Wood Manufacturing Grants in New Brunswick for 2026

Why wood manufacturing grants matter in New Brunswick

New Brunswick’s forestry and wood products ecosystem remains a cornerstone of the provincial economy, spanning sawmills, engineered wood, furniture and cabinet shops, pellet producers, and specialized value‑added wood manufacturers. In 2026, non‑dilutive funding—grants, incentives, and cost‑shared contributions—can help mills and factories address capital expenditure (CapEx), productivity improvement, energy efficiency, decarbonization, export development, and workforce development. Programs targeted to wood manufacturing grants in New Brunswick and forestry grants in NB support sawmill modernization, mass timber, CLT/glulam, kiln drying, ERP/MES adoption, and safety training. This guide consolidates federal, provincial, and utility options so applicants can align projects to the right intake, eligibility criteria, and scoring matrix.

The funding landscape at a glance

- Provincial: Opportunities NB (ONB) project support, payroll rebate ONB, rural business grants, francophone NB business grants, and workforce development tools.

- Federal (Atlantic‑focused): ACOA Business Development Program, Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI), Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF), and CanExport SMEs.

- Federal (sector/technology): NRC IRAP funding for R&D and technology adoption; IFIT grants (Investments in Forest Industry Transformation) for innovative forest industry projects; Indigenous Forestry Initiative; Low Carbon Economy Fund.

- Utility and industrial: NB Power industrial energy efficiency incentives, energy audit grants for sawmills, compressed air system upgrades, LED/high‑bay lighting incentives, heat recovery/boiler efficiency grants, and electrification of process heat funding.

Types of support available to wood manufacturers in NB

Funding instruments vary by program: non‑repayable grants, repayable contributions, payroll rebates, cost‑share incentives, vouchers, and tax credits. Most programs require matching funds, evidence of commercialization, productivity or sustainability impact, and milestone‑based disbursement with audit/reporting requirements. Below are the principal categories for wood products manufacturing funding in NB.

Capital investment and modernization

Capital investment grants NB can offset machinery purchases, plant expansion, and modernization aligned with productivity improvement grants NB. Sawmill grants in New Brunswick and sawmill modernization funding can cover planers/moulders, optimization software funding (sawmill), vision systems funding, safety guarding grants, dust collection system funding NB, and bark/ash handling equipment grants. Value‑added wood funding New Brunswick supports cabinet manufacturing funding, wood furniture manufacturing grants, stair/door manufacturing grants, and advanced finishing/UV coating grants. Applicants often combine ONB programs with ACOA repayable contributions and NB Power incentives to reduce total project cost through financing + grant stacking NB.

Equipment categories frequently supported

- CNC/robotics grants NB manufacturing: routers, 5‑axis machining, robotics cell grant NB, automated pallet lines, and vision‑guided inspection.

- Kiln drying equipment grant NB: kiln controls/SCADA grants, heat recovery, boiler upgrades, and improved kiln schedules tied to energy savings.

- Digital transformation grants NB manufacturers: ERP/MES software grants, e‑commerce for manufacturers grants, cybersecurity grants manufacturers, and logistics optimization funding.

Innovation, R&D, and commercialization

Innovation grants New Brunswick manufacturers enable prototype and pilot projects that de‑risk engineered wood products funding and mass timber grants NB. IRAP funding NB supports R&D staff, technical subcontractors, and IP strategy for adhesives, bonding, and process automation in NB sawmills. The Atlantic Innovation Fund wood sector and academic‑industry R&D vouchers can underpin prototyping/pilot line funding and commercialization grants. When projects progress toward market, REGI funding Atlantic manufacturers can assist with technology adoption and productivity gains.

From idea to market

- R&D funding wood sector NB: formulations, resins, and advanced lamination for CLT/glulam.

- Prototype and pilot: machining trials, kiln schedules, and non‑destructive testing.

- Commercialization: scale‑up, certification testing (CSA, CE marking/testing grants), and market validation with export readiness assessment grants.

Energy efficiency, clean technology, and decarbonization

Energy efficiency grants industry NB and clean technology grants NB manufacturing help mills reduce energy intensity and emissions. NB Power industrial incentives commonly support energy audits, VFDs, high‑efficiency motors, compressed air system upgrades, power factor correction incentives, and LED/high‑bay lighting incentives. Emissions reduction grants NB industry and the Low Carbon Economy Fund NB projects can support electrification of process heat funding, heat pump/biomass boiler incentives, heat recovery/boiler efficiency grants, and carbon accounting funding to measure GHG baselines.

Typical decarbonization measures in mills

- Kiln optimization and controls with SCADA, improved fans, and heat exchange.

- Biomass/wood pellet project grants and waste‑to‑value grants that valorize residues and sawdust.

- Electrification of process heat and improved distribution to cut fossil fuel consumption.

