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 Beaharnois-Salaberry — Company succession
MRC Beauharnois-Salaberry- Max. $15,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

MRC Maskinongé — Business Succession
MRC de Maskinongé- Max. $15,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

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

Financial assistance for tourism festivals and events — Stream 4
Gouvernement du Québec- Max. $1,000,000
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent — Regional Support Fund for Social Programs (FRSPS)
MRC du Golfe du Saint Laurent- Max. $20,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Health care and social assistance
Discover how much grant funding is available for your business
Subsidize your projects with government financial aid
Use our free grant estimator to quickly identify the available grant amounts for which your company may be eligible.

Ambition-Compétences — Green Economy and Digital Transformation
Commission des partenaires du marché du travail (CPMT)- Up to 100% of project cost
- All industries

FAQDD — Ecological Transition Accelerator
Fonds d'action Québécois pour le développement durable (FAQDD)- From $50,000 to $250,000
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)

MRC Matawinie — Tourism Innovation and Development Fund
MRC de Matawinie- 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

Discovery Grants (individual) program
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Impulse-Skills program
Commission des partenaires du marché du travail (CPMT)- Up to 100% of project cost
- All industries

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

Open Innovation Subsidy Program for start-up companies
City of Montreal (MTL)- Max. $50,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing
- Information and cultural industries
- Health care and social assistance
- Accommodation and food services

MRC La Vallée-de-l’Or — Support Program for Events and Festivals
MRC La Vallée-de-l'Or- From $500 to $5,000
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Support for the apple-growing sector to improve profitability and agri-environmental practices
La Financière agricole (FADQ)- Max. $600,000
- Up to 6% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Financial assistance for tourism festivals and events — Stream 1
Gouvernement du Québec- Max. $1,000,000
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services
Download the official 2025 grants guide
Access key insights to maximize your funding opportunities
Understand the different funding programs and find the best options for your business.

Tourisme Baie-James — EPRTNT – Festivals and events
Tourisme Baie-James- Max. $50,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Regions and Rurality Fund (RRF) - Component 2 - Support for local and regional development skills
Gouvernement du Québec- No Condition
- All industries

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

PADAAR — Measure 4078 – Support for membership of a cooperative for the use of agricultural equipment (CUMA) and a cooperative for the replacement of agricultural labor
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ)- From $1,000 to $4,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

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

Research Partnerships
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

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

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

MRC Les Appalaches — FRR Part 3
MRC des Appalaches- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Public administration

PrairiesCan — Regional Economic Growth through Innovation — Business Scale-Up and Productivity
Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan)- From $200,000 to $5,000,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries

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

Applied Research and Development Grants — Industrial Partner
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)- Max. $150,000
- All industries

Research in priority areas
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)- Up to 25% of project cost
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

La Ruche — FMC+
La Ruche- From $10,000 to $50,000
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Tourism Innovation Program — Stream 1 - Call for proposals to support the development of innovative solutions
MT Lab- Max. $150,000
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services
Discover how much grant funding is available for your business
Subsidize your projects with government financial aid
Use our free grant estimator to quickly identify the available grant amounts for which your company may be eligible.

MTRIC — SI2TEC – Feasibility Studies
Metal Transformation Research and Innovation Consortium (MTRIC)- Max. $75,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing

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

Tourisme Baie-James — EPRTNT – Attractions, activities and facilities
Tourisme Baie-James- From $5,000 to $200,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

MRC Arthabaska — Futurpreneur Canada
MRC Arthabaska- Max. $60,000
- All industries

MRC De la Côte-de-Gaspé - Investment support fund
MRC de La Côte-de-Gaspé- From $10,000 to $10,000
- Up to 20% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Construction

MRC Charlevoix-Est — Intercultural Projects
MRC Charlevoix-Est- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MRC Joliette — Business Assistance Fund (FAE) – Stream 3
MRC de Joliette (CDÉJ)- Max. $3,000
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

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

PROMPT — GHG reduction – Academic component
PROMPT- Max. $1,500,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP) — Alberta
Genome Alberta- From $100,000 to $2,000,000
- Up to 33% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
Download the official 2025 grants guide
Access key insights to maximize your funding opportunities
Understand the different funding programs and find the best options for your business.

Visées program — Training
Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM)- Max. $8,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Digital Shift Support Fund
Promotion Saguenay- Max. $35,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Employment stabilization
Gouvernement du Québec- Max. $6,500
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

MRC de Mékinac — FRR Stream 2
MRC de Mékinac- Max. $50,000
- Up to 67% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Retail trade
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

The Quantum Technologies innovation funding program
PROMPT- Max. $1,500,000
- Up to 35% of project cost
- Professional, scientific and technical services

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

Prix innovation en alimentation
Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Québec (CTAQ)- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

Environmentally responsible production, dissemination, promotion and consolidation or resource-pooling
Conseil des arts de Montréal- Max. $30,000
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MRC Joliette — Technology and Digital Transition Fund (FTTN) – Stream 1
MRC de Joliette (CDÉJ)- Max. $1,500
- Up to 20% of project cost
- All industries

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

MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent — Support Fund for Structuring Projects (FSPS)
MRC du Golfe du Saint Laurent- Max. $35,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

SODEC — Assistance for businesses in the arts and crafts sector — Stream 1
Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC)- Max. $35,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MRC de D’Autray — Support program for emerging business projects
MRC de D'Autray- Max. $15,000
- Up to 80% of project cost
- All industries

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

MRC La Vallée-de-l’Or — Regions and Rurality Fund – Component 3 – Market Gardening Program
MRC La Vallée-de-l'Or- Max. $150,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Discover how much grant funding is available for your business
Subsidize your projects with government financial aid
Use our free grant estimator to quickly identify the available grant amounts for which your company may be eligible.

Musicaction — Musical Showcases – Stream 1 - National Showcase
Musicaction- Max. $15,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MRC Deux-Montagnes — Regional and Rural Fund (FRR) – Stream 3
MRC Deux-Montagnes- Max. $250,000
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

MRC Marguerite-D'Youville — Business Support Fund – Stream 1
MRC de Marguerite-D'Youville- Max. $6,000
- Up to 10% of project cost
- All industries

MRC Les Moulins — Futurpreneur Canada
MRC Les Moulins- Max. $20,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

Creating, Knowing and Sharing — Short-Term Projects
Canada Council for the Arts (CCA)- Max. $100,000
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MRC Beaharnois-Salaberry — Rio Tinto Alcan Diversification Fund
MRC Beauharnois-Salaberry- Max. $100,000
- Up to 40% of project cost
- All industries

MRC Beaharnois-Salaberry — Propulsion Funds
MRC Beauharnois-Salaberry- Max. $20,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- All industries

Financial assistance for tourism festivals and events — Stream 2
Gouvernement du Québec- Max. $750,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

MTRIC — PSO Large companies
Metal Transformation Research and Innovation Consortium (MTRIC)- From $200,000 to $1,500,000
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Manufacturing

MRC L'Islet — Support fund for creative caravans
MRC de L'Islet- Max. $100,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
Download the official 2025 grants guide
Access key insights to maximize your funding opportunities
Understand the different funding programs and find the best options for your business.