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.

Job Creation Partnerships (JCP)
- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Public administration

Sustainable New Agri-Food Products & Productivity Program — New Products
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

Enhancement of Official Languages Program
- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Community Initiatives Program (CIP) - Operating Grant
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

REGI — Regional Innovation Ecosystems — CED (QC) — Not-for-profit
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)

United Way Winnipeg - Organizational Development Grants
- No Condition
- All industries

Affordable Housing Renovation Program
- Maximum amount : 575,000 $
- Up to 45% of project cost
- Real estate and rental and leasing

Community, Youth and Cultural Funding Program - Operating Grants
- No Condition
- All industries

Innovation PEI Small Business Assistance
- Maximum amount : 4,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

OAC — Visual arts, media arts and crafts: French-speaking self-managed artist organizations and centers – operation
- No Condition
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

New Entrant Farm Business Accelerator Program (NEFBA)
- Maximum amount : 3,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Community Initiatives Program (CIP) - Project Based
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Workforce Development Program
- No Condition
- All industries

Resiliency Grant Program
- From $250,000 to $500,000
- All industries

Arts Across Canada — Arts Festivals and Presenters
- Up to 60% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- All industries

- No Condition
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Capital Assistance – Stream 1: Restoration of heritage assets
- Maximum amount : 20,000,000 $
- Up to 60% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Public administration

- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- All industries

Public Voice Fund
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Other services (except public administration)

Made in Saskatchewan Technology Program (MIST)
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

TAO — TAC Accessibility Grant
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Territorial and sectoral development program — Stream 1.2
- From $5,000 to $300,000
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

- Maximum amount : 450,000 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Finance and insurance

Aide financière aux festivals et aux événements touristiques - Stream 3: Development and growth
- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
- All industries
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Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security Program (MINDS))
- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Public administration

Protein Industries Canada — Capacity Building
- From $50,000 to $150,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

ID Gatineau — Business Support Fund
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Élan Madeleine Féquière Scholarship
- Maximum amount : 2,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Consolidating the entrepreneurial life cycle in the ecological transition
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Educational services

Business Development Program (BDP)
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Other services (except public administration)

MRC La Côte-de-Beaupré — Young Promoters Fund (FJP)
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Saskatchewan Lean Improvements in Manufacturing (SLIM)
- Maximum amount : 750,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

CBDC Entrepreneurial Opportunities Program (EOP)
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- All industries

ISO/Netflix Indigenous Production Apprenticeships and Cultural Mentorships Grant
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Agriculture Development Fund
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Firesmart Community Grants Program (FCGP)
- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Public administration

Social economy support program (PSES) – Stream 1: Specialized support for social economy enterprises
- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

thriveFORWARD
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

MLSE Foundation - Community Spaces
- No Condition
- All industries

Early Child Development
- No Condition
- All industries

Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) Small
- Maximum amount : 125,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Indigenous Strategy
- No Condition
- All industries

Ministerial initiative for the remuneration of agri-environmental practices (RPA)
- From $1,500 to $50,000
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Child & Youth Diabetes
- No Condition
- All industries

Food Security and Supply Chain Fund
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

Agriculture Awareness Initiative Program (AAIP)
- From $250 to $50,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

STIP — Local Road Bridge Program
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing

Coast Funds - Stewardship Operations Funding
- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- All industries
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PrairiesCan — Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative (ARRI)
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- All industries

Renter Services Grants
- From $5,000 to $50,000
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Financial assistance program for the development of active transportation in urban areas (TAPU)
- Maximum amount : 3,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services
- Public administration

Coast Funds - Stewardship Project Funding
- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- All industries

Special Opportunity Grants Program
- No Condition
- All industries

Irrigation Program — Irrigation Development Program
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 67% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Biology Casework Analysis Contribution Program (BCACP)
- Maximum amount : 36,702,835 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Public administration

Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Building Economic Development Capacity
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- All industries

Community - Store Giving Program
- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)

Operate - Sustain
- Maximum amount : 550,000 $
- All industries

Toronto Arts Council - Strategic Funding Programs
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Childcare Program Development Grants
- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

CALQ — Travel
- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Manitoba Climate Action Fund (CAF)
- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Utilities
- Construction
- Manufacturing

- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 60% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Première Ovation - Visual Arts, Media Arts, and Crafts
- No Condition
- All industries

Big Future Innovation Grant
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- All industries

MEDTEQ+ — Call for Projects – FEMTECH
- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 20% of project cost
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance

MRC de Bonaventure — Financial support for businesses
- No Condition
- All industries

Agriculture Wildlife Program (AWP)
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Efficiency Nova Scotia — Commercial New Construction
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- All industries

Economic Trust of the Southern Interior BC (ETSI-BC) - Supporting Business Resilience & Growth
- No Condition
- All industries

Community Initiatives Fund - Summer Grants
- Maximum amount : 7,500 $
- All industries

NGen — Advanced Manufacturing Homebuilding Challenge
- No Condition
- Manufacturing
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Plant Your Roots Program — Commercial Farm Purchases
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Creating, Knowing and Sharing — Indigenous Organizations
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 60% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Regional development agencies: COVID-19 support
- No Condition
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Strategic Initiatives Grants
- No Condition
- All industries

Charitable Gaming Grants
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

CleanBC — Go Electric Other Rebates
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Première Ovation - Music
- No Condition
- All industries

Community Initiatives Program (CIP) - Project-Based Grants
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- All industries

Development program — Prequalified stream
- Maximum amount : 125,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Advancing Canada’s Engagement in Horizon Europe
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Energy Innovation Program — Clean Fuels Call for Proposals
- From $500,000 to $10
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Utilities
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Other services (except public administration)

- From $2,500 to $150,000
- Health care and social assistance

CALQ — Promotion and awareness-raising
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Springboard Grant
- From $1,000 to $10,000
- All industries

- No Condition
- Utilities

Social economy support program (PSES) – Stream 2
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Transportation and warehousing

PacifiCan — Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative — Indigenous Stream
- No Condition
- Manufacturing

Dutton Dunwich-West Elgin Community Grants
- No Condition
- All industries

CanNor — IDEANorth
- Maximum amount : 6,000,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

Help for community media operations
- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Celebrate Prince George Community Grant
- From $5,000 to $10,000
- All industries
Manitoba Mineral Development Fund
- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

AFA — Theatre Individual Project Funding
- Maximum amount : 18,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

- Maximum amount : 3,000,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

AFA — Literary Individual Project Funding
- Maximum amount : 18,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation