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.

Innovation Program — Stream 1 – Support for innovation projects
Investissement Québec (IQ)- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

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

Accelerating the local climate transition - Component 2
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing- Up to 80% of project cost
- Public administration

MAPAQ — Prime-Vert — Component 1
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ)- Maximum amount : 125,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Quebec City — Major projects
Quebec City- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Finance and insurance

Aid measure for the decarbonization of Quebec's industrial sector (MADI)
Environnement Québec (MELCC)- No Condition
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Manufacturing

Ecocamionnage Program — Collaborative shared electric delivery project
Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility of Quebec- Maximum amount : 2,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing

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

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

MAPAQ — Food Processing Program — Subcomponent 4.1 - Competitiveness of slaughterhouses and cheese dairies
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ)- From $7,500 to $150,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Arts Abroad — Co-Production
Canada Council for the Arts (CCA)- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Aquatic Ecosystems Restoration Fund
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)

Support for innovation projects
Investissement Québec (IQ)- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Northern Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative (NICFI) - Harvester Training
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

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

Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund
Department of Justice Canada- No Condition
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

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

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

Le Fonds d’initiatives locales (FIL) Village
PME MTL- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Retail trade
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

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

FedDev — Funding for southern Ontario
Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev)- From $125,000 to $10,000,000
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance

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

Official Languages Support Programs
Canadian Heritage- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Fabrication Process Development Challenge
FABrIC- 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

EPRTNT Assistance Program
Tourisme Montréal- Minimum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services
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Canada Book Fund Publishers Business Development — Business Planning
Canadian Heritage- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Canada Periodical Fund – Collective Initiatives
Canadian Heritage- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)
Department of National Defence (DND)- Up to 100% of project cost
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Public administration

OCI — Digital Modernization and Adoption Plan program (DMAP)
Government of Ontario- From $15,000 to $15,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Digital Main Street – Digital Transformation Grant Program
Digital Main Street- No Condition
- Retail trade

Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure (ZEVIP) — Delivery Organizations
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)- Maximum amount : 5,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Public administration

Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative — Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles and Clean Fuels
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Educational services

Theatrical documentary program
Telefilm Canada- From $400,000 to $500,000
- Up to 49% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Rural Economic Development program — Economic Diversification and Competitiveness Stream
Government of Ontario- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Retail trade
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Public administration
Energy Innovation Program — Off-Site Construction Challenge
Environment and Natural Resources Canada- No Condition
- Construction
- Manufacturing

International Association of Fire Fighters, Canada Hazardous Materials Training Initiative
Public Safety Canada (PSC)- No Condition
- Public administration

Team Grant : Pan-Canadian Network: Emerging LHS in Perinatal Mental Health
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)- Maximum amount : 6,000,000 $
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Capital Retrofits
Government of Alberta- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Construction

Energy Management Information Systems (EMIS)
Government of Alberta- No Condition
- Utilities
- Manufacturing

CRIAQ — INNOV-R
Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec (CRIAQ)- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

MEDTEQ+ — PARTENAR-IA — Industry
Consortium de recherche et d’innovation en technologies médicales du Québec- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Manufacturing
- Health care and social assistance

Production program — English market budgets under $3.5M
Telefilm Canada- Maximum amount : 4,000,000 $
- Up to 49% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

SynergiQc program for biopharmaceutical research
Quebec Consortium for Drug Discovery (CQDM)- From $500,000 to $7,500,000
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Health care and social assistance

Business case: Community Energy Systems
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Utilities
- Public administration

InnovEnSol Program
Environnement Québec (MELCC)- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Educational services
- Public administration

Capital project: Organic Waste-to-Energy
Green Municipal Fund (GMF)- Up to 80% of project cost
- Utilities
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Public administration

Study: Organic Waste-to-Energy
Green Municipal Fund (GMF)- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Utilities
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Public administration

Business case: Organic Waste-to-Energy
Green Municipal Fund (GMF)- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Utilities
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Public administration

Canada Book Fund Publishing Support
Canadian Heritage- Maximum amount : 850,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Financial assistance for businesses located in areas affected by major infrastructure projects
Quebec City- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Up to 5% of project cost
- All industries
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Laurentides Tourism — Regional Partnership and Digital Transformation Agreement in Tourism (EPRTNT) – Digital development of a company
Laurentides Tourism- From $10,000 to $95,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Regions and Rurality Fund (RRF) - Component 1 - Support for regional outreach
Gouvernement du Québec- From $100,000 to $3,000,000
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Utilities
- Construction
- Manufacturing

