With the relative weakness of the Canadian dollar against the U.S. dollar, many Canadian small businesses have ramped up exporting activities south of the border. The lower costs of buying from a Canadian company has made it very attractive for American businesses to purchase from Canadians. This trend is even impacting consumer markets with many…
Ontario small and mid-sized technology companies often face technical challenges when developing innovative products and services. In order to develop innovative technologies, businesses must have access to high performance computing equipment and other resources that enable creativity, productivity, and collaboration. To harness the power of small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), post-secondary research institutions, and high…
You may have heard that it costs 6 months of an employee’s salary every time you have to replace them. While this financial metric is sure to make financial executives sweat, it’s important to consider the impact of employee turnover on all facets of the business. For example, the average recruitment period is 68 days….
Project Management Professionals (PMPs) were once commonly sought out for niche fields such as ICT and construction, but many businesses are beginning to utilize project management and product management standards to help run their business more efficiently. The benefits of utilizing standardized and centralized processes for managing projects goes beyond efficiency gains. Some small businesses,…
Accessing and capitalizing on export expansion opportunities will be a critical strategy for businesses this year. A weakened Canadian dollar has increased the number of trade and export opportunities available for Canadian entities, and Canadian businesses must be willing to pursue these new markets to capitalize. Many small and mid-sized Canadian businesses that are new…
Last week, British Columbia’s Premier Christy Clark announced that the province’s public schools will begin to teach computer coding classes to students in kindergarten to Grade 12. Starting in September 2016, they’ll join New Brunswick and Nova Scotia as the first provinces in Canada to embrace technical education for young students. The goal of this…
Following a profitable year in 2015, can Canada’s manufacturing industry continue to exceed expectations and repair economic damage caused by diminishing oil values? 2016 is shaping up to be a cautiously optimistic year for Canadian manufacturing. Led by a surging automotive industry, Canada has reasons for being hopeful that the manufacturing sector will help our…
Small businesses in Canada’s evolving food and beverage manufacturing industry have new opportunities to grow their business in export markets. Increasing worldwide demand for high-quality Canadian products, in addition to a weakened Canadian dollar, has created additional opportunities for manufacturers to develop international relationships. A popular export expansion strategy is to participate in trade shows…
Attracting and retaining skilled labour is an increasingly difficult challenge that many Canadian businesses must overcome. In 2014 nearly 60% of businesses responding to a Management Issues Survey by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) indicated it was one of their primary concerns. To eliminate this challenge, the Canadian government is now offering increased assistance through…
According to several Canadian business publications, staffing and human resources challenges remain a primary barrier to growth. These challenges include finding skilled workers, improving productivity, and planning for impending retirements. Attracting and retaining quality employees should be an ongoing process that, over time, mitigates these challenges and builds a highly efficient company. Canadian small businesses…