Business Support Partners
Below, you will find links to business support agencies available to local companies and descriptions of the programs and services they offer including workshops and seminars.
AGRICULTURE FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION
AFSC offers a variety of loans for primary agricultural producers and offer various crop and livestock price insurance programs.
AFSC finances the purchase of land and equipment, production quotas, succession planning, breeding livestock, working capital, debt reduction, and more by offering long- term competitive interest rates, no annual fees, and payment schedule to fit cash flow.
The Next Generation Loan Program provides young producers a consistent fixed-rate term to establish farming operations.
The Developing Producer Loan Program provides emerging producers with a consistent fixed-rate term loan to acquire assets to expand their operations.
The Alberta Producer Loan Program provides an alternative source of fixed-rate loan terms to acquire assets needed to maintain and grow operations.
Revolving Loan Program providing easy and immediate access to working capital when required for those involved in primary agriculture.
The Agribusiness Loan provides food processors, agribusinesses, agricultural suppliers, manufacturers, and rural utilities with a consistent source of fixed-rate term loans.
Lending - afsc.ca
ALBERTA INNOVATES
Alberta Innovates helps Alberta entrepreneurs and industry with coaching, funding and grants, workshops and events, and programs. The focus is on applied research, Agriculture Forestry and Food, Clean Resources, Emerging Technologies, Entrepreneurial Investments, Health Innovation and Platforms, and Post Secondary Investments.
Alberta Innovates has funding streams which include, Agri Food Innovation, Alberta Bio Future, and the Export Readiness Micro Voucher. Coaching is also available.
Alberta Innovates supports Regional Innovation Networks across the province.
Funding & Grants - albertainnovates.ca
Workshops & Events - albertainnovates.ca
East Central Alberta Regional Innovation Network - eastcentralrin.com
ALBERTA WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) builds capacity and helps entrepreneurial women build connections with other entrepreneurs and experts with seminars, events, training sessions, and conferences.
AWE supports women’s access to entrepreneurship and enables them to grow and scale their businesses by providing connection, capacity, and capital. AWE continually strives to be Alberta’s leading organization dedicated to the development, expansion, and promotion of women’s entrepreneurship.
AWE has seven core programs - Start Up, Bold Leadership, Strategic Edge, NextStep to Success, Business Beyond Borders, Business Learning Series, and Partner Programs. AWE also has several loan programs including Growth Loan and Capital Growth Loan Initiative.
AWE provides free advising services to women entrepreneurs in Alberta. An AWE Business Advisor can help with your business strategy, delivery model, and how to manage cash flow.
Women Entrepreneurs Support in Alberta - awebusiness.com
Webinars & Events - awebusiness.com
BONNYVILLE AND DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Bonnyville and District Chamber of Commerce exists to help businesses flourish in the Bonnyville region and is the voice of business in the Lakeland. By supporting the business community, they help create jobs, meaningful partnerships and relationships, and bring the community together.
Bonnyville and District Chamber of Commerce provides value to the community and membership through advocacy, education, support, networking, and promotion.
Visit their events calendar to stay up to date on local events, such as the Bonnyville & District Oil & Gas Show being held in June.
Events - bonnyvillechamber.com
BUSINESS LINK
Supporting Alberta small businesses offering free oneon-one business advice, market research, business plan reviews, workshops and presentations, Indigenous services, immigrant entrepreneur services, and access to free small business resource tools.
Business Help in Alberta - businesslink.ca Events & Webinars - businesslink.ca
COLD LAKE REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce is an advocacy agency first. The chamber works to grow relationships with all levels of government to strengthen the voice of local business owners.
The Cold Lake Chamber believes a strong local economy starts with a well-connected business community. From non-profits to evolving companies, start-ups to established small businesses, the Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce supports organizations in any phase of development.
Members have access to exclusive workshops, webinars, programs, and seminars. Events are affordable and useful. Learn more about social media, SEO, video marketing, and countless other start-up focused topics.
coldlakechamber.ca
COMMUNITY FUTURES LAKELAND
Community Futures Lakeland (CFL) provides training, guidance, and financial support for small business owners and new entrepreneurs to start, grow, expand, franchise, or sell their business.
CFL offers flexible business loans for small start-up businesses that need help getting their ideas of the ground, business expansion loans, technology investment loans and buying an existing business. They offer a wide range of business support from business advisors who know rural business like no one else, including free business guidance and counselling.
CFL is proud to support the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities program, a Local Business Beautification Loan, a SMARTstart Mentorship Program, and the Digital Squad assisting small businesses with ecommerce.
Training, Advice, & Financial Support - albertacf.com News - lakeland.albertacf.com
FARM CREDIT CANADA
FCC builds strong relationships and shares knowledge and expertise with thousands of customers across the country. When you succeed, they succeed. FCC is here to support entrepreneurs and believe in the future of agriculture and food. They are a partner, a catalyst, and a champion of the industry as the only lender 100 per cent invested in Canadian agriculture and food. They help clients dream, grow, thrive, and support the success of the industry.
FCC lends money and provides other services to agribusinesses that provide inputs or add value to agriculture. If your business is looking to grow or expand, FCC wants to help you find new opportunities through their networks and financing expertise. They have a portfolio that tops $44 billion, and over 100,000 customers.
