Business Financing in Canada
Funding is a crucial element for any business looking to start, grow, or innovate. In addition to traditional options such as bank loans or relying on investors, there is a frequently underestimated alternative: grants. This detailed guide explores the various sources of grants available, as well as the financial services and sustainable funding strategies for businesses in Canada. By following the outlined steps, entrepreneurs can identify grants suited to their projects, whether they are government programs, innovation funds, or initiatives specifically targeting certain sectors. Grants are an advantageous solution, often non-repayable, allowing businesses to fund their projects without resorting to debt.

MRC de Thérèse de Blainville — Social Economy and Sustainable Development Business Development Fund
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Artists in Communities program
- No Condition
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Musicaction — National collective promotion
- Maximum amount : 400,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Trois-Rivières — Universal accessibility to commercial and service establishments
- Maximum amount : 7,500 $
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Retail trade
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Financial assistance for tourism festivals and events — Stream 3
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Support fund for the development of tourism offers
- From $25,000 to $60,000
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

MRC La Côte-de-Beaupré — Event Fund
- Maximum amount : 3,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

MRC des Chenaux — Young Promoters Fund
- Maximum amount : 11,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

APCHQ — Affordable Housing Fund: New Construction - Community Housing Sub-Stream
- Up to 95% of project cost
- Health care and social assistance

Tourism Growth Program (TGP) — Quebec
- From $60,000 to $250,000
- Up to 15% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Laval Économique — Business Launch Fund
- From $5,000 to $25,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Call for Projects on the Procurement & Conditioning of Forest Biomass for Bioenergy Production
- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

MRC Beauce-Centre — Créavenir
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- All industries

PSO-Biofood II – 144th call for projects
- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 27% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

- From $15,000 to $37,500
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Developing Medicines through Open Science (DMOS)
- Maximum amount : 1,600,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance

MRC Collines-de-l'Outaouais — FRR Stream 3
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

MRC L'Islet — Support Fund for Cultural Initiatives (FAIC)
- Maximum amount : 6,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

SODEXPORT — Component 4: International relations
- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund – Indigenous Grants
- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Transportation and warehousing

MRC Pontiac — FRR Stream 2
- No Condition
- All industries

MRC Les Moulins — Social Economy Enterprise Fund
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 20% of project cost
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Sustainable Development Support Program for Mining Sector Companies — Stream A
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

Energy Performance Program
- No Condition
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Roulez vert — Home charging station
- From $600 to $600
- Transportation and warehousing
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Digital Shift Support Fund
- Maximum amount : 35,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

MRC Les Appalaches — Proximity services fund
- No Condition
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Explore – Second Language Program
- From $2,760 to $3,850
- Educational services

Small Business BC — Workplace Accessibility Grant
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- All industries

MAPAQ — Supporting the development of greenhouse businesses
- From $100,000 to $600,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

eCommerce North Innovator Challenge
- From $1,500 to $1,500
- Retail trade
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services
- Other services (except public administration)

MRC Joliette — Technology and Digital Transition Fund (FTTN) – Stream 1
- Maximum amount : 1,500 $
- Up to 20% of project cost
- All industries

SODEXPORT – Component 2.2 : Support for touring music and variety shows abroad
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MRC Beaharnois-Salaberry — Support for local vitalization projects
- No Condition
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Discovery Grants (individual) program
- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

MRC Abitibi-Ouest — Social Economy Fund
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Grant program for Old Saint-Eustache
- Maximum amount : 42,500 $
- Up to 33% of project cost
- Retail trade
- Accommodation and food services
- Other services (except public administration)

MRC du Rocher-Percé — Investment Fund (FLI) and Local Solidarity Fund (FLS)
- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

FAQDD — Ecological Transition Accelerator
- From $50,000 to $250,000
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)

MRC La Haute-Côte-Nord — Business support (PSE)
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

MRC Matawinie — Tourism Innovation and Development Fund
- From $2,000 to $25,000
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

FAQDD — Sustainable destination and concerted action - Component 1 - Support for participatory and concerted destination planning to promote responsible, sustainable tourism adapted to the context of climate change
- No Condition
- All industries

Programme d’habitation abordable Québec - Volet 1 : Projets pour ménages à revenu faible ou modeste
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Real estate and rental and leasing
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Public administration

MRC La Matanie — FLI Succession Stream
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Retail trade
- Accommodation and food services

- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- All industries

MTRIC — INNOV-R
- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Manufacturing

- From $50,000 to $10,000,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent — Business support policy
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Retail trade
- Accommodation and food services
- Public administration

MRC L'Islet — Youth Initiative Fund (YIF)
- From $2 to $5,000
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MRC Beauce-Sartigan — Créavenir program
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- All industries
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Flat-rate grant: businesses in sectors affected by major works
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Retail trade
- Real estate and rental and leasing
- Accommodation and food services
- Other services (except public administration)

Tourism Industry Recovery Assistance Program (TIRAP)
- From $500,000 to $5,000,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

MRC Charlevoix — Social Economy Business Development Fund (FDEÉS)
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Health care and social assistance

Innovation in Quantum Technologies — Stream 4
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

PARESAU – Component 1 : Supporting strategic companies in their search for solutions
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- All industries

Musicaction — International Commercialization – Stream 1 Exploring a Target Market
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MRC Témiscamingue — Fund YOUR SME
- Maximum amount : 3,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Retail trade

MRC Rivière-du-Loup — Succession Fund
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 5% of project cost
- All industries

Innovation program — Call for mobilizing projects on the development of tomorrow's transport technologies
- From $4 to $10,000,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing

MRC Beauce-Centre — Business succession
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

MRC Les Basques — Business Assistance Fund / FDE
- No Condition
- All industries

MRC Charlevoix-Est — Watercourses
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent — Community Support Fund (CSF)
- No Condition
- All industries

Program authorizing the financing of the operating deficit of certain low-income housing projects
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Real estate and rental and leasing
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Tourism Innovation Program — Stream 1 - Call for proposals to support the development of innovative solutions
- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Financial assistance for tourism festivals and events — Stream 1
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

REGI — Jobs and Growth Fund — CED (QC) — Indigenous stream
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Health care and social assistance

Indigenous Languages Program - Indigenous Languages Component - Multi-distinction and Indigenous Urban Organizations languages projects
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

SODEC — Assistance for businesses in the arts and crafts sector — Stream 1
- Maximum amount : 35,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Remote First Nations Energy-Efficiency Program
- No Condition
- Utilities
- Construction

Digital Museums Canada — Community Stories
- From $25,000 to $25,000
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Canada Music Fund - Individual Initiatives
- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MRC Maskinongé — Social Economy Fund (ES)
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Financial support for northern initiatives
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

New Horizons for Seniors Program
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
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MRC Abitibi-Ouest — Digital Transition Fund
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade
- Retail trade

Genomics Innovation to Commercialization Program
- From $300,000 to $900,000
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

MRC L’Île-d’Orléans — Regions and Rurality Fund
- Maximum amount : 35,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

MRC Joliette — Assistance fund for the establishment and start-up of structuring companies (FAIDES)
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 3% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

MRC Les Etchemins — Call for projects: Signature innovation
- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

"Artère en transformation" : Subsidy for businesses
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Retail trade

Energy Affordability Program
- No Condition
- All industries

MRC Bécancour — Business Support Fund (BSF)
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Accommodation and food services
- Other services (except public administration)

MRC L'Islet — Sectoral agreement for the development of culture in Chaudière-Appalaches
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Information and cultural industries

MRC Charlevoix-Est — Support for Structuring Projects
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Public administration

SODEXPORT — Component 2.1: Support for business opportunities and promotion abroad
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Ontario Agri-food Research Initiative (OAFRIP)
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Rural Vitality Fund – Automation and Digital Practices
- From $1,000 to $5,000
- Up to 10% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

MRC Caniapiscau — Support for self-employment (STA)
- No Condition
- All industries

Grant for the renovation of facades facing a commercial artery
- From $20,000 to $50,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
- All industries

MRC Fjord-du-Saguenay — Entrepreneurship assistance and support fund (FASE)
- From $15,000 to $75,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade
- Retail trade

Laval économique — Tech shift – Manufacturing
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program (AEP) — Access to Capital
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- All industries

- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

MRC Charlevoix — Support Fund for Start-up and Expansion
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Grow the Herd Pilot Program
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 5% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Nunavut Filmmakers Funding — Market Endowment Program
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Renewable Natural Gas Production Support Program — Stream 2
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities

Musicaction — National marketing – Stream 2 - Stage activities
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation