
Small Business Grants in Canada for 2026
Discover the grants available for your business
The Canadian government offers subsidies to support small businesses, fostering growth and innovation in the local economy. These subsidies provide financial assistance for various aspects such as research and development, expansion, and employee training.
Grant and FundingClosedSupports early-stage digital media project development
Grant and FundingOpenIntellectual Property Ontario
Funding support for Ontario-based SMEs in tech and innovation sectorsEligible Funding- Up to 80% of project cost
Eligible Industries- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
Types of eligible projectsCommercializationArtificial Intelligence (AI)Technology
Grant and FundingOpenMusicaction — Musical Showcases – Stream 3 - National Showcase and Tour
Supports francophone artists' international exposure and career development
Grant and FundingClosedNative Women’s Association of Canada — National Apprenticeships Program
Inclusive apprenticeship hiring support across Canada
Researchers And FacilitiesPartnering and CollaborationGrant and FundingClosedCAAIN — Livestock Innovation Program 2025
Funding for livestock technology innovation
Grant and FundingClosedRevitalising and developing business establishments in the city centre
Financial support for downtown business development
Grant and FundingClosedMusicaction — International Commercialization – Stream 2 - Career development in a target market
International music career development support
Loans and Capital investmentsOpenTourism Business Development Fund (TBDF)
Tourism Enterprise Development Fund enhances tourism offerings and activities
Grant and FundingExpert AdviceClosedToronto Retail Accelerator Program
Support for Toronto retail business growth
Grant and FundingOpenChild Care Operating Funding (CCOF) - Base Funding
Operating support for licensed child care providers

Grant and FundingClosedVolta AI
Volta, Scale AI Cluster, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), National Research Council Canada (NRC)Supports AI startup growth in Atlantic Canada
Grant and FundingOpenCreating, Knowing and Sharing — Small-Scale Activities
Financial support for Indigenous artistic development
Grant and FundingClosedFinancial assistance program for regional service units in the areas of recreation, sports, outdoor activities, and physical activity (PAFURS)
Supports regional organizations in recreation, sports, and physical activity
Other SupportGrant and FundingClosedBOF & BCFC Grant and B3 Capacity Building Program
Funding and capacity development for Black-serving nonprofits
Grant and FundingClosedThe Newfoundland and Labrador Disaster Financial Assistance Program (NL-DFAP)
Provides financial aid for uninsurable disaster-related damages and losses
Expert AdviceOpenSmall Business BC — Talk to an Expert
Expert advice to help plan your British Columbia business
Partnering and CollaborationGrant and FundingClosedFirst Nations Clean Energy Business Fund — Capacity Funding
Support for First Nations clean energy planning
Expert AdviceOpenMy Main Street — Local Business Accelerator
Business advice in Southern Ontario communities
Grant and FundingSuspendedWorkforce Training and Employment — Labour Market Partnerships
Financial support for labour market development in Manitoba
Partnering and CollaborationGrant and FundingOpenArtists in Schools
Arts collaboration funding for schools and artists
Other SupportResearchers And FacilitiesPartnering and CollaborationGrant and FundingClosedCollaborative Industrial Research and Support to Innovative Entrepreneurship — Stream 2
PROMPT, Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec (CRIAQ), innovÉÉ, Centre québécois de recherche et de développement de l’aluminium (CQRDA), Consortium de recherche et d'innovations en bioprocédés industriels au Québec (CRIBIQ), Quebec Consortium for Drug Discovery (CQDM)Supports collaborative AI and quantum innovation projectsEligible Funding- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 35% of project cost
Eligible Industries- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Utilities
- Construction
Types of eligible projectsCommercializationArtificial Intelligence (AI)TechnologyInnovation
Grant and FundingOpenOrganic Industry Development — Increasing Market Competitiveness
Funding to help Prince Edward Island organic businesses increase market share- How to apply for a successful grant
Applying for a grant may seem complex, but with the right information and preparation, the chances of success are greatly increased. This segment details the application process, the necessary documents, and tips for a convincing application. To apply and register for programs, it is strongly recommended to have a specific project. Here are a few examples of eligible projects:

Grant and FundingLoans and Capital investmentsClosedthriveFORWARD
Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation (NCFDC), Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev), NventureInnovation funding for southern Ontario businessesEligible Funding- Maximum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Eligible Industries- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
Types of eligible projectsCommercializationArtificial Intelligence (AI)TechnologyEnvironment and ClimateInnovationDigital Transformation
Grant and FundingClosedCommunity Activator Initiative (My Main Street)
Funding for community placemaking projects
Grant and FundingOpenAFA — Theatre Individual Project Funding
Funding for Alberta theatre project development
Grant and FundingOpenAdvancing Agri-Food Processing
Government of New Brunswick, Aquaculture and Fisheries (NB), Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP)New Brunswick agri-food product development funding
Grant and FundingOpenAFA — Public Art Galleries Operating Funding
Operating support for public art galleries
Grant and FundingClosedMAPAQ — Ministerial Initiative for Plant Productivity – Component 1: Improving labor productivity in crop production
Supports farm productivity improvements in Quebec
Loans and Capital investmentsOpenColumbia Basin Trust — Impact Investment Fund
Investing to support Columbia Basin communities
Grant and FundingOpenProduct and Market Development Program — Agricultural Industry Organizations
Supports agricultural organizations developing new products and markets
Loans and Capital investmentsOpenBDC Financing — Small Business Loan
Flexible financing for small business operations and growth initiatives
Grant and FundingClosedRural Ontario Development Program – Community Development
Funding for rural community development projects
Grant and FundingClosedAlberta Media Fund — Alberta Made Production Grant
Government of Alberta, Alberta Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women (ACSW), Alberta Municipal AffairsFunds for small-budget productions in Alberta
Other SupportExpert AdviceOpenCyberSecure Canada
Protect your business and its stakeholders from cyber threats
Grant and FundingOpenSupport Policy For Businesses
Grants for business expansion and start-up projectsEligible Funding- Maximum amount : 40,000 $
- Up to 80% of project cost
Eligible Industries- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services
Types of eligible projectsTechnologyEnvironment and ClimateBusiness BuyoutInnovation
Expert AdviceOpenBusiness advisory services for small and medium-sized businesses
Advisory services for Ontario SMEs
Loans and Capital investmentsOpenESSOR – Component 4: Supporting the internationalization of companies
Supports Quebec companies in global supply chain integration
Grant and FundingArchivedBusiness Energy Rebates
Rebates on energy efficiency equipment in Nova Scotia
Grant and FundingOpenMRC Charlevoix-Est — Business Support
Support for creating and sustaining businesses in Charlevoix-Est
Loans and Capital investmentsOpenCommunity Futures Ontario — Access to Capital
Loan for businesses and social enterprises in rural Ontario
Partnering and CollaborationGrant and FundingClosedinnovÉÉ — Demonstration in a real environment
Support for mobility demonstration projects
Loans and Capital investmentsOpenBusiness Investment Program — Equity Investment
Equity funding for business improvement in Newfoundland and Labrador
Grant and FundingOpenNADF Financing
Financing for Northern Ontario Indigenous business and economic development
Tax CreditsOpenOntario small business deduction (SBD)
Reduces income tax for eligible Ontario small businessesAccess over 10 000 different funding opportunities
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Grant and FundingClosedSmart Agriculture Living Lab Call for Proposal
Funding innovative smart agriculture solutions for industry challenges
Grant and FundingClosedIndigenous Economic Development Fund — Business and Community Fund
Government of Ontario, Ontario Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic ReconciliationGrants for Ontario Indigenous businesses, communities and organizations
Grant and FundingClosedEnhancing Access to Spaces for Everyone (EASE) Grant
Funding for accessible spaces in Ontario
Grant and FundingClosedTransal — Alu 4.0, Digital Locomotive
Funding for digital transformation projects in aluminum
Researchers And FacilitiesPartnering and CollaborationGrant and FundingClosedCFI — John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF)
Supports research infrastructure for leading researchers
Grant and FundingClosedInvestments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) — Capital Investment Projects
Capital for forest sector innovations
Partnering and CollaborationGrant and FundingClosedTrade Mission Support Program
Support for trade missions and buyer visits
Loans and Capital investmentsOpenAboriginal Business Loans — Micro Loans
Small loans for Indigenous entrepreneurs in Atlantic Canada
Grant and FundingClosedSmall Business Support Program — Sustainable Livelihood Fund
Funds for tourism, arts & crafts and harvesting sectors in Nunavut
Loans and Capital investmentsOpenPME MTL — Solidarity Fund
Loans for Quebec social economy enterprises and co-operatives
Loans and Capital investmentsOpenCommunity Futures Alberta — Financial Supports
Funding for rural SMEs in Alberta
Grant and FundingClosedSODEC — Support for entrepreneurial development — Stream 1
Support for enhancing cultural businesses' entrepreneurial development
Grant and FundingClosedTrade Commissioner Service — CanExport Associations
Funding for industry export expansion activities
Loans and Capital investmentsOpenBusiness Investment Program — Term Loan
Loan for business improvement in Newfoundland and Labrador
Wage Subsidies And InternsOpenGraduate to Opportunity (GTO) Program
Subsidy for Nova Scotia graduate salaries
Other SupportExpert AdviceClosedDigital Accelerator for Innovation and Research (DAIR)
Cloud-based computing and storage
Expert AdviceOpenInnovation Guelph — Boundless Startup Program
Resources for innovative entrepreneurs and startups
Loans and Capital investmentsOpenWEOC National Loan Program
OEFC offers microloans to empower women entrepreneurs in Canada- Grant and FundingArchived
Honorific grants 2024 — Entreprendre ici
$25,000 grants for ethnocultural immigrant entrepreneurs in Quebec
Grant and FundingClosedToronto Main Street Innovation Fund
Funding for innovative Toronto main street projects
Grant and FundingWage Subsidies And InternsClosedCanada Book Fund Publishers Business Development — Business Planning — Aboriginal or Official Language Minority Firms
Financial support for book publisher business planning
Grant and FundingClosedRestrictions Exemption Program Implementation Grant
One-time support for REP implementation
Grant and FundingOpenAFA — Community Support Organizations Operating Funding
Annual operating support for arts organizations
Partnering and CollaborationGrant and FundingClosedCommunity-Nominated Priority Places (CNPP) for Species at Risk
Funding for species-at-risk conservation projects
Grant and FundingArchivedAlberta Innovates — Land and Biodiversity Program
Support for sustainable land and biodiversity innovation

Loans and Capital investmentsOpenSADC Maria-Chapdelaine — Digital Strategy Loan
Digital Strategy Loan supports business digital transition efforts
Expert AdviceOpenFedDev Ontario Small Business Services — Community Partners
In-person business information across Ontario
Grant and FundingWage Subsidies And InternsOpenAlberta Innovates — R&D Associates Program
Wage subsidy for an R&D associate in Alberta
Grant and FundingOpenPerennia — On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF)
Supports Nova Scotia farmers adopting climate-friendly agricultural practices
Grant and FundingExpert AdviceClosedJournalism Futures Fund - Organizational Funding Stream
Multi-year support to strengthen independent journalism organizations
Grant and FundingClosedSmall Food Processor Scale-Up Program (SFPS)
Supports small food processors to scale up operations
Grant and FundingClosedNGen — AI For Manufacturing Challenge 2024
AI commercialization for advanced manufacturing
Grant and FundingArchivedThe Artificial Intelligence innovation funding program (PIIA) - Part 1: Scope
AI innovation funding for Quebec businessesEligible Funding- Maximum amount : 1,500,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Eligible Industries- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Other services (except public administration)
Types of eligible projectsCommercializationArtificial Intelligence (AI)InnovationDigital Transformation
Grant and FundingArchivedThe Artificial Intelligence innovation funding program (PIIA) - Part 2 : SMEs
AI Innovation Funding Program for Quebec BusinessesEligible Funding- Maximum amount : 350,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Eligible Industries- Manufacturing
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Other services (except public administration)
Types of eligible projectsArtificial Intelligence (AI)TechnologyInnovation
Partnering and CollaborationGrant and FundingClosedPROMPT — PARTENAR-IA
Funding for Quebec innovative collaborations in AI for ICT
Other SupportGrant and FundingClosedCareer Launcher Apprenticeship Program
Support for hiring first-year apprentices
Tax CreditsArchivedCapital Synergie
Supports business investment in innovative, high-growth Quebec companies