Indigenous Habitat Participation Program - Capacity-building, Engagement, and Collaboration component
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)- Up to 15% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Financial support program for government initiatives in community and volunteer action
Gouvernement du Québec- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

CRIBIQ — PARTENAR-IA — Industry
Consortium de recherche et d'innovations en bioprocédés industriels au Québec (CRIBIQ)- Maximum amount : 350,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Other services (except public administration)

Technology Maturation Program – PSOv2d
Axelys- Maximum amount : 475,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Support for commercial arteries — Component 1 - Support for urban revitalization projects
Quebec City- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 65% of project cost
- All industries

REGI — Targeted Manufacturing Initiative for Northern Ontario
Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor)- Up to 33% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Cyber Security Cooperation Program 2025
Public Safety Canada (PSC)- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Public administration

PME MTL — Call for projects : Innovation
PME MTL- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Celebration and Commemoration Program
Canadian Heritage- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Call for projects in social innovation
Gouvernement du Québec- Maximum amount : 800,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

EPRTNT — Studies and consulting services
Tourisme Cantons-de-l'Est- From $10,000 to $50,000
- Up to 30% of project cost
- Accommodation and food services

Canada Music Fund - Collective Initiatives
Canadian Heritage- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Évolution-Compétences -Partnership for training and innovation
Gouvernement du Québec- Maximum amount : 50 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services

Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative — Light-Duty Vehicle — For-profit
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)- Up to 50% of project cost
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

The Indigenous Partnerships for Species at Risk (IPSAR)
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Social and Community Initiatives Support Program (SCISP) – Social Initiatives Component
Gouvernement du Québec- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Canada Book Fund - Support for Organizations
Canadian Heritage- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries

Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program (IFIT) — Business projects
Government of Ontario- From $3,000,000 to $3,000,000
- Up to 30% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Local Journalism Initiative - Changing Narratives Fund
Canadian Heritage- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries

Call for projects – Technology showcase
Entreprendre Sherbrooke- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance

Digital Citizen Research Program - Digital Citizen Contribution Program
Canadian Heritage- Maximum amount : 380,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)

Retail Modernization Project Grant (RMPG)
Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI)- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Retail trade
- Accommodation and food services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Innovation Program — Stream 1 – Support for mobilising projects
Investissement Québec (IQ)- From $4,000,000 to $10
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing
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Exchanges Canada - Youth Exchanges Canada
Canadian Heritage- No Condition
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

CED Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)- No Condition
- Manufacturing

Exchanges Canada - Youth Forums Canada
Canadian Heritage- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Strategic Response Fund (SRF)
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)- No Condition
- Manufacturing

ÉcoPerformance — Energy management stream
Gouvernement du Québec- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Utilities

Ontario Creates Book Fund
Ontario Creates- From $5,000 to $150,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Cyber Security Innovation Network
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)- Up to 50% of project cost
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Indigenous Languages Program - Indigenous Languages Component - First Nations Languages Funding Model
Canadian Heritage- Up to 100% of project cost
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Canada Service Corps Program - Micro-grants Diversity stream
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)- No Condition
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Research Training and Talent Development
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Public administration

MTL + ECOMMERCE — Digital Accelerator
MTL + ECOMMERCE- Up to 50% of project cost
- Retail trade
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services

QEPD — Diversify your economy - CED (QC)
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

CRTC — Broadband Fund
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Food self-sufficiency – major investment projects in bio-food companies
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ)- No Condition
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

Indigenous Languages Program - Northern Aboriginal Broadcasting
Canadian Heritage- Maximum amount : 2,500,000 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Eco-design incentive bonus
Eco Entreprises Quebec (EEQ)- From $5,000 to $60,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Indigenous Habitat Participation Program - Consultation component
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)- Maximum amount : 21,000 $
- Up to 15% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Call for projects Genium360
Axelys- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Support for commercial arteries — Component 2 – Support for economic development projects
Quebec City- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 65% of project cost
- All industries

Environmental Damages Fund
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Educational services
- Public administration

Renovation subsidy for retail businesses on Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
City of Montreal (MTL)- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Retail trade

Rénoclimat
Environnement Québec (MELCC)- From $50 to $3,750
- All industries

Social economy enterprises — Digital transformation
Quebec City- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- All industries

Project Grant Program
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)- No Condition
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREP) – Utility Support Stream
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)- No Condition
- Utilities