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.

Strategic Funds and Initiatives — Market Access Strategy
- Maximum amount : 60,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Supporting Artistic Practice — Support Organizations
- Up to 60% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Arts Across Canada — Representation and Promotion
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Market Development Program for Turkey and Chicken
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Accommodation and food services

Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk (CNFASAR)
- From $50,000 to $1,000,000
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)

CFIN — Innovation Scouting Fund
- From $20,000 to $75,000
- Up to 60% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade
- Retail trade
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Subsidy for universal access to businesses
- Maximum amount : 40,000 $
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Retail trade

FAQDD — Returnable Container Recycling Equipment Modernization Program
- From $7,500 to $7,500
- Up to 65% of project cost
- Retail trade

Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Bioénergies — Analysis
- No Condition
- Manufacturing

Call for projects to combat homophobia and transphobia
- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project loans
- From $500,000 to $500,000
- Up to 15% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Bioénergies — Implementation
- Maximum amount : 5,000,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Educational services

Energir — Energy efficiency program – Efficient Renovation
- From $500 to $100,000
- Up to 15% of project cost
- All industries

ÉcoPerformance — Standard Analysis Stream
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Green Industrial Facilities and Manufacturing Program — Energy Efficiency Solutions Track
- Maximum amount : 20 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Support program for the development of reserved designations and promotional terms — Component 1
- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

ESSOR – Component 1A: Support for investment projects (feasibility studies)
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade
- Retail trade
- Transportation and warehousing

MEDTEQ+ — AVISÉ program
- Maximum amount : 700,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance

Digital Transformation Offensive program (OTN) — Stream 2 – Optimization
- Minimum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Innovation program — Call for First-time Adopter Projects
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Up to 60% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

LogisVert — Financial assistance for installers
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Construction

Maritime, Air, and Rail Transportation Efficiency Program - Studies Component
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing

AgroPerformance – Stream 1 : Support for the agricultural sector in adopting agritechnologies
- From $5,000 to $50,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
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Accelerating the local climate transition - Component 1
- Maximum amount : 350,000 $
- Public administration

My Digital Success
- Maximum amount : 15,750 $
- All industries

Quebec Initiative for Construction 4.0 — Stream 2
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Construction

SIF — Collaborations and Networks projects
- No Condition
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Arts Abroad — Circulation and Touring
- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Aboriginal Business Financing Program - Private Project
- Maximum amount : 99,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- All industries

- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Health care and social assistance

Starter Company Plus
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

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

Regional Development Program — Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness (AMIC)
- From $500,000 to $1,500,000
- Up to 15% of project cost
- Manufacturing

CED — Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries

Artificial Intelligence for Canadian Energy Innovation
- From $500,000 to $1,500,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Call for collaborative and structuring innovation projects in Quebec's strategic sectors
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 35% of project cost
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Information and cultural industries

LTI³ Project
- Maximum amount : 28,500 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing

Economic Development & Growth in Employment (EDGE) Incentive Program
- From $3,000,000 to $10,000,000
- Up to 77% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Innovative Projects Program
- Maximum amount : 12,000,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade

Forest Innovation Program
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

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

Technoclimat
- Maximum amount : 3,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Utilities
- Construction
- Manufacturing

Support program for positioning Quebec alcohol in the SAQ network
- Maximum amount : 1,950,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Accommodation and food services

NovaScience Program — Support for employment in research and innovation
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance

Court Challenges Program (CCP)
- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Funding for customized AI training
- From $5,000 to $1,000,000
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Addressing Racism and Discrimination in Canada’s Health Systems Program
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime (CPCSOC)
- Maximum amount : 20,000,000 $
- Up to 95% of project cost
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration
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ÉcoPerformance — Standard Implementation stream
- Maximum amount : 5,000,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Novoclimat — Construction professionals — Small Multiple-Unit Buildings
- No Condition
- Construction
- Real estate and rental and leasing

