The federal government posits that the Atlantic region is “emerging as a hub for the next generation of tech businesses and leaders.”
Canada says it is therefore investing in the region’s industry to drive innovation and “create good jobs.”
In that vein, the government recently unveiled more than $2 million in federal support through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency for seven businesses operating within Prince Edward Island’s technology sector.
“From education, to health care, to manufacturing and beyond, Island-based I.T. companies are making a significant impact in our economy by helping industries to improve processes, recruit talent, and fuel innovation,” remarked Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown.
Casey announced the news at a December event at The Foundry, a business incubator run by the PEI IT Alliance.
“Our government is proud to support this burgeoning, vibrant sector,” he added.
Among the supported companies is Discovery Garden, a software firm developing institutional repositories and digital collections for libraries, galleries, museums, and archives to organize and share digital assets.
“As a PEI-based software company of 25 employees, we’re proud that 100% of our sales are exported outside of Atlantic Canada,” chief executive officer Gerry Lawless stated.
“With ACOA’s support, we’re expanding beyond our traditional work with large academic institutions to make our solutions accessible to smaller organizations, helping us scale while contributing to the region’s export growth and success,” Lawless continued.
Other funding recipients include Iron Fox Games, Stemble Learning, Thinking Big, Tracktile, 3 Pie Squared, and Causable.
The government did not state how many jobs are expected to be created through the investments.
