How much funding can be received?

Issue letters of guarantee or standby letters of credit with your financial institution without putting up cash or freezing your credit line as collateral.

Financing terms and conditions

Provides a 100% guarantee to your financial institution for standby letters of credit, replacing the need for collateral.
Covers contractual and financial letters of guarantee, including bid bonds, acquisition bonds, advanced payment guarantees, performance bonds, warranty bonds, lease bonds, supplier and regulatory guarantees.
No cost to set up; costs are incurred only when the facility is used, with a pre-set monthly rate agreed in advance.
EDC covers claims made against letters of guarantee within five business days if called by the beneficiary.

Eligible projects & activities

Issuing contractual or financial letters of guarantee, such as bid bonds, performance bonds, and warranty bonds, to support business operations.
Facilitating business growth by freeing up working capital for new or ongoing projects.
Securing supplier and lease guarantees necessary for project execution or expansion.
Supporting mergers and acquisitions by providing guarantees for acquisition bonds or balance of sale requirements.
Enhancing competitiveness by enabling rapid issuance of bonding needed to access new business opportunities.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 8,000

Implement lease guarantees for a technology startup

$ 17,500

Apply supplier guarantees for a biotech firm

$ 20,000

Secure performance guarantees for a renewable energy project

$ 24,000

Establish warranty guarantees for a manufacturing firm

$ 15,000

Implement advanced payment guarantees for an IT consulting firm

Eligibility criteria of the EDC — Account Performance Security Guarantee program

The company’s operational and financial health must be reviewed and assessed.
The company must require a letter of guarantee, such as a bond or standby letter of credit, to support business activities.
The customer’s profile and the economic conditions of their country must be evaluated as part of the application process.

Who is eligible?

Export-led businesses operating in Canada

Eligible expenses

Collateral requirements for letters of guarantee, including bid bonds, acquisition bonds, advance payment guarantees, performance bonds, warranty bonds, lease bonds, supplier guarantees, and regulatory guarantees.

Eligibility criteria of the EDC — Account Performance Security Guarantee program

Operational and financial health of the company.
Details and terms of the letter of guarantee.
Profile of the customer and the economic conditions in their country.

How to apply to the EDC — Account Performance Security Guarantee program

Initial Contact

Reach out to Export Development Canada (EDC) to discuss the opportunity that requires a letter of guarantee.
Contact can be made by calling 1-800-229-0575 during business hours (9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET) or by sending a question through the EDC website.

Collaboration with Financial Institution

EDC works in conjunction with you and your financial institution to set up the Account Performance Security Guarantee (APSG).
Coordinate with your financial institution to ensure all necessary documentation and agreements are in place.

Approval Process

EDC reviews the application based on your company's managerial, technical, and financial capabilities, as well as the letter of guarantee requirements.
EDC evaluates conditions and economic outlook in the customer’s country and profiles to determine eligibility.

Issuance of Offer

Once approved, an APSG offer is issued to your financial institution.
This offer transfers the collateral requirement and risk to EDC.

Access to Working Capital

With the APSG in place, you have access to more cash, allowing you to expand your business.

Additional information

There is no setup cost for the APSG; fees are only incurred when the guarantee facility is used.
The monthly rate for the guarantee is pre-set and can be included in contract pricing.
The APSG can be used in conjunction with Performance Security Insurance to provide additional protection.
An APSG may support mergers and acquisitions by covering acquisition bonds or guarantees on a balance of sale.