Backgrounder: Minister Vandal announces investments in business growth, innovation and workforce training in Saskatchewan

These investments in the Saskatchewan economy support business growth and innovation in advanced manufacturing, food ingredient processing and digital industries and specialized training in the aerospace and healthcare sectors.

Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) – Investment of $5,918,635
Through the BSP program, the Government of Canada supports high-growth businesses seeking to improve productivity, scale-up and commercialize technology. BSP offers interest-free, repayable funding to incorporated high-growth businesses that have been operating in the Prairie provinces for a minimum of two years. Four Saskatchewan BSP recipients receiving funding through PrairiesCan were announced today:

• Superior Millwork Ltd. ($3,640,000)
  Install new technologies at a second production facility in Saskatoon, which will result in additional manufacturing capacity and allow Superior to increase their market share in Canada and pursue new markets.
• Algarithm Ingredients Inc. ($1,298,635)
  Purchase equipment and improve business systems to expand into the infant formula market. Algarithm uses their proprietary processes to produce plant-based, ocean-friendly Omega-3 ingredients derived from micro-algae.
• Cadence Final Document Services Ltd. ($580,000)
  Increase market reach by hiring sales and customer experience staff to focus on customer relationship-building and onboarding new customers — primarily funeral homes, hospices and financial institutions. Cadence is a digital service company that uses an online platform and team of Certified Executor Advisors to provide personalized guidance in the estate management process.
• SalonScale Technology Inc. ($400,000)
  Expand staff complement to grow digital marketing initiatives and sales of salon software. SalonScale's proprietary platform technology provides hair salons supply management solutions to mitigate the effects of rising inflation and enhance profitability.

Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative (ARRI) – Investment of $1,000,000
Through the ARRI, the Government of Canada supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Canadian aerospace sector to green their operations and adopt environmentally sustainable practices; improve their productivity; and strengthen commercialization while furthering integration into regional and global supply chains. The ARRI has a $250 million national budget over three years. It is open to SMEs and not-for-profit organizations providing services to SMEs, including municipalities, post-secondary institutions, provinces and Indigenous organizations. One Saskatchewan ARRI recipient receiving funding through PrairiesCan was announced today:

• Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) ($1,000,000)
  Support the development and delivery of an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) Preparation Program to remove barriers and create pathways toward licensing for Indigenous people and women entering the aerospace industry. SIIT will also renovate classrooms at the Saskatoon Aviation Learning Centre to accommodate an increase in the number of seats in the current AME-M (mechanical) program and build capacity to introduce an AME-E (avionics) program in Saskatchewan.

Community Economic Development and Diversification (CEDD) – Investment of $371,000
The CEDD program supports economic development initiatives that contribute to the economic growth and diversification of communities across the Prairie provinces. Through this program, PrairiesCan enables communities to leverage their capacity and strengths to respond to economic development opportunities and adjust to changing and challenging economic circumstances. Today, PrairiesCan announced the following CEDD-funded project.

• Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) ($371,000)
  Build a mobile lab for the Indigenous Practical Nursing Program which will allow SIIT to deliver the program to rural and remote Saskatchewan First Nations.

Jobs and Growth Fund (JGF) – Investment of $322,160
JGF 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, provides $700 million nationally over three years. Today, one JGF project funded through PrairiesCan was announced:

• Rivercity Innovations Ltd. ($322,160)
  Expand markets and improve cold-chain monitoring system for food safety and compliance. Rivercity Innovations, a developer of cold-chain monitoring technologies, provides clients with hardware and software solutions. The company's technology automates grocery cooler monitoring, reduces staff time required to collect data, reduces food spoilage and automates compliance.

Related products

• News release: Minister Vandal announces investments in business growth, innovation and workforce training in Saskatchewan

Associated links

• Prairies Economic Development Canada
• Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) in the Prairie provinces
• Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative (ARRI) in the Prairie provinces
• Community Economic Development and Diversification (CEDD) in the Prairie provinces
• Jobs and Growth Fund (JGF) in the Prairie provinces