Resources for Health and Life Sciences Companies in Nova Scotia During COVID-19

Support for Business Continuity & R&D (Funding, Resources, Programs, Events etc.)

• Read here: BioNova member programs have launched (2020-2021) | Provide funding & assistance to help companies tackle continuation of critical R&D, business growth planning, digital business development tools, talent acquisition etc.
• Read here: NSBI, in partnership with Mitacs, funding access to collaborative research from post-secondary institutes through Accelerate Program | Covers up to $15K
• Read here: BMO Celebrating Women Grant Program – 10 Canadian women-owned businesses will receive $10K each
• Read here: Centre for Women in Business Implementation Fund – Intended to help source supports for small-scale projects related to business operations, transformations and recovery
• Read here: NSBI Digital Adoption Program | Covers up to $5K of eligible project costs for NS businesses adopting digital tools to manage effects of COVID-19
• Read here: BIOTE Canada launches Bionation platform promoting local innovation for COVID19
• Read here: Joule COVID Innovation Grants | $1M for innovative solutions to help with the pandemic (Deadline June 21)
• Read here: MNP COVID-19 Business Advice Centre
• Read here: Sandpiper Venture | Atlantic Women’s Venture Fund launches inaugural fund for early-stage Atlantic women tech entrepreneurs (May 28)
• Read here: CBRN Small Business Relief Fund | $620K in funds available (Deadline June 12)
• Read here: ACOA is giving its clients three more months payment free
• Read here: Health Canada announces step to accelerate access to health products for COVID-19 (May 27)
• Read here: Halifax Chamber | 5 ways to prepare to reopen (May 22)
• Read here: Volta Academy | Recovery Program (Deadline June 5)
• Read here: NSBI’s updated Business Development Program | Accelerating growth with a professional consultant (Deadline January 15, 2021)
• Read here: Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) | $110M in support for affected Atlantic Canadian businesses and communities (May 13)
• Read here: Nova Scotia launches Business Navigators program to help new and existing businesses navigate provincial regulations
• Read here: Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) | Eligible for commercial property owners with small business tenants (Available May – June)
• Read here: Apply now for COVID-19 Small Business Credit and Support Program | NS GOV (Deadline June 30)
• Read here: Apply now for IRAP – Innovation Assistance Program (IAP) $250M (Deadline April 29)
• Read here: Manufacturing supercluster wants to recruit more Atlantic members – and fund more projects (April 22)
• Read here: Canada’s Economic Response Plan for Businesses (Avoiding layoffs and rehiring employees, Access to credit, Deferred payments & more)
• Read here: Nova Scotia Government Resources and Funding For Businesses (NSBI)
• Read here: Halifax Chamber’s COVID-19 Business Resources (Fed, Prov & Mun Gov & Banks)
• Read here: Halifax Partnership: COVID-19 Business Resources
• Read here: BDC’s Business Credit Availability Program & more (Financing & Advisory Services)

Support for Health Supply Chain & Companies Supporting Healthcare (PPE, Medical Supplies, Ventilators, Remote & Virtual Healthcare) 

• Read here: N.S. company who pivoted to face shields sees future for local PPE
• Read here: Connect with local PPE suppliers or customers through Ignite’s Resource Portal
• Read here: Trudeau unveils new COVID-19 Supply Council in charge of stockpiling equipment (May 3)
• Read here: Mask Shipment delivered to provincial COVID-19 warehouse thanks to Michelin North America (April 29)
• News release: BioNova partners with provincial group solving Covid-19 healthcare challenges including guiding manufacturers through Health Canada regulatory approval (April 23)
• Read here: Nova Scotia taps private sector (BioNova & Members) for pandemic supplies and services (Global Halifax) (March 27)
• Read here: Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster invests $50M to support companies preparing to produce critical medical supplies and PPE (March 25)
• Read here: Can your company supply PPE, medical supplies or services in support of #COVID19 for Nova Scotia?
• Read here: Medtronic announced that it is publicly sharing the design specifications for one of its ventilators to allow anyone to manufacture it
• Read here: AstraZeneca Canada donates 200,000 Masks to Help Protect Front-Line Healthcare Workers Battling COVID-19 (April 20)
• Read here: MedTech Canada: Government of Canada issues supply call for medical products and services needed

