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.

Saskatchewan – Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program (RALP)
- From $250 to $200,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Productivity and Sustainable Innovation Fund – Stream 1: Company consultations/micro-diagnosis and selection assistance
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade
- Transportation and warehousing
- Other services (except public administration)

ÉcoPerformance — Simplified Implementation
- From $100,000 to $250,000
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Retail trade
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Laval Économique — Sustainable transition
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- All industries

Productivity and Sustainable Innovation Fund – Component 2: Feasibility study - audit towards a 4.0 transition
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade
- Transportation and warehousing

OVIN — Electric Vehicle (EV) — Stream 1
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing

Arts Across Canada — Public Outreach
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

PROMPT — Collaborative Innovation
- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services

Longueuil — Quebec Renovation Program (PRQ)
- Minimum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 67% of project cost
- Construction

Community Support Program - Municipal Component
- Maximum amount : 2,500 $
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Public administration

Grand Challenges Canada
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Health care and social assistance

PRIMA — PARTENAR-IA — Industry
- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing

Indigenous Initiatives Fund IV
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Grid Innovation Fund
- From $1,000,000 to $4,750,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Arts Across Canada — Foreign Artist Tours
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

PROMPT — GHG Reduction – SME Component
- Maximum amount : 450,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

C/AV and Smart Mobility — Stream 1
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Public administration

- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Enabling Accessibility Fund — Small projects
- Maximum amount : 125,000 $
- Up to 25% of project cost
- Construction
- Retail trade
- Transportation and warehousing
- Information and cultural industries

- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Powering the future: Solid-state hydrogen storage for military platforms
- Maximum amount : 5,000,000 $
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Public administration

Tourisme Côte-Nord — EPRTNT – Festivals and events
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Up to 90% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Enabling Accessibility Fund 2026 Call for Proposals
- From $500,000 to $1,000,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

Canada–Germany 2026 Quantum collaborative industrial research and development call for proposals
- Maximum amount : 700,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
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SMART Cluster's 9th call for proposals – advanced manufacturing
- No Condition
- Manufacturing

Electric Vehicle (EV) — Stream 2
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Program to support research and development of products made from reused and recycled end-of-life tires
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

Workplace first aid training
- Up to 5% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Construction

Plug-In NB Charging Rebates for Business
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Utilities
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)

Laurentides Tourism — Regional Partnership and Digital Transformation Agreement in Tourism (EPRTNT) – Studies and consulting services
- From $10,000 to $25,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Recyc-Québec — Beverage Container Recycling — Stream 3
- Maximum amount : 2,000,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

MRC La Nouvelle-Beauce — Créavenir
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- All industries

MRC Kamouraska — Regional Outreach Support Program (FRR-1)
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Accommodation and food services

Innovate BC — Ignite Program
- Maximum amount : 300,000 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Business growth — Éco-Capitale
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- All industries

Indigenous Languages Program - Indigenous Languages Component - Inuit Language Funding Model
- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services

MRC de Rivière-du-Loup — FRR – Stream 1: Regional outreach fund / Territorial projects
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
- Utilities
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

- From $250 to $10,000
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Musicaction — Support for emerging artists – Production assistance
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Génome Québec — Genomics Integration Program – Human Health
- From $50,000 to $200,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Health care and social assistance

PADAAR — Measure 4075 – On-farm or indoor demonstrations
- Maximum amount : 2,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

MRC des Chenaux — Chenaux Local Social Economy Fund (FLÉS)
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Manufacturing
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services
- Other services (except public administration)

SODEXPORT — Component 1: Strategic development of companies abroad
- Maximum amount : 160,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Tourism Innovation Program — Stream 2 - Support for projects and the development of innovative businesses
- Maximum amount : 90,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

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

PME MTL — Subsidies to support social economy initiatives
- From $5,000 to $50,000
- Up to 80% of project cost
- All industries

Financial assistance for workforce training in northern communities
- Maximum amount : 200,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Rail Transport Infrastructure and Modal Integration Support Program – Maintenance and improvement of rail transport infrastructure - Part 1 - Maintenance and improvement of rail transport infrastructure
- Maximum amount : 4,500,000 $
- Up to 66.67% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing

Indigenous Arts Projects
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
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Destination Clic – French Enrichment Program
- From $2,400 to $2,400
- Educational services