Canada Cultural Investment Fund - Endowment Incentives
- From $5,000 to $1,500,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Energir — Energy efficiency program - Efficient construction
- From $5,000 to $325,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Utilities
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Educational services

Capital project: Community Energy Systems
- Maximum amount : 10,000,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Utilities
- Construction
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Public administration

MAPAQ — Ministerial initiative Proximity — Component 1
- From $7,000 to $50,000
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Enbridge Gas Quebec — Custom-made project
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Utilities
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade

Advancing Accessibility Standards Research
- No Condition
- Transportation and warehousing
- Information and cultural industries
- Finance and insurance
- Public administration

Biofood Innovation Program Component 2 – Applied research, experimental development and technological adaptation
- From $25,000 to $254,000
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

Healthy Eating Program Component 2 – Support for the development and modification of the nutritional value of processed foods
- From $10,000 to $150,000
- Up to 60% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Abandoned Boats Program - Assessment and Removals (A&R) component
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Public administration

Energir — Energy efficiency program – Feasibility study
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Accommodation and food services

African Swine Fever Industry Preparedness Program (ASFIPP) - Prevention and Preparedness Stream
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

Canada Council for the Arts —
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Aboriginal Community Safety Development Contribution Program (ACSDCP)
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Public administration

Commerce-Montreal
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Retail trade
- Accommodation and food services

Healthy Eating Program Component 3 – Support for activities and structural projects
- From $40,000 to $300,000
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

Supporting the Canadian Red Cross' Urgent Relief Efforts Related to COVID-19, Floods and Wildfires
- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Energir — Energy efficiency program – Implementation of efficiency measures
- From $1,000 to $1,000,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Charge+
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing
- Public administration

Indigenous and Stakeholder Capacity Fund - Indigenous Capacity Support
- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Utilities

Small Craft Harbours Abandoned and Wrecked Vessels Removal Program
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

International Climate Cooperation Program (ICCP)
- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

SODEC — Support for promotion and distribution – Component 1b
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

FABconstruction – Stream 2 : Support for productivity enhancement
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Construction
- Manufacturing
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FAQDD — Action-Climat Quebec
- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Youth Take Charge
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Community Resilience Fund (CRF)
- Maximum amount : 35,000,000 $
- Up to 95% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Grants and Contributions Program to National Voluntary Organizations (GCP NVO)
- Maximum amount : 600,000 $
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

FABconstruction – Stream 1 : Business process analysis and action plan
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Construction
- Manufacturing

Communities at Risk, Security Infrastructure Program (SIP)
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Financial support to assess your energy use Hydro Quebec
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Utilities
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade

Qualifying training in the workplace
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- All industries

AgroPerformance – Stream 2 : Support for specific agricultural sectors in adopting priority equipment
- From $5,000 to $50,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Memorial Grant Program for First Responders
- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Health care and social assistance
- Public administration

Aboriginal Aquatic Resource And Oceans Management (AAROM) Program
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Support for music and variety companies — Component 2: Support for management activities and Component 3: Para-industrial sector - Project support
- No Condition
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program - Collaborative R&D Initiatives
- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Public administration

Indigenous Intellectual Property Program (IIPP) — Project Stream
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Competitiveness and Environment Program - Component 1
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 60% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing

Regional Defence Investment Initiative – Northern Ontario
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries

- From $100,000 to $350,000
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Health care and social assistance

Renewable Natural Gas Production Support Program — Stream 1
- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities

FedNor Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative
- No Condition
- All industries

EnAbling Change Program
- No Condition
- All industries

Financial Assistance Program for the Promotion of French – Stream 1
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Wholesale trade
- Retail trade
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Collaborative Industrial Research and Support to Innovative Entrepreneurship — Stream 3
- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR)
- Maximum amount : 6,250,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Public administration

Financial Assistance Program for the Promotion of French – stream 2
- Maximum amount : 125,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- All industries

MTRIC — PARTENAR-IA — Industry
- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 35% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Manufacturing