Discover global opportunities

At all levels—from provincial and territorial to federal—government plays a crucial role helping the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). A wide variety of programs and services can help grow Canada’s economy and create jobs, but only if entrepreneurs can find them. Now there is a place to do just that. Last year, the Government of Canada launched the digital platform innovation.canada.ca, which makes it easy to find government programs and services to help your business grow. With over 1,000 resources from federal, provincial and territorial governments, the platform can help you find funding, tax credits, advice and more – all in one place.

For those ready to go global, the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) can help them access new markets. Its free services and advice help Canadian companies to navigate the complexities of international markets and help them diversify abroad. Canada’s more than 1,000 trade commissioners located on the ground in over 160 cities worldwide can provide entrepreneurs with key business insights and access to an unbeatable network of international contacts.

Being small does not limit a company’s global sales potential. Over 33,000 Canadian enterprises export less than $1 million in annual sales, and 98% of these exporters have less than 500 employees. Size is less important than a company’s willingness to commit time and resources to its export initiatives.

SMEs can think beyond Canada by connecting with the TCS. Its trade professionals prepare companies by assessing their market potential, finding qualified contacts (including potential buyers and distributors through trade shows and missions), and providing support to resolve business problems. With its assistance, SMEs can develop market-entry strategies, and pursue and close more export deals—all while avoiding delays and costly mistakes.

One of the greatest challenges that firms face when considering or attempting to export is covering associated costs such as shipping expenses, lack of internal resources or capacity, and access to financing. The TCS offers a variety of programs and initiatives to help Canadian companies expand their international footprint and capitalize on new business ventures. CanExport, for example, offers financial support for a wide range of export marketing activities.

“We developed a market for our customized solutions in information and communication technology in Finland,” said Charles Gervais, President of Missing Link Technologies. “The simple and quick CanExport process is allowing us to grow as an organization through the export of our products and services internationally.”

Fuel your global expansion and find even more government programs and services that can help your business at innovation.canada.ca.