Open
Source verified August 25, 2026
IDEaS — Minefield breaching - Detect & destroy
Disruptive minefield breaching solutions for defence
Funding available
$ 1,000,000
Deadline
October 14, 2026
Opened August 14, 2026
Location
Canada
Who can apply
Canadian universities and educational institutions chartered in Canada.
See full eligibility
Overview
IDEaS — Minefield breaching - Detect & destroy supports Canadian legal entities developing disruptive minefield breaching solutions, with up to $1,000,000 per proposal. It focuses on detection and reconnaissance or breaching solutions for active combat environments, including mine detection, safe lane creation, and breach verification.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop a new product or service
- Conduct research and development activities
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- All legal structures
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- 2SLGBTQI+
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Detection and reconnaissance to rapidly detect, identify, classify, and characterize mines, obstacles, and optimal breach opportunities.
- Breaching solutions to rapidly and efficiently create safe lanes through minefields and obstacle systems.
- Route planning, route selection, breach lane design, and verification or confirmation of a successful breach lane.
- Dual-use or transitional capability for post-conflict or permissive environments, including humanitarian demining.
Documents Needed
- IDEaS Contest Proposal form
- Table 1 – Work Plan - Project Activities & Budget included in the Proposal form
Official resources
Program guide
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Canadian universities and educational institutions chartered in Canada.
- Canadian incorporated for-profit organizations.
- Canadian incorporated not-for-profit organizations.
- Canadian provincial, territorial and municipal government organizations.
Who is not eligible
- Federal departments, agencies, or Crown corporations, including any person employed under one of these.
- Federal or provincial Crown corporations.
Eligible expenses
- Salaries and benefits for students, research assistants and technical staff directly related to project activities.
- Capital expenses or rentals for equipment directly related to the project.
- Professional services provided by third parties not affiliated with the recipient.
- Research and development expenses, including laboratory analysis services, materials and supplies, publication, outreach and communication, travel expenses, and data acquisition and analysis.
- Securing intellectual property and administrative overhead costs.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Salaries and benefits for university investigators receiving direct and continuous salary through the university.
- In-kind contributions.
- Professional training or development, such as computer or language courses.
- Purchase or lease of private or personal vehicles, vehicle maintenance costs, or rental charges for company-owned vehicles.
- Purchase of land or buildings; costs of moving a lab; assets and capital items not specifically required for the project; normal costs of establishing a commercial operation; review engagements and audits unless required in the agreement; board meetings; insurance; depreciation; interest or overdraft charges and credit card fees; refundable GST/HST or other refundable taxes; hospitality; travel insurance; non-essential rental vehicle options; gasoline purchased for private or company-owned vehicles; monthly parking fees unless specifically required for field work; costs of regular clothing; membership fees unless specifically required for the project; discretionary employee benefits; patent fees; lobbying costs; direct marketing or business promotion; costs associated with review of graduate and PhD theses; and other costs not specifically required for the project.
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada
Selection criteria
- Operational investment: the proposal should justify operational resource investment.
- Solution distinction: the proposal should avoid duplication of existing or planned work by Canada.
- Impact potential: the proposal should show potential to disrupt or advance the challenge domain significantly.
- Solution type: selection may consider different solution types, methodologies, military environments, and technology readiness levels, with preference toward TRLs 1-6.
- Benefit to Canada and distribution of investment: the proposal should contribute to technological advancement and economic growth in Canada, while supporting investment across maximum defence and security applications and environments.
How to apply
- Submit a proposal using the IDEaS Contest Proposal form.
- Register and submit the proposal(s) through the CPC Connect digital platform; proposals will not be accepted by email.
- Request a CPC Connect conversation at least five business days before the CFP closing date.
- Upload the proposal within the Connect conversation before the CFP closing date and time; the lead applicant or a coordinator in the lead institution may submit on behalf of the lead applicant organization.
Processing and Agreement
- Proposals undergo a compliance check and then evaluation by DND/CAF representatives and/or subject matter experts; only compliant proposals enter the pre-qualified pool.
- Selected applicants are invited to enter into a contribution agreement with DND, which sets the contribution conditions, obligations, and payment terms.
- No financial commitment exists until the contribution agreement is signed by both parties, and expenditures incurred before signing are ineligible.
- DND makes contribution payments as advance payments upon receipt and acceptance of the Recipient’s annual forecast of cash flow requirements report signed by a duly authorized officer.
- Successful recipients must participate in an in-person demonstration event in Canada in Fall 2027 and provide the required project reporting before final payment is released.
Additional information
- The proposal form responses will form the Statement of Work for the project.
- Evaluators will consider only information presented in the proposal.
- All costs identified in the proposal must be in Canadian dollars.
- The applicant is responsible for compliance with all relevant federal, provincial and territorial legislation and municipal bylaws.
Contacts
Availability timeline
2026
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Frequently Asked Questions about the IDEaS — Minefield breaching - Detect & destroy Program
What is the IDEaS — Minefield breaching - Detect & destroy?
IDEaS — Minefield breaching - Detect & destroy supports Canadian legal entities developing disruptive minefield breaching solutions, with up to $1,000,000 per proposal. It focuses on detection and reconnaissance or breaching solutions for active combat environments, including mine detection, safe lane creation, and breach verification.
How much funding can be received?
IDEaS — Minefield breaching - Detect & destroy Funds up to $1,000,000 of admissible expenses.
What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline for this grant program is October 14, 2026. Applicants must submit their complete application before this date to be considered for funding.
Who is eligible for the IDEaS — Minefield breaching - Detect & destroy program?
To be eligible for the IDEaS — Minefield breaching - Detect & destroy program, you must:
The applicant must be a legal entity duly incorporated and validly existing in Canada.
The proposed solution must have a current Technology Readiness Level between 2 and 9.
Each proposal must be distinct, standalone, and free of interdependencies.
What expenses are eligible under IDEaS — Minefield breaching - Detect & destroy?
Detection and reconnaissance to rapidly detect, identify, classify, and characterize mines, obstacles, and optimal breach opportunities.
Breaching solutions to rapidly and efficiently create safe lanes through minefields and obstacle systems.
Route planning, route selection, breach lane design, and verification or confirmation of a successful breach lane.
Dual-use or transitional capability for post-conflict or permissive environments, including humanitarian demining.
Who can I contact for more information about the IDEaS — Minefield breaching - Detect & destroy?
You can contact Government of Canada by email at DND.IDEaS-IDEeS.MDN@forces.gc.ca.
Where is the IDEaS — Minefield breaching - Detect & destroy available?
The IDEaS — Minefield breaching - Detect & destroy program is available across Canada.