Programs & Support

The Climate Leadership Act requires consumers to pay a carbon levy on fuel, however eligible farmers are exempt from the carbon levy for certain farm fuels. Marked fuels used by farmers in farming operations (diesel, gasoline) are exempt from the carbon levy. The carbon levy will apply to propane, aviation fuel and heating fuel. Eligible Alberta producers are fully exempt from the provincial tax on propane and aviation fuel used for farming purposes.

The Alberta Farm Fuel Benefit Program allows eligible producers to receive a 9-cent-per-litre provincial fuel tax exemption on the purchase of dyed gasoline and diesel. To qualify for the benefit, producers must: be actively and directly farming by controlling farming assets and making the day-to-day management decisions; have annual farm commodity production worth at least $10,000 or $5,000 - $9,999 if the only other significant sources of income are Canada Pension Plan or Old Age Security.

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The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3 billion federal-provincial-territorial investment in the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector set to begin in April 2018 and is the successor of the 2013-18 Growing Forward 2 partnership. In Alberta, the Canadian Agricultural Partnership represents a federal - provincial investment of $406 million in strategic programs and initiatives for the agricultural sector.

In Alberta, the Canadian Agricultural Partnership is organized under five themes: Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change; Products, Market Growth and Diversification; Science and Research; Risk Management; and Public Trust.

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The Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) has launched a program called FarmCash to administer advances for Alberta farmers and ranchers through the federal government’s Advance Payments Program.

FarmCash offers interest-free and low interest rate short-term loans on 45 commodities, including all major crops, livestock, and honey through an automated web-based platform. Producers can borrow up to $100,000 interest free, and $300,000 at low interest rates.

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The Farm Energy and Agri-Processing Program shares costs with the agriculture and agri-processing sector on energy efficiency investments. The Program is designed to encourage energy management which will result in cost savings, energy conservation, and ultimately, reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

The Program offers financial support, subject to financial constraint, to applicants who incorporate high efficiency equipment that is identified in the applicable Funding List in their construction and/or retrofitting projects.

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In response to the changes to the Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Code to include farms and ranches that employ waged, non-family workers, Alberta Labour is funding a grant that is administered by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.

The Farm Health and Safety Producer Grant Program offers financial support, subject to financial constraints, to eligible employers (must have waged, non-family workers and a WCB account) for eligible costs to improve health and safety in their operations and help them comply with the OH&S Code that takes effect on December 1, 2018. The program is now open and accepting applications.

Eligible applicants may apply for financial support for up to 50 percent of costs for eligible expenses identified in the applicable Funding List. Eligible applicants may submit a maximum of two applications per fiscal year. For more information on eligible applicants and expenses, funding maximums and other terms and conditions, see Downloadable Documents.

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YA is community building and resource sharing network for farmer2farmer knowledge transfer.

PRAIRIES: In collaboration with Organic Alberta, Young Agrarians is hosting an on-going EVENT SERIES (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba), and an ALBERTA APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM providing on-farm training and education.

ONLINE: YA aggregates resources for the ecological farm sector across Canada (UMAP), posts opportunities and content on our farmer blog, and works to engage an inspiring network of new and young farmers and food lovers. Our social media channels are buzzing- join the conversation @youngagrarians. Visit our TOOLS section to find: business resources, job and apprenticeship opportunities, prospective land to farm, and downloadable tools (B.C. and Ontario Land Access Guides, Lease and License templates).

Help us build the network! Are you doing great stuff in your community already around local food and farming and want to collaborate?  Get in touch: community@youngagrarians.org.

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As part of the Alberta Jobs Plan, the Alberta government launched the Community and Regional Economic Support (CARES) program in 2016 to promote long-term economic growth and prosperity in Alberta’s communities and regions. Through Budget 2018, the CARES program was extended to 2020. Municipalities, communities and organizations interested in getting grants through the CARES program are encouraged to apply through an online application process.

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The Community Initiatives Program (CIP) provides funding for organizations that create opportunities for Albertans to engage with and help develop their communities. CIP outcomes are to: strengthen leadership and organizational capacity of community organizations and; support community-driven goals that have a public benefit.

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The Business Development Bank of Canada supports small and medium-sized businesses through access to financing, advisory services and capital.

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Business Link is a non-profit organization that helps Alberta entrepreneurs start their own businesses. They help entrepreneurs take innovative ideas to the next step. Business Link has been providing tools and resources to entrepreneurs since 1996 in the areas of advice and research, training and webinars, small business events and indigenous services.

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Community Futures has 27 locations across Alberta and provides small business support, including small business loans.

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Futurpreneur offers mentorship and loans to entrepreneurs aged 18 to 39.

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The Digital Economy Program's Digital Service Squad provides FREE 1-on-1 assistance with digital services to small businesses in Alberta.​

When over 95% of businesses in Alberta are small businesses, supporting them in a competitive world is critical. That’s why your community has joined the Digital Economy Program to offer you and your business an opportunity to transform your online presence. Participating small businesses will learn to use and maintain digital tools that are essential to succeed in today’s competitive environment for FREE.

The Digital Economy Program will equip you with the skills you need to expand your business’s digital reach. Help is on the way.

To take advantage of this program for your small business, sign up now! You’ll be paired up with a Digital Service Squad consultant who will assess your needs and put together a work plan. Then the magic happens.

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The Alberta Export Expansion Package was announced in August 2016. The programs are specifically designed to help Alberta businesses expand internationally. The package consists of three programs: The Export Support Fund, the Global Buyers and Investors Program and; the Export Readiness Program.

The Export Support Fund reimburses eligible companies up to $20,000 for costs of exporting to new international markets. The application process is now faster and easier to complete thanks to a new online application portal. The Export Readiness Micro-Voucher Program provides businesses with up to $10,000 for the development of a targeted international market strategy focused on one country. The Global Buyers and Investors Program helps export-ready companies connect with international buyers by bringing business delegations to the province.

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The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) allocates repayable and non-repayable contributions to firms of all sizes across all of Canada's industrial and technology sectors. The program has a budget of $1.26 billion over five years. It consolidates and simplifies the Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative, Technology Demonstration Program, Automotive Innovation Fund and Automotive Supplier Innovation Program. As announced in late February 2018, in the federal budget, the Strategic Innovation Fund will now focus its support on larger projects (over $10 million in requested contribution).

The Strategic Innovation Fund's objective is to spur innovation for a better Canada. Specifically, it serves to simplify application processes, accelerate processing, and aid that is more responsive and focused on results. The program has four Streams, each with its own precise objective:

• Stream 1: Encourage R&D that will accelerate technology transfer and commercialization of innovative products, processes and services;
• Stream 2: Facilitate the growth and expansion of firms in Canada;
• Stream 3: Attract and retain large scale investments to Canada; and
• Stream 4: Advance industrial research, development and technology demonstration through collaboration between the private sector, researchers and non-profit organizations.

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The Canada-Alberta Job Grant is a training program where an employer applies on behalf of their employee(s) for eligible training costs. Employers decide who gets training and what type of training may be needed for their employees.

Eligible employers are required to contribute a minimum of one-third of the total training costs for existing employees. Government contributes two-thirds of the cost to a maximum of $10,000 per trainee per fiscal year. If hiring and training an unemployed Albertan, up to 100% of training costs could be covered, up to $15,000 per trainee.

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The intent of Workplace Training (WT) is to provide individual-focused training or work experience to enable individuals to find and maintain employment. Workplace Training is an individual-centred program and decisions are made which best support the needs of the individual.

The intent is also to provide incremental training and work experience that would not otherwise occur. Participating employers agree to train or provide work experience for a predetermined period, with the expectation of the individual being able to engage and maintain employment in most cases with the same employer.

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The Tourism Growth Innovation Fund (TGIF) is a project-based grant program that aims to support economic growth and improve quality of life in communities across Alberta. TGIF has 2 streams, Destination Development Support and; Product Development Support.

The Destination Development Support stream helps tourism organizations and Alberta municipalities create new tourism products and destination development opportunities through research-based studies, surveys and plans. The Product Development Support stream helps non-profit tourism attraction operators who want to develop projects that grow tourism experiences within Alberta.

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The Government of Canada's 2018 Fall Economic Statement was tabled on November 21, 2018. It proposes the following measures for eligible property:

Accelerated Investment Incentive – Providing an enhanced first-year allowance for certain eligible property that is subject to the Capital Cost Allowance (CCA) rules. Under the proposed Accelerated Investment Incentive measure, certain capital property that is subject to the general CCA rules (referred to as "eligible property") will be eligible for an enhanced first-year allowance. The property will be eligible if it is acquired after November 20, 2018 and becomes available for use before 2028. In general, the incentive will be made up of two elements:

• applying the prescribed CCA rate for a class to up to one-and-a-half times the net addition to the class for the year
• suspending the existing CCA half-year rule (and equivalent rules for Canadian vessels and class 13 property)

Full Expensing for Manufacturers and Processors – Allowing businesses to immediately write off the full cost of machinery and equipment used for the manufacturing or processing of goods (class 53). Machinery and equipment currently qualify for a temporary accelerated CCA rate of 50% calculated on a declining-balance basis under class 53. It qualifies if you acquired the property after 2015 and before 2026 for use in Canada primarily in the manufacturing or processing of goods for sale or lease. These assets would otherwise be included in class 43 and qualify for a CCA rate of 30%.

