Enterprise Saskatchewan

The Canada-Saskatchewan Western Economic Partnership Agreement (WEPA) is a four-year, $50-million federal/provincial agreement designed to encourage economic development and growth in the Saskatchewan economy. Signed in January 2009, this agreement is administered through Western Economic Diversification Canada and Enterprise Saskatchewan. This agreement replaces the former five-year, $50-million WEPA that expired in 2008. Through joint federal and provincial support, WEPA provides funding for projects that build and sustain economic growth and opportunity in Saskatchewan through the following strategic theme areas:

• Business Productivity and Competitiveness: Includes investments to increase small- and medium-sized business productivity; increase export readiness; assist in business growth and viability; and strengthen national and international competitiveness of Saskatchewan business.
• Technology Commercialization: Includes investments to increase collaboration with local research institutions to successfully develop, commercialize, market and distribute technologies, products and services; or enhance industry or community capacity to invest in technologies, products and services to improve industry or community adoption and commercialization of new technologies, products or services.
• Community and Regional Development and Diversification: Increase the capacity of Saskatchewan communities to implement strategies that promote sustainable development; create greater collaboration and integration between and among government and communities; increase investment and business opportunities; or increase the economic infrastructure for the further development of leading industries, including internationally significant tourism initiatives.
• Trade and Investment: Increase national and international awareness of Saskatchewan products and services.

Eligible applicants must be:

• Legal entities and include non-profit organizations; post-secondary institutions, hospitals or regional health care centres engaged in research; or other provincial agencies or legal entities created by the provincial government.
• Any organization, agency, university or group that requires funding for a project, which would have a measurable impact on the economic development of the province.

 Individual commercial businesses or commercial activities will not be eligible for support.