Environmentally responsible production, dissemination, promotion and consolidation or resource-pooling
- Maximum amount : 30,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Genomics integration program – Agriculture and biofood, forestry and environment
- From $50,000 to $150,000
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Professional, scientific and technical services

First Nations Child and Family Services Program
- No Condition
- Health care and social assistance

Financial assistance for nonprofit tenants
- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

APCHQ — Affordable Housing Fund: New Construction - Rapid Housing Sub-Stream
- Up to 100% of project cost
- Health care and social assistance

Innovation in Quantum Technologies — Stream 2
- Maximum amount : 150,000 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
- All industries

Diagnostic Program and Improvement Projects for Northern SMEs
- Maximum amount : 42,000 $
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

MRC Beaharnois-Salaberry — Créavenir
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- All industries

Innovate BC — Innovator Skills Initiative (ISI)
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Public administration

Musicaction — Skills development
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

MRC Charlevoix — Support Fund for the Emergence of Business Projects
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Laval Économique — Collective Entrepreneurship Fund
- Up to 80% of project cost
- All industries

ÉcoPerformance — Implementation of large industrial projects
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Manufacturing

Financial assistance program for associations and organizations for training and information projects in occupational health and safety
- No Condition
- All industries

MRC Pontiac — FRR Stream 1
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

MRC Témiscamingue — Créavenir - Desjardins
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- All industries

Nordic Incubator-Accelerator — Stream 2 — Financial Assistance
- Maximum amount : 400,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

innovÉÉ — PSO
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
- Utilities
- Transportation and warehousing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Taxi Industry Modernization Support Program (PSMITT)
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Transportation and warehousing

Northern Ontario Development Program — Community Economic Development
- Up to 33% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Manufacturing

Innovative Communities Fund (ICF)
- No Condition
- All industries

Financial assistance for tourism festivals and events — Stream 2
- Maximum amount : 750,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

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

Ambition-Compétences — Green Economy and Digital Transformation
- Up to 100% of project cost
- All industries
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MRC Lac-Saint-Jean-Est — Rural Region Fund - Signature Innovation
- Maximum amount : 60,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

Marketing support project for kitchen furniture and cabinets
- Maximum amount : 99,000 $
- Manufacturing

innovÉÉ — SI2TEC
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Utilities
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing

Accès-Loisirs
- No Condition
- Arts, entertainment and recreation

PADAAR — Measure 4074 – Targeted individual skills development plan
- Maximum amount : 1,500 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

MRC La Jacques-Cartier — Jacques-Cartier Tourism Envelope
- Maximum amount : 2,500 $
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Îles-de-la-madeleine — Vitalization frame - Component 2
- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade

Laurentides Tourism — Regional Partnership and Digital Transformation Agreement in Tourism (EPRTNT) – Festivals and events
- From $15,000 to $25,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Supporting community development corporations
- Maximum amount : 2,500,000 $
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

APCHQ — Federal Lands Initiative
- Up to 30% of project cost
- Health care and social assistance

MRC La Matanie — Local Investment Funds
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Retail trade
- Accommodation and food services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Program to help Québec tourism activities, attractions and events go digital — Incoming and fixed-price agencies
- From $10,000 to $60
- Up to 75% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

MRC de Mékinac — Support fund for cultural initiatives
- Maximum amount : 1,500 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

MRC La Côte-de-Beaupré — Social Economy Business Development Fund (FDEES)
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

Indigenous Languages Program - Indigenous Languages Component - Métis Nation Language Funding Model
- No Condition
- Information and cultural industries
- Educational services

Saint-Hyacinthe Technopole — MADEES
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration

MRC Minganie — Local Investment and Solidarity Funds (FLI-FLS)
- No Condition
- All industries

Productivity - Small commercial companies
- From $15,000 to $25,000
- Up to 35% of project cost
- All industries

MRC Papineau — Digital Transformation and Development Fund (FADN)
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Information and cultural industries

Xecs – electronic components and systems Call 5 call for proposals
- No Condition
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services

Tourisme Côte-Nord — EPRTNT – Attractions, activities and facilities
- Maximum amount : 50,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services

Commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)

Sustainable Growth Investment — Agri-Environmental Enhancement of Cultivated Land
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Quebec Affordable Housing Program (QAHP)
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Construction
- Real estate and rental and leasing
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance

- No Condition
- All industries