If you acquire property after November 20, 2018, and it becomes available for use before 2028, it will be eligible for an enhanced first-year allowance. The enhanced allowance will initially provide a 100% deduction, with a phase-out for property that becomes available for use after 2023. Full Expensing effectively suspends the half-year rule for property eligible for this measure.

Full Expensing for Clean Energy Investments – Allowing businesses to immediately write off the full cost of specified clean energy equipment (classes 43.1 and 43.2). Specified clean energy equipment acquired after February 21, 1994, currently qualifies for an accelerated CCA rate of 30% calculated on a declining-balance basis under class 43.1. You can depreciate equipment acquired after February 22, 2005, and before 2025, that would otherwise be eligible for class 43.1 (subject to certain limited exceptions), at an accelerated CCA rate of 50% under class 43.2. Many of these assets would otherwise depreciate at lower rates of 4, 8 or 20%.

If you acquire property after November 20, 2018, and it becomes available for use before 2028, it will be eligible for an enhanced first-year allowance. The enhanced allowance will initially provide a 100% deduction, with a phase-out for property that becomes available for use after 2023. Full Expensing effectively suspends the half-year rule for property eligible for this measure.

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Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enabling women to build successful businesses. AWE provides unique programs and services to women at all stages of business through advising, financing, mentoring, and skills and network development.

Since 1995, AWE has been providing tools and resources to help women across the province succeed in starting or growing a business. For more than twenty years we have connected women with access to capital, training and workshops, business advising, and mentorship opportunities.

Over time, AWE has grown and adapted to the ever-evolving needs of women entrepreneurs in Alberta. In addition to start-up programs and services, AWE also provides support to women looking to grow their businesses and expand into new markets.

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The Women Entrepreneurship Fund is a $20 million investment which aims to assist women entrepreneurs to grow their existing businesses and enable them to mature to a state where they can pursue opportunities in domestic and global markets. It will provide up to $100,000 in non-repayable contribution funding.

The Women Entrepreneurship Fund will fund women-owned and women-led businesses to invest in activities that focus on:

• Supporting pursuit of market opportunities abroad (e.g. international marketing strategy, supply chain integration, promotions, business advisory services, online presence/website development)
• Supporting Scale-up, Expansion and Growth (e.g. product/service development and improvement, inventory management, value stream mapping, upgrades to plant and equipment, process and technology improvements
• Additional activities that support the objectives of the Women Entrepreneurship Fund

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Since 1998, Women Building Futures (WBF) has been the leader in preparing women for economically prosperous careers in industries where women have historically been under-represented. These careers lead to economic freedom, personal confidence and growth that are transformational for women, their families and their communities. WBF has extensive experience recruiting and ensuring career success for women within these industries at a consistent employment rate of 90 per cent.

WBF areas of expertise include:

WORKFORCE ATTRACTION

Positioning construction as a first-choice career option for women; and positioning women as a viable source of quality skilled workers for Alberta’s construction sector.

ASSESSMENT AND ESSENTIAL SKILLS TRAINING

Helping women make an informed career decision about a career in trades and address gaps in essential skills.

WORKFORCE TRAINING

Preparing women for success through skills training, safety certification, Workplace Culture Awareness©, fitness and academic upgrading.

WORKFORCE COACHING

Coaching is available to all WBF students and alumni to support training retention and long term employment success.

JOB SEARCH TRAINING AND JOB RETENTION SUPPORT

Earned employment referrals, job search training and job retention support is available to all WBF students and alumni to assist with securing and retaining apprenticeships and employment.

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The Indigenous Women Entrepreneurship Fund is a micro-finance program open to Indigenous women-owned businesses who may lack access to conventional financing.

The Indigenous Women Entrepreneurship Fund was established as a result of a donation from CIBC, along with a contribution from the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Summit.

The fund is administered through CCAB’s Tools and Financing for Aboriginal Business (TFAB) program to enhance Aboriginal entrepreneurship through providing access to development and networks.

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