BC Accelerating Manufacturing Scale-Up Grant Program
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of B.C.’s manufacturing sector, including its economic impacts, the critical goods it provides and the jobs it provides in all regions of the province.
In response, the Province of British Columbia committed to a $16.25 million one-time investment in the manufacturing sector to support economic recovery through the “B.C. Supply Chain Resiliency and Value-Added Manufacturing Project” announced in StrongerBC.
The “B.C. Supply Chain Resiliency and Value-Added Manufacturing Project” includes $10 million in funding for the Accelerating Manufacturing Scale-Up Grant Program (the ‘Program’).
The program will provide individual grants to eligible small and medium-sized businesses that manufacture or process value-added products to:
- Support industry collaboration to advance innovations that can support enhanced productivity and sustainability, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from industry practices and processes;
- Adjust to the economic changes created by the COVID-19 pandemic by retooling manufacturing lines or scaling-up production;
- Advance the production of manufactured goods that are on the verge of commercialization; and
- Localize portions of supply chains where B.C. businesses can be competitive.
Expected outcomes from the program include accelerated innovative capacity in the manufacturing sector, strengthened provincial critical supply chains, and new, sustainable economic opportunities for businesses to diversify and increase revenue streams and create jobs throughout the province.
The Fund is administered by PwC Canada on behalf of the Province of British Columbia.
Small and medium-sized manufacturers (between 2 and 149 employees) from all industry sectors are being invited to apply to support the commercialization or processing of value-added goods.
Manufacturing under this program is defined as the process of converting raw materials into a finished product that can be traded or sold. This can be done by mechanical, physical or chemical means.
Value-added goods under this program is defined as the production techniques and processes that add economic value to a raw product. This can include activities related to but not limited to; processing, product preparation, innovative storage packaging, and maximizing product distribution and transportation techniques.
Applications from the shipbuilding, aerospace, forestry, and food processing sectors will be given priority due to their alignment with strategic B.C. government economic priorities.
Grants are available between $50,000 up to a maximum of $250,000 to eligible businesses or up to a maximum of $500,000 to eligible groups in collaboration.
Applications will be accepted from April 15 until 6:00pm PST on May 31, 2021.