Reposted from FedDev
For immediate release
January 10, 2012

Vineland Station, Ontario — The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., Member of Parliament for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, accompanied by Dean Allison, Member of Parliament for Niagara West-Glanbrook, announced today that the Government of Canada will invest in helping manufacturers across southern Ontario improve their productivity and competitiveness in global markets.

“Our Government’s top priority remains completing the economic recovery and creating jobs,” said Minister Nicholson. “It is through these strategic investments that the Harper Government is working to ensure that businesses in Niagara and southern Ontario can continue to grow, creating high-value jobs and long-term economic prosperity.”

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) is receiving up to $18.9 million through the Prosperity Initiative, which is delivered by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). This funding will assist CME in the launch of a new productivity improvement program called SMART Prosperity Now. This program will allow manufacturers with an export focus to commercialize new technologies, enter new domestic and foreign markets, invest in sustainable and green technology, purchase new or upgraded equipment and technology, and implement efficiency improvements.

“As Canada’s leading trade and industry association, we are pleased to partner with FedDev Ontario to bolster the global competitiveness of Ontario companies,” said Jayson Myers, President & CEO of CME. “SMART Prosperity Now will equip companies the needed tools to become more successful in both domestic and international markets.”

For more information on SMART Prosperity Now and the Prosperity Initiative, please see the backgrounder.

Created in 2009, FedDev Ontario supports the southern Ontario economy by building on the region’s strengths and creating opportunities for jobs and economic growth. The Agency has launched a number of initiatives to create a Southern Ontario Advantageand place the region in a strong position to compete in the global economy. These initiatives are designed to encourage partnerships and support projects that help the region’s businesses and communities become more competitive, innovative and diversified. To learn more, please visit www.feddevontario.gc.ca or call 1-866-593-5505.

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For more information, contact:

Stephanie Thomas
Special Assistant – Communications
Office of the Honourable Gary Goodyear
613-960-7728

Media Relations
FedDev Ontario
519-571-6879

Backgrounder

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters – SMART Prosperity Now

Through the Prosperity Initiative, FedDev Ontario is providing the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters with up to $18.9 million to deliver a new productivity enhancement program called SMART Prosperity Now.

This program will allow southern Ontario manufacturers that are exporting, planning to export, or selling into an export supply chain to apply for funding to conduct productivity assessments and to undertake a variety of projects to improve productivity.

Productivity assessments will be eligible for funding of up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum contribution of $5,000. Productivity enhancement projects will be eligible for funding of up to 33.3% of eligible costs to a maximum contribution of $75,000.

Eligibility requirements and further details on SMART Prosperity Now can be found at: www.cme-smart.ca .

FedDev Ontario Prosperity Initiative

FedDev Ontario’s Prosperity Initiative is designed to encourage businesses, not-for-profit organizations and post-secondary institutions in southern Ontario to undertake projects that will result in a more productive, diversified and competitive economy.

Funding is available for projects that:

• enhance productivity by accelerating the adoption of new technologies, processes and skills that enhance the region’s businesses and sectors;
• diversify the regional economy by increasing the number of new industries or opportunities with the potential to have long-term impacts on regional economic diversity; and
• build a competitive advantage in the region by creating or expanding economic clusters and enhancing their global competitiveness.

Applications for funding are being accepted and assessed on an ongoing basis. For more information, please refer to the Program Guidelines available on the FedDev Ontario website at www.feddevontario.gc.ca.