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.

Cultural Heritage Initiatives Program
- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

PEI — Business Development Program
- No Condition
- All industries

Quebec Housing Industry Development Program (PADIQH)
- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Up to 66.67% of project cost
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

PAC and DPAC Grants - for Parent Advisory Councils
- No Condition
- All industries

- Maximum amount : 8,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

The Heritage Community Improvement Plan Program
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Construction
- Real estate and rental and leasing
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Other Initiatives Program (OIP)
- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Participant Funding Program
- No Condition
- All industries

Alberta Innovates — Micro Voucher Program
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Professional, scientific and technical services

BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund (BCMJF)
- From $100,000 to $10,000,000
- Up to 20% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Local Supplier Food Safety Support Pilot Program
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade
- Retail trade

Canada-Alberta Job Grant (CAJG)
- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- All industries

- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

OAC — Media arts – French-language projects
- Maximum amount : 40,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Targeted Labour Market Programs
- No Condition
- Educational services

Évolution-Compétences — Innovation and knowledge component
- Up to 100% of project cost
- All industries

- Maximum amount : 80,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) — Special Calls Stream
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance

Grant for seniors to pay municipal taxes
- No Condition
- All industries

Summer Employment Opportunities (SEO) Program
- Maximum amount : 3,741 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services
- Public administration

Programme de bibliothèque de recherche
- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Nunavut Filmmakers Funding — Creative Content Development Fund
- Maximum amount : 22,500 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Workforce Training and Employment — Wage Subsidy
- No Condition
- All industries

General Class Contribution Program
- Maximum amount : 3,000,000 $
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Business Development Support Program
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Other services (except public administration)
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- From $20,000 to $150,000
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

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

Heritage Legacy Fund (HLF) - Heritage Conservation Program
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

NRCAN — National Energy Systems Modelling
- From $300,000 to $1,000,000
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Utilities
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

STEP Market Access Program
- From $1,000 to $10,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Northwest Territories Tourism Training Fund
- Maximum amount : 6,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services
- Other services (except public administration)

Heritage Legacy Fund (HLF) - Heritage Planning Program
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

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

Data standardization support program
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

CanNor Jobs and Growth Fund — Indigenous stream
- Up to 100% of project cost
- All industries

Judaic Studies & Cultural Programming Grants
- No Condition
- All industries

Ontario Trillium Foundation – Resilient Communities Fund
- From $10,000 to $200,000
- All industries

CBDC Business Valuation and Succession Planning
- Maximum amount : 7,500 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- All industries

Heritage Legacy Fund (HLF) - Indigenous Partnership Program
- Maximum amount : 7,500 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

ECHO Foundation — Mental health
- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Record in BC
- From $20,000 to $30,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

AFA — Film and Video Arts Scholarship
- Maximum amount : 7,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Heritage Legacy Fund (HLF) - Heritage Awareness Program
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Ontario Trillium Foundation - Capital Grants
- From $10,000 to $200,000
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Organic Industry Development - Implementation of Strategic Initiatives
- Maximum amount : 60,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Programs for Major Arts, Cultural and Agricultural Fairs Festivals - Festivals Program
- No Condition
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

CMF — Digital Creators Pilot Program
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Supply Management Processing Investment Fund (SMPIF)
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Peak Rebate Program
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- All industries
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Programs for major arts, cultural festivals and agricultural fairs – Program for fairs
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Commercial Temporary Importations
- No Condition
- All industries

Clean Transportation System — Research and Development (CTS-RD) Program
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing

Agri-Food Supply Chain Resiliency Analysis Stream
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

Experience Ontario 2025
- Maximum amount : 125,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

PacifiCan — Jobs and Growth Fund — Indigenous Stream
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Assistance program for setting up offices in Old Saint-Jean
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Civil Remedies Grant Program
- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- All industries

MRC Joliette — Business Assistance Fund (FAE) – Stream 2
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Protein Industries Canada — Strengthening the Canadian Supply Chain Program
- From $50,000 to $150,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

Indigenous and Northern Initiatives Fund
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- All industries

Energy Innovation Program — Clean Fuels and Industrial Fuel Switching
- No Condition
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing

CMF — Indigenous Program
- Maximum amount : 750,000 $
- Up to 60% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Hastings Legacy Fund (HLF) Community Grant Program
- Maximum amount : 40,000 $
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Regional Quantum Initiative in British Columbia
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

DEPS — Local Investment Fund
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- All industries

Edmonton Immigrant and Refugee Communities Grant Program - Community Impact Grant
- From $4,001 to $7,000
- All industries
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- All industries

AFA — Artists and Education Funding
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Heritage Preservation Partnership Program - Research Grants
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- All industries

Social Enterprise Research Grants
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- All industries

EJ4Climate: Environmental Justice and Climate Resilience
- Maximum amount : 175,000 $
- Up to 15% of project cost
- Educational services

Community Donations
- No Condition
- All industries

Fonds local d’investissement
- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- All industries

Edmonton Immigrant and Refugee Communities Grant Program - Community Special Project Grants
- From $7,001 to $20,000
- All industries
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Musicaction — Musical Showcases – Stream 3 - National Showcase and Tour
- Maximum amount : 40,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

- Maximum amount : 8,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

Accelerating Innovations into CarE (AICE) – Market Access
- Maximum amount : 600,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Health care and social assistance

Capital project: Retrofit of existing municipal buildings
- Maximum amount : 10,000,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Public administration

Accelerating Innovations into CarE (AICE) – Concepts
- Maximum amount : 600,000 $
- Health care and social assistance

Increasing Deadstock Capacity Initiative
- No Condition
- All industries

- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP)
- No Condition
- Educational services

- From $2,000 to $30,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Manufacturing

Protecting habitats
- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Business Façade Development Program
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Retail trade
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services
- Other services (except public administration)

Capitalization of Social Economy Enterprises (CAES) — Stream 2
- From $50,000 to $2,000,000
- Up to 80% of project cost
- All industries

NBIF — Corporate Cleantech Innovation Fund
- Maximum amount : 160,000 $
- Up to 20% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

Art and Culture Grants
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- All industries

CAAIN — Livestock Innovation Program 2025
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Financial Assistance Program for the Development of Private Woodlots
- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

PacifiCan — Jobs and Growth Fund — Not-for-profit
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Non-Competitive Grants
- From $200 to $20,000
- All industries

Thriving Indigenous Systems Fund (TISF)
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- All industries

Museums Assistance Program — Indigenous Heritage
- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Accessible Technology Program
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance

Community Enhancement Program — Broadband and Cellular Expansion Projects
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Utilities
- Information and cultural industries
- Public administration

Calgary Flames Foundation - Community Grant Program
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- All industries

SODEC — Assistance for businesses in the arts and crafts sector — Stream 4
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Revitalising and developing business establishments in the city centre
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Retail trade