Support for the Development of Medical Devices & Pharmaceuticals 

• Read here: Prime Minister announces $1B in support for COVID-19 medical research and vaccine development (April 23)
• Read here: Innovative Solutions Canada has dedicated funding to help combat COVID-19
• Read here: Gov. of Canada Issues List of Diagnostic Devices Currently Authorized for use in Canada against COVID19
• Read here: Health Canada expedites access to COVID-19 diagnostic laboratory test kits and other medical devices (March 18)

Support for HR & Employees

• Read here: Workers Compensation Board of Nova Scotia | New Ways to Work Safely
• Read here: Service Canada EI, Wage Subsidies, Deferral of Income Tax Payments, income assistance and more
• Read here: Nova Scotia Government Resources and Funding For Individuals/Self-employed (NSBI)
• Read here: BioTalent Student Work Placement Program to support employers to hire students during COVID-19 | Co-op position or employer must have focus in biotechnology
• Read here: Pandemic (COVID-19) Tip Sheets for employers and workers (CCOHS)

Learn more about what Nova Scotia’s innovative health and life sciences community is doing to support efforts to study the virus, develop vaccines, find ways to protect individuals from contracting the virus and support the healthcare community.

• Read here: BioNova Executive Director Scott Moffitt talks with Entrevestor about BioNova’s role during COVID-19 & the need for greater collaboration in Atlantic Canada’s Health & Life Sciences through BioFuture 2030
• Read here: NS lab IMV Inc. gets green light to test COVID-19 vaccine on humans
• Read here: Electric Puppets helps IWK Children’s Hospital and Nova Scotian libraries support quarantined folks to continue to access critical services and technology
• Read here: Major investment anchors alliance for bioscience skills and training in Atlantic Canada | $1.5M investment to support CASTL (June 8)
• Read here: Adaptiiv brings on new customers despite COVID-19 (June 4)
• Read here: Nova Scotia hospital using one-of-a-kind MRI machine in COVID-19 research (May 25)
• Read here: Health Canada clears Appili Therapeutics’ phase 2 clinical trial evaluating favipiravir as a prophylactic agent against COVID-19 outbreaks (May 21)
• Watch here: Nova Scotia Ventilator Consortium Update (May 20)
• Read here: Sona Nanotech finalizes submission to Health Canada and FDA for the fastest COVID-19 test kit (May 20)
• Read here: The National Research Council of Canada and CanSino Biologics Inc. announce collaboration to advance vaccine against COVID-19 (May 12)
• Read here: Vaccine for COVID-19 to be tested in human volunteers in Halifax (May 12)
• Read here: Exploring ways to help Nova Scotian pulp mills produce medical-grade pulp for N95 respirator production (May 12)
• Read Here: Appili Therapeutics Submits CTA with Health Canada to sponsor prophylactic phase 2 clinical trial evaluating FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical’s favipiravir as a preventative measure against COVID-19 in Canadian long-term care facilities (May 11)
• Read here: Densitas to support mammography facilities tackle the growing backlog of breast cancer screening exams with AI powered platform
• Read here: Tranquility provides free digital mental health support to healthcare workers (May 7)
• Read here: IMV Inc. Announces Closing of $25.1 Million Private Placement (May 7)
• Read here: Mask Shipment delivered to provincial COVID-19 warehouse thanks to Michelin North America (April 29)
• Read here: Maritime laboratory IMV Inc. making important progress in the race to develop vaccine for Covid-19, human trials coming soon (April 29)
• Read here: Crisis sparks manufacturing collaboration | BioNova instrumental in ensuring PPE products meet Health Canada regulatory requirements (Entrevestor)
• Read here: BioNova partners with provincial group solving Covid-19 healthcare challenges including guiding manufacturers through Health Canada regulatory approval (April 23)
• Read here: Maritime businesses get help from BioNova to meet Health Canada’s rules on COVID-19 medical gear (April 14)
• Read here: ‘There’s a potential crisis’: Nova Scotia group (including BioNova) seeks approval for prototype ventilator (April 14)
• Read here: N.S. research company MedMira develops antibody test for COVID-19 (April 17)
• Read here: Ignite Labs helping N.S. frontline and health-care workers during COVID-19 pandemic (April 16)
• Read here: Nova Scotia companies (IMV Inc. & Spring Loaded) produce PPE
• Read here: NS Companies (Spring Loaded, Ring Rescue & Enginuity) to design solutions to emerging health problems (April 15)
• Read here: Nova Scotia Company Beaumont Co. Creating Pandemic-Fighting Screening Booths (April 15)
• Read here: MacKenzie Atlantic to produce more than one million face shields for NSHA, IWK (April 14)
• Read here: Dartmouth-based United Sign Making 10,000 Face Shields For N.B. Healthcare Workers (April 13)
• Read here: Outcast Foods and Farms Lessen Waste (April 13)
• Read here: Halifax virtual reality company Electric Puppets ramps up software testing to respond to pandemic (April 10)
• Read here: QEII’s Department of Diagnostic Imaging has purchased the most state-of-the-art PET-CT technology available with the help of donations
• Read here: Stanfield’s signs deal to make protective gowns for N.S. health workers
• Read here: Cape Breton company Protocase makes parts for ventilators, other medical devices (Mar 24)
• Read here: Adaptiiv promotes COVID-19 3D printing response efforts (April 7)
• Read here: Digby company Sohma Naturals gets approval from Health Canada to make hand sanitizer  (April 1)
• Read here: Solid State Pharma donates medical supplies to NSHA
• Read here: NGen Grants Sona Nanotech Inc. $4.1M to develop diagnostic test for COVID19 (April 1)
• Read here: Dalhousie researchers help galvanize scientific response to the new pandemic (April 1)
• Read here: Nova Scotia taps private sector (BioNova & Members) for pandemic supplies and services | Global Halifax (March 27)
• Read here: BioNova News Release: Health and Life Sciences Companies in Nova Scotia Develop Vaccines, Provide Medical Supplies to Fight COVID-19 (March 26)
• Read here: Dal Labs Collaborate on 3D-Printed Face Shield For Health-Care Workers (April 1)
• Read here: Nova Scotia company Outcast Foods steps up processing in light of COVID-19 (March 26)
• Read here: IMV Inc. provides updates on development of COVID19 vaccine with Dalhousie Researchers (March 30)
• Read here: Dal prof Dr. David Kelvin is developing a device to help emergency room doctors quickly detect severity of COVID19 (April 1)
• Read here: Alentic Microscience is working to develop a serology assay and other COVID-related tests that are done rapidly, cheaply and easily on their handheld point of care devices. (March 5)
• Read here: Sona Nanotech Achieves significant milestone in development of rapid screening test for COVID-19 | Also receives Letter of Intent for the purchase of 2 Million tests (March 18)
• Read here: Research Nova Scotia contributes $600K to Dalhousie Researcher working on identifying severity of the virus for people with COVID19 (March 19)
• Read here: Motryx offers a solution for monitoring specimen transport – specifically, temperature and time for safe and effective diagnostics (Labs should reach out if help is needed)
• Read here: BioNova’s BIC 2019 finalist FieldDetect Inc. working to adapt hand-held mobile technology to detect COVID-19 (March 20)
• Read here: Tenera Poised To Aid Seniors’ Homes (April 2)