Starting your Business
IMPORTANT
Before creating your business, it is important to get to know your new home well, including local customs, needs, and rules.
Even if your arrival fills you with enthusiasm for a new start, don’t forget that the success of a business lies in its ability to build up a customer base, and to do this you need to get to know the local population and enlist their help.
TIP: Even if you have arrived in a French-speaking region, Nova Scotia is an English-speaking province. As a newcomer, you can take advantage of English classes.
Seize this opportunity! This is essential for becoming an entrepreneur in Nova Scotia.
This will enable you to file your taxes with peace of mind, access training, network, learn about your rights and responsibilities, and find clients.
If you are considering starting your own business, the ISANS Immigrant Business Development Services team (IBDS) is ready to assist you.
The IBDS offers a range of services and support covering every stage of your business launch and development.
To access this program, you must:
- Be an immigrant aged nineteen or older (including international students, closed and open work permit holders, permanent residents, and citizens)
- Reside in Nova Scotia
- Have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of five or higher.
This program will provide access to:
- 12 hours of targeted training to help you reach your objectives
- Mentoring from an industry expert or business owner who has bought or sold a business
- Individual business advice from ISANS business advisors
- Lists of businesses for sale.
To find out more, contact
Georgette Théodore
Telephone: 902-406-4177
Email: [email protected]
You can also contact immigrant entrepreneur services at the Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse (CDÉNÉ)
You can benefit from the following services:
- Individual business consulting sessions
- Business plan preparation
- Marketing plan preparation
- Access to training workshops to support your entrepreneurial path (marketing, website creation and management, import-export in Canada, management of operations, taxes and human resources, growth of operations, etc.)
- Referral to sources of financing.
Telephone: 902-424-7230
Email: [email protected]
Creating a Business Development Network
In addition to building a customer base, you will need to surround yourself with allies who can promote your business and support you as an entrepreneur.
When you start a business, it is essential not to go it alone. The perspectives of other entrepreneurs will help you compare your reality with theirs and allow you to find inspiration, share ideas, and receive support
To do this, you can contact the following partners:
The Cape Breton Partnership is Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization, supporting businesses and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live, work, and invest; developing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and businesses to the resources they need to succeed.
The Cape Breton Welcome Network program facilitates professional networking and integration into the local job market by connecting newcomers with volunteers who are ready to share their knowledge of the community.
The Micro-Loan Program supports women, transgender people, non-binary people, two-spirit people, and others marginalized because of their gender with loans of up to $10,000. The aim of this program is to eliminate identity-based barriers to entrepreneurship.
The organization also provides business planning advice and connects businesses with economic support programs.
Address: 285 Alexandra St, Sydney, NS B1S 2E8, Canada
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CBPartnership/
Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce
The mission of the Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce is to support its member businesses. Its role is to relentlessly support the growth of the region’s businesses by actively participating in and influencing public policy, creating meaningful connections within our business community, and promoting ideas that shape our economic future.
It provides several resources such as training (sometimes free) in leadership, communication skills, sales development, and marketing.
It organizes events like conferences and offers webinars on workplace security.
To learn more about membership fees, click here.
Centre for Entrepreneurship Education & Development (CEED)
The Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development is an organization which aims to support the creation of prosperous and innovative businesses that contribute to Nova Scotia’s vitality and entrepreneurial spirit.
Entrepreneurs can access the knowledge and expertise they need to start their journey, grow their current business, or gain the knowledge necessary to take their idea to the next level.
In the Chéticamp region, the best way to network is to become involved in local organizations like Société Saint-Pierre. Consult the list of non-profit organizations in the Chéticamp region.
This would be an excellent way to meet community members and expand your network.