- Life cycle assessment funding and ISO 14001/50001 grants to institutionalize sustainability.

Workforce development and training

Training grants NB manufacturers and workforce development funding NB cover apprenticeships funding NB manufacturing, youth apprenticeship grants, millwright training funding, and CNC operator training grants. Canada Job Grant NB employers can cost‑share safety training grants NB industry—PPE and training rebates, safety culture program funding, mental health training grants—and specialized technical courses for Industry 4.0 adoption funding. Wage support may be available through training wage subsidies NB and hiring incentive manufacturing programs that help bring new talent on board in rural NB.

Export development and market access

Export grants New Brunswick and export market development NB wood help firms enter the US/EU. CanExport funding NB SMEs typically supports market research grants NB, trade show funding (US/EU), and e‑commerce enablement. To unlock regulated markets, certification funding like quality certification grants (CSA, FSC), chain‑of‑custody certification funding, ISO certification funding NB, and US building code certification grants for CLT NB may be eligible. Complementary tools include export insurance support (EDC), French‑language export markets grants for francophone firms, and Saint John maritime port/logistics grants aiding outbound logistics.

Digital transformation and Industry 4.0

Lean manufacturing grants NB and digital transformation grants NB manufacturers accelerate ERP/MES deployment, connected machines, and sawmill optimization. Projects often include workplace digital skills grants, cybersecurity hardening, and vision‑system quality control. Industry 4.0 adoption funding can also cover robotics cell grant NB, optimization software funding, and data integration across planning, drying, finishing, and shipping.

Regional and community‑specific considerations in NB

New Brunswick’s geography shapes program priorities for rural business grants New Brunswick and rural Northern NB grants. Projects in Miramichi wood industry funding, Edmundston forestry grants, Bathurst sawmill grants, Woodstock/Campbellton wood sector funding, Fredericton innovation grants, Moncton export grants, and Saint John manufacturing funding often reference local supply chains, logistics corridors, and workforce availability. Indigenous forestry funding NB supports Indigenous community forest projects and the Indigenous Forestry Initiative NB, enabling capacity building, equipment, training, and stewardship. Cooperative sawmill funding can assist community‑owned ventures, and cluster/membership grants help associations coordinate training, safety, and export promotion.

Opportunities NB (ONB)

ONB funding programs may support capital investment, productivity, export readiness, and payroll rebate ONB tied to job creation and wage levels. Applicants should outline incremental benefits for New Brunswick, including rural development, Francophone NB business grants alignment, and workforce development. Program intake schedules vary; applicants should prepare an eligibility checklist NB grants and confirm matching funds requirements.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)

ACOA grants NB manufacturers include non‑repayable and repayable streams depending on project risk and benefits. The ACOA Business Development Program and REGI funding Atlantic manufacturers support productivity improvement, technology adoption, and market expansion. The Atlantic Innovation Fund wood sector is suited to higher‑risk R&D and commercialization efforts for engineered wood, adhesives, and advanced finishing.

IFIT and sector transformation

IFIT grants New Brunswick prioritize transformative forest industry projects with measurable environmental and economic outcomes, such as CLT/glulam lines, residue utilization funding, and circular economy funding NB wood. Sustainability grants NB mills may also intersect with environmental assessment funding when projects alter site conditions or require permitting.

Utility incentives with NB Power

NB Power industrial incentives can significantly reduce payback periods for compressed air leak remediation grants, heat recovery projects, and lighting retrofits. Many mills start with a no‑ or low‑cost energy audit to quantify savings and GHG reductions, then pair utility rebates with federal or provincial funding. Projects that integrate kiln controls, SCADA, and electrification of process heat often demonstrate strong operational efficiency and decarbonization potential.

Eligibility, cost‑share, and evaluation

Eligibility criteria typically consider organization size (SME to large enterprise), project location in NB, sector (wood manufacturing/forestry), financial capacity, and readiness to execute. Programs define matching funds requirements, often ranging from 25% to 75% cost‑share; repayable vs non‑repayable funding depends on project risk and public benefits. Grant stacking rules for NB manufacturers allow combining sources up to a maximum public funding threshold; applicants should verify limits per program. Evaluations reference strategic alignment (innovation, productivity, regional impact), environmental benefits (GHG, waste valorization), and export readiness.

Documentation and compliance

Applications usually include a statement of work (SOW), detailed budget, supplier quotes, implementation timeline, milestone payments plan, and risk mitigation. Projects proposing emissions cuts should add carbon accounting, energy audit results, and expected GHG reduction methodologies. Certification and compliance elements—FSC/CSA, ISO 9001/14001/50001, safety—often strengthen the scoring. For export projects, include market research, US building code paths for CLT, CE marking/testing workplans, and EDC coverage options.

