May 13, 2021 - Mississauga, Ontario
As Canadian businesses continue to deal with the impacts of COVID-19, the Government of Canada continues to support businesses to pivot to digitize and take advantage of e-commerce opportunities and automation. Investing in homegrown tech companies helps to keep Canada at the forefront of advanced technology and seize new opportunities as we navigate the realities of a more digitally-connected and automated society.
Signifi Solutions Inc. (Signifi), a woman-led developer and provider of automated retail solutions, is receiving a FedDev Ontario repayable contribution of nearly $2.4 million to scale up operations at its Mississauga facility.
As the demand for digital solutions and automated services increase as a result of the pandemic, Signifi is seizing opportunities for growth and providing these alternatives with its automatic dispensing solutions, used by major retailers to offer easier, contactless order pick-up. With FedDev Ontario support, Signifi will expand its capacity to manufacture these self-serve vending kiosks to meet growing domestic and global demand for safer shopping. The company will also implement new vertical automation equipment and adapt lean processes, optimizing its current production space to increase productivity.
Signifi expects to create 47 highly skilled jobs in management, finance, software development, control board assembly and engineering in Mississauga-more than doubling the size of its team. In addition, FedDev Ontario's investment will leverage an additional $7.1 million in private sector investment and increase spin-off benefits for vendors that are part of the local supply chain.
Quotes
"I am so proud to see local, woman-led companies, like Signifi Solutions, seize new opportunities as we navigate the reality of a virtually-connected society by scaling up its capabilities to better compete. With FedDev Ontario's investment, Signifi will add 47 highly-skilled jobs here in Mississauga and strengthen supply chain spending in southern Ontario."
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Malton
"FedDev Ontario's investment will allow Signifi Solutions to scale its capabilities in order to seize opportunities as the demand for automated shopping increases. With support through FedDev Ontario, Signifi will protect and create jobs, and stay the course to achieve long-term growth. Our Government is working hard to make the necessary investments to give Canadians jobs, help Canada build capacity and stay at the forefront of technology as we build back better."
- The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
"Project scale-up has allowed Signifi to move forward on plant upgrades and new hires that are critical for growth. Signifi is now able to execute on opportunities that would have not been possible without this support."
- Shamira Jaffer, Chief Executive Officer, Signifi Solutions Inc.
Quick facts
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Established in 2005, Signifi Solutions Inc. designs, engineers and integrates robotic-based dispensing kiosks, smart lockers and in-aisle loss prevention solutions for leading international and domestic telecommunication, transportation and retail clients.
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Signifi's automated solutions are used by brands, such as Best Buy, The Source, Office Depot, American Eagle, Hudson News and Canadian Tire to enable customers to securely purchase products and pick up online orders in remote or traditional retail locations.
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In 2019, FedDev Ontario invested $100,000 in Signifi Solutions Inc. through the Women Entrepreneurship Fund (WEF) to establish an Enterprise Resource Planning system, a health and safety program, an assembly and tooling area, and to set up new manufacturing and engineering processes.
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Canada's regional development agencies are on the ground helping businesses weather the effects of the pandemic. With the measures recently proposed in Budget 2021, FedDev Ontario continues to be a trusted partner to deliver targeted support in southern Ontario.
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Since November 2015, FedDev Ontario has invested over $88 million in 231 projects in Peel Region towards total project costs of over $177 million.
