Canada Digital Adoption Program

CDAP program header image with CDAP logo in the center, on the left, a smiling person sites at a computer, on the right a smiling person looks out of a window, the words Canada Digital Adoption Program appear at the far right, bottom corner

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How Canadians do business has changed. To stay competitive and grow, small and medium-sized businesses need to adopt new digital tools.

Pinnguaq is proud to partner with the Government of Canada as a delivery partner for The Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) – it can help get your business online, give your e-commerce presence a boost or help digitalize your business’s operations. CDAP provides funding and support to businesses, as well as training and work opportunities for young Canadians.

Pinnguaq is focused specifically on helping qualifying businesses in Nunavut successfully apply for, and receive, CDAP support.

Eligible Nunavut businesses may be reimbursed for up to $2,400 in digital and online commerce expenses.

Details

  • Must be operating in Nunavut.
  • Must be a for-profit business. Must have a Minimum of 1 employee other than the owner ( employee must be on payroll for a minimum of three months) OR at least $30,000 in revenue in the most recent tax year.
  • Must provide goods or services to the public (consumer facing- either already on line or with a store front or both).
  • Must commit to maintaining digital adoption strategy for six months after participation in the program.
  • Must consent to participating in follow-up surveys, sharing information with the Government of Canada (ISED and Statistics Canada), and having the name of the business published as a recipient of funding.

Contact Us!

If you have questions about this support for Nunavut businesses or would like help completing the application process outlined below, please contact us. We would be happy to assist you.

Contact details:

cdap@pinnguaq.com

If you have any questions about the Grow Your Business Online, please contact us at cdap@pinnguaq.com.

Application Process

  1. Fill out the application form (see below for link).
  2. Attach the required Documentation
    Please note: The Pinnguaq Association has the right to ask for additional documentation when deemed necessary. 
  3. Our team will get back to you within 2 weeks with a decision.

Small Business Eligibility Requirements

Applications can only be submitted by a small business that meets all of the following criteria:

  • Is a for-profit business (including for-profit social enterprises and co-operatives)
  • Is a registered or incorporated business
  • Is a consumer-facing business
  • Can be accessed by consumers or provides in-person services to consumers
  • Has at least one employee (other than the owner) OR at least $30,000 in revenue in the most recent tax year
  • Must commit to maintaining digital adoption strategy for six months after participation in the program
  • Must consent to participating in follow-up surveys, sharing information with the Government of Canada (ISED and Statistics Canada), and having the name of the business published as a recipient of funding

The following types of small businesses are ineligible:

  • Corporate chains, franchises or registered charities
  • Representatives of multi-level marketing companies
  • Real estate brokerages
  • Businesses that engage in online reselling or drop-shipping businesses reliant on third-party suppliers
  • Wholesale or distribution businesses and manufacturers (unless their business model includes direct sales to the end consumer)

Eligible costs* include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Costs related to the implementation or improvement of a digital e-commerce plan (e.g. online reservation/booking tools, online ordering systems, electronic payments)
  • Costs related to website search optimization
    • Note: plan cannot be used solely for website search optimization, it needs to be tied to overall eCommerce implementation plan, and not a standalone item
  • Costs related to the installation of an e-commerce platform (including subscription fees/costs);
  • Costs of back-office solutions to support an e-commerce strategy
  • Costs of social media advertising
    • Note: plan cannot be strictly social media advertising, it needs to be tied to overall eCommerce implementation plan, and not a standalone item
  • Costs related to the creation of customer databases
  • Hiring a consultant/agency to execute Digital Marketing initiatives related to your e-commerce store
  • Development of new e-commerce website
  • Upgrading existing eCommerce site for added functionality (i.e., new plugins, or features);
    • Please note redesign of an existing site is not eligible
  • E-commerce software including:
    • +Software to track and manage product inventory, as well as fulfill and ship orders,
    • Software for product databases
    • Software to track sales, market to customers, offer discounts, maintain a loyalty programs
    • Software to simplify marketing
    • Cyber Security software or certifications
  • Hardware and accompanying software up to 20% of total grant amount
    • As for examples of limited coverage for software, it would be any software that is bought with the equipment that is required to support an e-commerce strategy. For instance, if a small business buys a new e-commerce integrated point of sale (POS) system that costs $1,300 (including software), CDAP will cover 20% or $260.

* Please note all eligible costs must be directly tied to the sale of goods and services online (i.e. online reservations/ordering or chat bot function on website), and you will need to clearly outline this in your application.

Ineligible costs include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Costs of connectivity
  • Costs related to the shipping of goods purchased through the e-commerce platform
  • Purchases made prior to grant approval
  • Renewal of digital services such as domain name, software subscription etc.
    • This includes existing eCommerce subscriptions
  • Signage and printing
  • Logo redesign and rebranding
  • Business Owner’s salary or current employee salary for executing the project
  • Costs of land, building or vehicle purchase
  • Costs of intangible assets such a goodwill, whether capitalized or expensed
  • Depreciation or amortization expenses
  • Interest on invested capital, bonds, or debentures
  • Bond discount
  • Monthly mortgage, loan and/or rent payments
  • Refinancing of an existing debt
  • Losses on investments, bad debts, and any other debts
  • Fines or penalties
  • Costs related to litigation
  • Fees for administrators including payments to any member or officer of the Recipient’s Board of Directors
  • Opportunity costs
  • Hospitality and entertainment costs
  • Franchise fees and/or franchise license costs
  • Lobbyist fees
  • New capital expenditure
  • Consulting fees for submission of CDAP application or any costs not related to the acquisition or set up of technology solution

E-Commerce Advisors

Students trained by Pinnguaq Association will be made available to you, at no cost to your business,  to discuss options to improve your businesses digital business strategy. 

They can offer: 

A review of your current strategy and recommend ways to improve it.

Help you decide how to optimize your online presence with such tools as: Search Engine Optimization, digital marketing, social media use, uses of paid advertising and data analytics.

Apply Now

Please click below to access the application form.

Apply now