-profit economic development organization focused on promoting economic growth in the Central Alberta region. Access Prosperity is spearheading a new initiative, the Manufacturing & Export Enhancement (MEE) Cluster. | x | 2022/07/07 | ||
| Central Alberta Regional Innovation Network (CARIN) | CARIN is a regional collaboration that can help with Business Advice, Advocacy, Access to Foreign Markets, Financing, Grants, Technological Expertise, Innovation, Idea Testing | x | 2022/05/24 | ||
| Community Futures Central Alberta | Funded in Western Canada by Western Economic Diversification Canada, Community Futures has been supporting small business and rural economic diversification since 1986. There are 27 Community Futures offices in rural communities throughout Alberta, and a total of 269 across the country. | x | x | 2022/05/24 | |
| Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) | The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is the country’s champion of small business. With over 95,000 members, we’re Canada’s largest non-profit organization devoted to creating and supporting an environment where your business can succeed. | x | x | 2022/05/24 | |
| Business Link | Business Link is a one-stop shop to help small businesses thrive, including free advice and coaching | x | 2022/05/24 | ||
| Business Development Canada (BDC) | BDC supports small and medium-sized businesses in all industries and at every stage of growth with money and advice. | x | x | 2022/05/24 | |
| Business Works Central Alberta | Business Works Central Alberta is funded by the Alberta Government and free to any Albertan who meets the eligibility requirements. They offer one-on-one coaching and real business training. | x | 2020/10/04 | ||
| Canada’s Student Work Placement Program | Businesses of all sizes can access wage subsidies of up to 70% through TECHNATION’s Career Ready Program when they hire students in tech-immersive roles. | x | x | 2022/04/06 | |
| Grow Your Business Online Grant | As part of the Canada Digital Adoption Program, the Government of Canada has partnered with Business Link and Digital Main Street to deliver the Grow Your Business Online grant to small businesses across the country. Eligible businesses will receive a micro-grant of up to $2,400 to help with the costs related to adopting e-commerce and supported by a network of e-commerce advisors. Applications for the Grow Your Business Online grant opened on June 27, 2022 for Alberta-based businesses. | x | 2022/07/07 | ||
| Business Link Business Guides | Business Link's start-up, marketing, and financials guides to help simplify and break down the steps you need to grow your business. | x | 2022/06/13 | ||
| On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) | The On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) is a cost-share funding program that supports farmers in adopting best management practices (BMPs) that reduce greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions and store carbon, specifically for in-field nitrogen management, expanding cover cropping, and implementing rotational grazing practices. | x | 2022/08/04 | ||
| Match Factor | Match Factor is a pilot project lead by Economic Developers Alberta (EDA) and Succession Matching to match Alberta businesses ready to sell with investor partners and newcomers to Canada. Its goals are to: Help find buyers for business owners wanting to sell their enterprises -Attract investment to rural and urban communities -Keep medium- to large-sized employers in the community -Provide valuable employment for displaced persons from the Ukraine Businesses interested in participating in this Match Factor, can apply by clicking the link in the column to the left. | x | 2023/02/08 | ||
| UCeed Energy Fund | Provides funding to startups and any organized divisions/teams and research groups affiliated or collaborating with a post secondary institution or Canadian university. The UCeed Energy Fund is focused on advancing energy innovation across a wide spectrum of fields, including areas like energy efficiency solutions, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and renewables. | x | 2023/02/08 | ||
| Technology Alberta FIRST Jobs Pilot Program | The FIRST (First Industry Research Science Technology) Jobs program offers a work placement and meaningful work experience for a current student or recent graduate of an Alberta post-secondary institution while supporting the growth of Alberta’s SME Tech Sector. The student placement is to be a remote integrated learning and work experience. Relevant professional topics are situated in the context of the workplace and are offered as a vehicle to enhance workplace performance – both for the young professionals and for the companies themselves. | x | 2023/02/22 | ||
| StartUp Global 2023 | StartUp Global gets your business export ready by connecting you with tools, advisory support, and the potential for funding. Throughout the year, they support you every step of the way on your export journey! Applications open for the StartUp pitch competition in Spring of 2023! You can win $ to help grow your business. For 2023, pitch competition applications will be open only to startups (businesses with less than $1,000,000 in revenue or have no current sales as of February 1) and that have business/operations in Canada. | x | 2023/03/20 | ||
| FCC Young Entrepreneur Loan | If you are under the age of 40 & have a good business plan, you can start or expand your business with the Young Entrepreneur Loan. Purchase shares in, buy, or improve an agricultural or food-related business, and take your dream business to the next level. | x | 2023/03/20 | ||
| Plug and Play Alberta | Plug and Play is building a unique ecosystem that connects change-makers and leading organizations. Their network consists of 50,000 startups, 500+ world-leading corporations, and hundreds of venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies across multiple industries. Together with their partners, they are creating a unique ecosystem designed to develop and implement the technologies of tomorrow. | x | x | 2023/03/20 | |
| Business Works Central Alberta (BWCA) | The Self-Employment program delivered by Business Works Central Alberta (BWCA) is a 26-week program that addresses all aspects of business operation. | x | 2023/06/15 |