FCC provides the following types of financing - real property, equipment and inventory, expansion, and construction, start-up, diversification, stretch debt and cash flow requirements, transiting planning, mergers and acquisitions, syndicated lending, and venture capital.
Financing - fcc-fac.ca Events - fcc-fac.ca
FUTURPRENEUR
Futurpreneur has been fueling the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young entrepreneurs for over 25 years. They are the only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring, resources and support tools to aspiring business owners between the ages of 18 to 39.
Indigenous Entrepreneur Startup Program (IESP) Futurpreneur empowers aspiring young Indigenous entrepreneurs on their journey to success. The Indigenous Entrepreneur Startup Program (IESP) provides start-up loan financing and up to two years of mentorship, supported by a team with lived experience, offering access to tools and networking.
The IESP is designed and operated by an Indigenous team that understands the barriers to success faced by young and aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs.
Futurpreneur offers including financing, flexible equityfree start up business loan available to Indigenous entrepreneurs (including those on reserve), mentorship for two years of one-on-one support from an experienced business leader, resources from Futurpreneur’s Ohpikiwin workshop series, designed to strengthen financial empowerment through an Indigenous lens, to our helpful business planning workshops and tools, and networking opportunities to engage with a national network of Indigenous entrepreneurs, leaders and Indigenous-led community organizations at a range of entrepreneurial events.
Events - futurpreneur.ca
PRAIRIES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CANADA
Prairies Economic Development Canada is the department that diversifies the economy across the Canadian Prairies. PrairiesCan leads in building a strong, competitive Canadian economy by supporting business, innovation, and community economic development unique to Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
NEW LISTING* Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative in the Prairie Provinces
Through the Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative (RHII), the federal government is investing $50 million over two years to support local innovative housing solutions across the country. PrairiesCan will invest $9.6 million in projects such as designing and upscaling of modular homes, the use of 3D printing, mass timber construction, panelized construction, as well as implementing net-zero and climate resilient housing practices.
Applicants must meet all the following criteria to qualify:
you’re a growing business that is scaling up and producing innovative goods, services, or technologies in the home building industry
• you’re incorporated to conduct business in Canada
• you’ve been in business for at least two years in Canada
• you have staffed operating facilities in the Prairie provinces; and you have confirmed, at the time of expression of interest submission, funding from all other sources, including government and non-government (nongovernment funding must represent at least 50 per cent of the proposed project costs).
Eligible projects must focus on advancing innovative homebuilding solutions and boosting manufacturing efficiency in the homebuilding sector through activities such as:
a) productivity improvement by investing in manufacturing and construction technology to increase productivity and accelerate housing production, such as modular, mass timber construction, and panelized construction,
b) business scale-up by adapting, adopting, and scaling innovative construction methods such as prefabrication/ modular construction (designing and upscaling) and 3D printing; and
c) technology commercialization by investing in innovation, demonstration, commercialization and/or uptake of new materials and methods for residential home construction its supply chains (e.g., technology acquisition, automation, energy efficiencies), that accelerate home construction.
Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative (RHII) - canada.ca
TRAVEL ALBERTA
Travel Alberta supports the tourism sector via the Travel Alberta Industry Hub, providing operators with information regarding programs and tools, training and events, visitor and marketing insights, and news and media.
The Alberta Tourism Information Service (ATIS) is a free digital marketing platform designed by Travel Alberta to help your Alberta tourism business by amplifying your marketing efforts. Add your content to be shared across multiple marketing channels as a destination of choice for visitors around the world.
Travel Alberta’s Learning Portal is a resource that
connects tourism businesses with insights, expertise, and best practices such as a brand tool kit, research, and business solutions to help guide marketing and business activities.
Travel Alberta supports tourism development through the Sign-Up Alberta program, the Export Ready Checklist, and the Product Development and Cooperative Investment Fund.
Travel Alberta supports operators by providing Visitor Profiles which identifies visitor origin, length of stay, trip purpose, accommodation, and spending in Alberta.
News - industry.travelalberta.com Learning Opportunities - industry.travelalberta.com
Facts & Figures
M.D. PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT STATISTICS
2024 Building and Development Permit Values
Q1
$7,679,693
Q2 $16,939,131
Q3 $9,508,810
Q4 $11,204,461
2024 Total $45,332,095
Building Permit Category
Agriculture 0
Commercial 3
Industrial 18
Recreational 8
Residential 143
Institutional 6
2024 Total 178
SMALL BUSINESS CONFIDENCE INCREASING
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business produces a small business barometer monthly. The monthly barometer surveys and tracks small business confidence, expectations, and operating conditions in Canada.
March 2025 Results 12-month Small Business Confidence Index
Change -24.8 3-month Small Business Confidence Index 31.2 Change -16.1
SECTOR OVERVIEW
A few sectors are experiencing a slight increase in optimism, such as health and education (+3.9 points), information, arts and recreation (+0.5 points) and construction (+1.1 points).
For the complete article, visit cfib-fcei.ca
Economic Development Newsletter August 2025
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
Email: skovatch@md.bonnyville.ab.ca
Website: investmdbonnyville.com
Phone: 780-826-3171
SCOTT KOVATCH
