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.

Museum Assistance Program - Exhibition Circulation Fund
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MAPAQ — Ministerial initiative Proximity — Component 2
- From $5,000 to $50,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

Northern Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative (NICFI) - Aquaculture Development
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Hosting Program - International Single Sport Events (ISSE)
- Up to 35% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Northern Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative (NICFI) - Expansion and Diversification
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Regional Defence Investment Initiative in Southern Ontario
- From $125,000 to $10,000,000
- Public administration

Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores
- From $10,000 to $150,000
- Up to 85% of project cost
- Retail trade

REGI — Business Scale-up and Productivity — CED (QC) — Not-for-profit
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries

Capitale-Innovation
- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Finance and insurance

Regional defence investment initiative (RDII) – Quebec
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Public administration

Indigenous and Stakeholder Capacity Fund - Regulatory Policy Dialogue
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Public administration

Visées program — Training
- Maximum amount : 8,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Indigenous and Stakeholder Capacity Fund - Engagement and Collaboration Support
- No Condition
- Utilities

Development program — Black and People of Colour stream
- From $15,000 to $37,500
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Acting to support growth
- Maximum amount : 270,000 $
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

REGI — Jobs and Growth Fund — CED (QC) — For profit
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)

Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy (CAS) - Union Training and Innovation (UTIP))
- No Condition
- Construction
- Manufacturing

Greater Montreal Climate Fund — 2025-2026 Call for projects
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

MAPAQ — Food Processing Program Component 3 — Food quality and safety management
- From $7,500 to $150,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Capitale-Commerce
- From $5,000 to $75,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

CELTIC-NEXT – Next Generation Communications Autumn 2025 call for proposals
- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

MAPAQ — Prime-Vert — Component 2
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Private sector support program for the deployment of public fast charging stations
- Maximum amount : 2,500,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Retail trade
- Accommodation and food services

Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grants
- From $200,000 to $1,500,000
- Up to 15% of project cost
- All industries

CQRDA — INNOV-R SME
- Maximum amount : 450,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
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Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) – Atlantic Canada
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade
- Transportation and warehousing
- Other services (except public administration)

FedNor — Regional Tariff Response Initiative
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Collaborative Industrial Research and Support to Innovative Entrepreneurship — Stream 1
- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Quebec
- From $100,000 to $1,000,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Call for innovation projects in artificial intelligence and quantum technologies – collaborative industrial research and support for entrepreneurship
- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 35% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Construction

Social Economy Support Fund
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Wood Innovation Program — Component 2
- From $200,000 to $1,000,000
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Wood Innovation Program - component 1
- From $200,000 to $2,500,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

Magazine — Aid to Publishers
- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Ontario Creates Magazine Fund — Diversity Enhancement Stream
- From $5,000 to $15,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

- From $2,500 to $40,000
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Indigenous Languages and Cultures Program — Northern Aboriginal Broadcasting
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Global Market Development Fund — Film and Television
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Canada Periodical Fund — Business Innovation
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Production program — French market budgets $3.5M+
- Maximum amount : 3,500,000 $
- Up to 49% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Digital Citizen Contribution Program (DCCP)
- Maximum amount : 380,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Global Market Development — IDM Fund
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Indigenous Forestry Initiative
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Global Market Development for Music Managers
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program
- No Condition
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

Production program — Indigenous stream
- Up to 30% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Global Market Development Fund – Book
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Universal Broadband Fund (UBF)
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Northern Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative (NICFI) - Harvester Training
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
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FedDev Ontario — Economic Development Initiative (Southern Ontario) — Not-For-Profit
- No Condition
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

FedDev — Funding for southern Ontario
- From $125,000 to $10,000,000
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance

Aquatic Habitat Restoration Fund (AHRF)
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Entrepreneurial grant
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Finance and insurance

Music management and publishing assistance
- Maximum amount : 120,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Northern Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative (NICFI) - Capacity Building (Business Development)
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

MAPAQ — Food Processing Program — Subcomponent 4.2 - Regional, sectoral and environmental challenges facing slaughterhouses and cheese dairies
- From $7,500 to $150,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Fabrication Process Development Challenge
- From $200,000 to $1,500,000
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Hosting Program - Canada Games
- No Condition
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Northern Scientific Training Program (NSTP)
- Maximum amount : 6,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

FAQDD — Écoemballage+ Stream 2
- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Accommodation and food services

Canada Arts Training Fund (CATF)
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Innovative Solutions Canada — Challenge Stream for innovators
- Maximum amount : 2,000,000 $
- All industries

PADAAR — Measure 4051 – Innovation and testing
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Pilot or capital projects in the field
- From $100,000 to $300,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Awareness and promotion projects
- From $10,000 to $75,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Promotional assistance for music and entertainment companies
- Maximum amount : 400,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

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

Youth Employment and Skills Program
- Maximum amount : 14,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

On-road Transportation Decarbonization — Demonstration Projects
- From $1,000,000 to $5,000,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Celebrate Canada Funding Program
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Accelerating to Zero Grant Program
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Utilities
- Construction
- Transportation and warehousing

Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP)
- No Condition
- Wholesale trade
- Retail trade
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Support program for economic development projects (PAPDE) — Component 2 : Support for the development of strategic sectors and regions
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 60% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
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Canada Media Fund (CMF) - Changing Narratives Fund (CNF)
- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries

Agricultural Clean Technology Program - Adoption Stream
- From $25,000 to $2,000,000
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Tourism Growth Program in Northern Ontario
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Up to 15% of project cost
- Accommodation and food services

Anti-Racism Action Program
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MT Lab — Project financing program — Component 1: Strategic support
- From $5,000 to $12,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Accommodation and food services

INVEST North Program — Investment — Grow Stream
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund – Shovel ready Stream
- Maximum amount : 100,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Transportation and warehousing
- Public administration

Abandoned Boats Program - Education, Awareness, and Research (EA&R) component
- No Condition
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Educational services

- Minimum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects
- From $500,000 to $1,500,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Financial assistance for infrastructure projects supporting the mining sector (ENIAM)
- From $100,000 to $1,000,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Transportation and warehousing
- Information and cultural industries

DEL — Expertise Financing Grant
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

MAPAQ — Food Processing Program — Component 1
- From $5,000 to $75,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Musicaction - Global Funding Envelope – Support Program
- Maximum amount : 600,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

PADAAR — Measure 4074 – Relief group
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

MT Lab — Project Financing Program — Component 2
- Maximum amount : 90,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Accommodation and food services

Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component
- Minimum amount : 500 $
- Up to 90% of project cost
- All industries

Airport Critical Infrastructure Program (ACIP)
- No Condition
- Transportation and warehousing

Regional partnership and digital transformation agreement for tourism 2022-2025 – Digital development of a company
- From $5,000 to $25,000
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Ecocamionnage Program — Technology acquisition component
- No Condition
- Transportation and warehousing

Movable Cultural Property Grants
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative (RHII) for Northern Ontario
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF)
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing
- Public administration

PME MTL — Industrial and sustainable development investment fund
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- All industries

CMF — Innovation & Experimentation Program
- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries