CBDC Kent: Empowering Entrepreneurs and Cultivating Community
CBDC Kent aims to strengthen local expertise with a focus on generating economic prosperity and allocating resources more effectively in Kent County. Our major decisions are facilitated by our board members, all of whom are local business and community leaders.
Creating Local Jobs: In the past fiscal year, CBDC Kent helped to create and maintain 247 jobs throughout the community. Support for small businesses is designed to stimulate development and diversify the local economy.
Leveraging Local Resources: With our support, key industries like cranberry farming and aquaculture are collaborating within their respective industries by sharing costly equipment that is key to their operations. CBDC Kent is proud to have had the highest participation in the Seafood Technology Adaptation Program in the province during the past fiscal year, helping the aquaculture industry to improve and strengthen their operations. A big thank you to Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries for their support and investment in this program.
Improving Quality of Life: The Jeux de l’Acadie were held in Grand-Bouctouche in 2024. A true community event supported by local businesses and volunteers, CBDC Kent ensured the organization and its staff were involved by offering each employee paid time off to volunteer. Supporting the community continues to be a priority, with employees holding numerous volunteer positions including sitting on the Kent Regional Service Commission’s economic development committee and the board of the Bouctouche Cooperative. We also continued to sponsor numerous organizations, including galas at the two high schools in the region.
Maintaining Rural Populations: CBDC Kent remains committed to supporting young and firsttime entrepreneurs to promote a thriving community. Thirty-three per cent of our loans issued during the 2024-25 fiscal year were focused in these areas. Many of these transactions were centered around business succession, which continues to be a priority. These investments support population growth and help strengthen and diversify the local economy.
Fostering Cooperation and Solidarity: CBDC Kent, in collaboration with the Kent Regional Service Commission, launched the Kent Entrepreneurial Gala to recognize local entrepreneurs for their hard work and dedication to their businesses and the community. Staff members worked on various aspects of the event to ensure it was a success. We are also proud to have sponsored the Young Entrepreneur Award, presented to Ryan Leger, owner of Richibucto Home Hardware Building Centre. We also supported six community organizations, who would not have been able to borrow from a traditional lender, through the Social Enterprise Loan this year. These loans supported projects at a campground, grocery store, food bank, community centre, and helped purchase an ATV trail groomer. The Consultant Advisory Services program also aided the local golf course to complete strategic planning.
Key Business Sectors in 2024-2025
Fisheries: $1 million
Agriculture and aquaculture: $728,000 in approved loans
Construction: 12 loans disbursed
Investment in the region
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Existing businesses
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Impact on employment
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Photo credit: Pays de la Sagouine
Building strong entrepreneurial leverage in the
Kent region
Total value of assistance from the CBDC and financial leverage over the past five years
Despite a small decrease in CBDC contributions in 2024–2025, the leverage effect stayed high at $4.3 million, showing continued financial activity.
Number of applications approved for each CBDC loan product
Breakdown of amounts disbursed per loan product (in millions of dollars)
While youth and first-time entrepreneurs continue to represent an important number of projects submitted, there was a significant increase in loans approved to social enterprises.
The number of businesses who received
over the past five years
In 2024–2025, 60 businesses received financial assistance—slightly fewer than the previous year, but still above the five-year average.
Jobs created and maintained in the community over the last five years
CBDC Kent continued to strengthen the local workforce in 2024–2025, helping to create 51 jobs and maintain 196 more across the region.
CBDC Programs and Services
Who We Are
CBDCs are not-for-profit organizations run by volunteers from the local business community who firmly believe in improving the economic viability of their region. There are 41 CBDC offices in Atlantic Canada dedicated to the development of small businesses and assisting entrepreneurs in accessing financing and other business training and resources.
What We Do
Our objective is to help build stronger communities in Atlantic Canada by stimulating private sector employment in our rural areas. CBDCs work throughout rural Atlantic Canda in the creation, expansion and modernization of small and medium sized businesses.
What We Offer Entrepreneurs
General Business Loan
Designed to assist entrepreneurs when traditional avenues of financing are not available, for either creating, purchasing or succession planning.
First-Time Entrepreneur Loan
Targeted financing for the first-time entrepreneurs starting or purchasing their first business.
Youth Loan
Tailored solutions for young entrepreneurs aged from 18 to 34 that are interested in starting, expanding or modernizing their business.
Innovation Loan
Assist in the development of the knowledge-based economy, the adaptation and commercialization of technology.
Social Enterprise Loan
Tailored financing designed to assist social enterprises.
Self-Employment Benefit (SEB)*
Provides financial and coaching support to new entrepreneurs during the planning and start-up phase of their new business.
Business Counselling
Business counselling in the form of advice to new and established entrepreneurs.
Consultant
Advisory Services
Available to small and medium-sized business, as well as non-for-profit organization, to access technical and financial assistance by engaging consultants to assist them in various topics.
Skills Training
Tailored trainings in specialized areas such as marketing development, bookkeeping, feasibility studies and business analysis.
*The SEB Program is funded by the Government of Canada through the Canada-Provincial Governments Labor Market Agreements.
