Business Development

What is Business Development?

Business Development supports western Canadian businesses, industry, research organizations to enhance business productivity, global engagement and increase entrepreneurism.

What's the WD Connection?

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) collaborates with organizations and other levels of government to:

• Support small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) to become more productive and globally competitive;
• Enhance small business access to information, training, business advisory services and capital;
• Assist SMEs to engage in international business and to access opportunities linked to government defence procurement;
• Improve trade corridors within Western Canada to strengthen access to international markets; and
• Work to attract investment to western regions.

What Funding is available?

WD delivers programs that are helping to strengthen the areas of Business Development:

• The Western Diversification Program (WDP) is the main program through which WD makes strategic investments in initiatives that enhance and strengthen the economy of Western Canada. Funding is available to not-for-profit organizations (e.g., universities and other post-secondary institutions, research institutes, industry associations, Indigenous organizations) for projects that support innovation, business development  and/or community economic growth.
• Western Canada Business Service Network is a group of several independent organizations that receive funding from WD to provide a range of services to help create and build small businesses across the West.