The Canada Digital Adoption Program – Grow Your Business Online is a national program supporting the growth of small businesses by making the adoption of digital tools and technologies easy and accessible.
A consortium of four organizations is responsible for delivering the program in Saskatchewan:
- Saskatchewan Economic Development Alliance (SEDA)
- Saskatchewan Polytechnic
- Digital Main Street/TABIA
- Economic Development Regina
Two Program Streams will be available over the three-year program term:
1) Provision of micro-grants to businesses. Grants up to $2400 will be made available to eligible Saskatchewan businesses.
2) Skills development of young adults. A team of E-Commerce Advisors will be hired to support eligible businesses in implementing digital enhancement strategies.
An online process will be available in April 2022 to accept program applications from eligible Saskatchewan businesses. A recruitment process for young adults to work as E-Commerce Advisors will also be initiated.
Eligible Businesses
The Canada Digital Adoption Program – Grow Your Business Online will be open to any businesses that meet the following requirements:
- A for-profit business (including for-profit social enterprises and cooperatives);
- A registered or incorporated business;
- A consumer-facing business;
- A business that can be accessed by customers or provides in person services to customers;
- A business with a minimum of one employee
＊Recipients must commit to maintain digital adoption strategy for 6 months post intervention.
＊A business will be required to consent to participating in follow-up surveys, having their information shared with the Government of Canada (ISED and Statistics Canada), and having the name of their business published as a recipient of funding.
Eligible Micro-Grant Costs include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Costs related to implementation or improvement of a digital e-commerce plan (i.e. website development, electronic payment)
- Costs related to website search optimization
- Costs related to the installation of an e-commerce platform (incl. subscription fees)
- Costs of back-office solutions to support e-commerce strategy
- Costs of social media advertising
- Costs related to the creation of customer databases
Digital Transformation Planning
Eligible businesses will meet virtually with an E-Commerce Advisor to build a digital strategy. The advisor will assist the business owner in identifying their first priorities and the first digital tools/technology they want to activate. The Advisor will activate and implement digital tools and technologies that will be most effective to achieve the business’s strategic goals.
If you are an eligible Saskatchewan business that meets the aforementioned criteria and would like us to contact you when this program is accepting applications, please fill out this short form:
For Businesses
Eligible businesses will receive micro-grants of up to $2,400 to help with the costs related to adopting digital technologies (e.g. software, technology infrastructure, cybersecurity, platform subscriptions and licenses), as well as support and advice from a network of E-Commerce Advisors.
For E-Commerce Advisors
Saskatchewan students and recent graduates can apply to become an E-Commerce Advisor. E-Commerce Advisors will receive training to understand the Grow Your Business Online Program, learn the capabilities of several e-commerce solutions and related tools, understand the basics of cyber security, develop communication skills, and determine individual business needs and values.
The students will act as E-Commerce Advisors to small businesses that require guidance to build their e-commerce and digital capabilities.
