Entrepreneurs, Business Thriving in Nova Scotia, Op-ed

NOTE: The following is an op-ed piece from Economic and Rural Development Minister Percy Paris.

Now that the warm weather is here, and vacations are on the horizon, it can be easy to put business on the back burner. But that's not the case this summer in Nova Scotia.

Our businesses are thriving, and being recognized for their innovations and competitiveness. That's why I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the hard-working and dedicated entrepreneurs who have much to celebrate.

From major international acquisitions, such as Ocean Nutrition and GoInstant, to prestigious award winners, such as Two if By Sea, these success stories prove that Nova Scotia builds world-class businesses that can compete anywhere.

We planted the seeds for economic growth in jobsHere, the plan to grow our economy, and I think the results speak for themselves.

Most recently, Halifax-based shared web-browsing solution developer GoInstant was acquired by cloud-computing giant Salesforce.com. This will enable GoInstant to double its 14-person team by year end.

A proposal to develop a roastery for ethically bought, locally roasted coffee has earned Two If By Sea Café the coveted $100,000 BDC Grand Prize for Innovation. As a result, the company is moving full steam ahead on this project, which will include building a coffee lab and hiring more staff.

In May, Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd. was sold to a Dutch firm for $540 million. The agreement is expected to grow the company's Dartmouth operation, while giving Nova Scotia products access to new international markets.

Nova Scotia is proud to have played a role in each of these success stories. Through Innovacorp, GoInstant received a $100,000 investment, while Two If By Sea received start-up loans from the provincially and federally funded Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development (CEED). Since 1997, Ocean Nutrition received incubation support from Innovacorp, and more than $40 million in investments through Nova Scotia Business Inc. and the province.

These results give us plenty of reasons to be excited about the potential here in Nova Scotia. Each time one of our businesses is recognized, it adds value to our industries and accelerates our economic growth.

I believe this is just the beginning, and I'm looking forward to even more good news from Nova Scotia businesses in the near future.