Deadlines and intakes

Some programs operate continuous intakes, while others publish application deadline NB funding windows tied to fiscal cycles. For 2026 intakes, planning should begin months in advance to secure quotes, conduct energy studies, and finalize matching funds. Keep a live calendar of application deadlines for NB wood manufacturing grants 2026 and build internal sign‑offs early.

How to apply: step‑by‑step

1. Define objectives: modernization, automation, decarbonization, training, export market development.

2. Map programs: ONB funding programs, ACOA, IRAP funding NB, IFIT grants New Brunswick, CanExport, NB Power industrial energy efficiency incentives, Low Carbon Economy Fund NB projects.

3. Validate eligibility: verify sector fit, costs, geographic location, and matching funds percentage for ACOA projects NB and other sources.

4. Build the business case: productivity gains, throughput, quality, safety, and payback; include lean/kaizen and sawmill optimization evidence.

5. Quantify energy and emissions: energy audit grants for sawmills NB, heat recovery models, boiler and kiln upgrades, electrification pathways.

6. Plan workforce and training: apprenticeships funding NB manufacturing, Canada Job Grant NB training for wood sector, safety training grants NB industry.

7. Prepare export plan: export readiness assessment grants, market research, trade show funding (US/EU), e‑commerce enablement, logistics optimization funding.

8. Assemble documents: quotes, SOW, certifications, environmental assessment (if applicable), and CAPEX schedule with milestone‑based disbursement.

9. Submit via the application portal: ensure completeness and compliance with audit/reporting requirements and milestone payments rules.

10. Post‑approval management: maintain procurement files, track KPIs, file claims promptly, and support site visits or audits.

Budgeting, cash flow, and reporting

Because many programs reimburse after milestones, applicants should plan cash flow and procurement sequencing. Consider bridge financing to manage deposits on CNC, robotics, or kiln equipment. Maintain detailed timesheets for training wage subsidies NB and IRAP project staff, and keep commissioning evidence for energy projects. Reporting packages typically include invoices, proof of payment, photos, commissioning reports, and performance data; ensure alignment with the scoring matrix assumptions and the original SOW.

Hypothetical project scenarios

Miramichi sawmill modernization

A rural NB sawmill targets sawmill modernization funding for a planer/moulder upgrade, optimization software, and dust collection. The stack includes ONB project support, an ACOA repayable contribution, NB Power incentives for compressed air and LED lighting, and ISO 9001 certification funding NB. The project improves throughput, reduces rework, and cuts electricity intensity with verified savings.

Saint John engineered wood expansion

An engineered wood producer adds a CLT line to reach US markets. IFIT grants New Brunswick fund transformation elements; REGI supports productivity; CanExport helps with US trade shows; US building code certification grants for CLT NB cover testing. Heat recovery/boiler efficiency grants and electrification reduce GHGs, while FSC chain‑of‑custody certification funding and ISO 14001 support sustainability.

Moncton cabinet manufacturer digital shift

A cabinet shop deploys ERP/MES, e‑commerce, and a CNC cell to shorten lead times. Digital transformation grants NB manufacturers cover software and integration; IRAP funding NB supports R&D for custom nesting algorithms; CanExport opens EU channels; NB Power incentives lower lighting and compressed air costs. Workplace digital skills grants and CNC operator training grants raise workforce capability.

Risk management and compliance best practices

- Procurement fairness: collect multiple quotes for major equipment and document selection criteria.

- Environmental diligence: confirm permits and environmental assessment funding needs before purchase orders.

- Health and safety: tie equipment guarding, ventilation, and PPE training to safety training grants NB industry.

- Cybersecurity: protect ERP/MES with cybersecurity grants manufacturers and align with certification or audit requirements.

- Measurement and verification: record baseline production, energy use, and scrap rates; validate post‑project KPIs for milestone‑based disbursement.

Inclusivity and community impact

Programs increasingly value inclusive hiring and regional development outcomes. Women‑led manufacturer funding, immigrant entrepreneur funding NB, and Indigenous forestry funding NB can strengthen applications and broaden workforce participation. Rural NB wood business startup grants, cooperative sawmill funding, and cluster initiatives enhance local supply chains, logistics, and training ecosystems.

Key takeaways and next steps

- Map your project to clear outcomes: productivity, decarbonization, digital transformation, training, and export growth.

- Combine sources thoughtfully within grant stacking rules for NB manufacturers, balancing repayable vs non‑repayable funding and utility incentives.

- Build robust documentation and start early to meet application deadline NB funding windows.

- Use an eligibility checklist NB grants, maintain compliance files, and align KPIs to the scoring matrix.

- With a structured roadmap, New Brunswick wood manufacturers—from sawmills to mass timber and value‑added wood—can secure the right mix of grants, contributions, and incentives to modernize and grow sustainably in 2026.