Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital

Q: What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Q: Who is eligible for the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital program?

To be eligible for the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital program, you must: • Minimum 51% Indigenous ownership of the business • Business located in British Columbia • Applicant must contribute 25% to 60% of project costs via cash equity or loan financing

Q: Who can I contact for more information about the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital?

You can contact New Relationship Trust.

Q: Where is the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital available?

The Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital program is available the province of BC.

Q: Are startups eligible for the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital program?

Yes, startups are eligible to apply for the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital program.

Q: Are women eligible for the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital program?

Yes, women are eligible to apply for the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital program.

Last Update: August 11, 2025

BC, Canada

Support for Indigenous business development in the cannabis sector

At a glance

Eligible Funding

Max. $250,000

Timeline

Closing date : December 1, 2025

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

Manufacturing
Retail trade

Funds Providers

Unspecified

Program status

Open

Overview

Get up to $250,000 in funding to cover the cost of licensing and permitting as well as make capital available to support the launch or expansion of businesses in the cannabis industry.

Financing terms and conditions

Maximum cumulative contribution per project is $250,000.
Up to 75% of eligible costs covered for business planning activities.
Up to 75% of costs covered for business advisory services and staff training.
Up to 40% of eligible costs covered for business capitalization, such as start-up, expansion, or acquisition.

Activities funded

Establishing new businesses within the regulated cannabis industry.
Expanding existing regulated cannabis businesses.
Transitioning existing unregulated cannabis businesses into the regulated industry.
Developing and implementing business plans, including feasibility studies and licensing.
Supporting capitalization for business start-up, expansion, or acquisition in the cannabis sector.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 250,000

Open a cannabis cultivation facility with advanced hydroponic systems

$ 200,000

Transition an unregulated cannabis farm into a regulated one

$ 250,000

Establish a cannabis processing facility focused on product innovation

$ 188,000

Launch a retail cannabis store focusing on organic products

$ 250,000

Expand a medicinal cannabis dispensary to include more wellness services

$ 200,000

Transform an existing unregulated cannabis delivery service to a regulated one

Eligibility

The applicant must be a First Nation government, Tribal Council, Indigenous corporation, partnership, association, co-operative, institution, or an Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) entrepreneur or business located in British Columbia.
Indigenous ownership and control must be at least 51% of the underlying business.
Applicants must be willing and able to share in the costs of the project, as grants are not a stand-alone source of funds.
On-reserve projects must provide reasonable evidence of community engagement and First Nation government support.
For certain project types, applicants must provide reasonable assurance of commercial loan financing, alternative financing, or equivalent cash equity in place to access the non-repayable grant.

Who is eligible?

Regulated cannabis cultivation businesses
Regulated cannabis processing businesses
Regulated cannabis distribution businesses
Regulated cannabis ancillary service providers
Businesses transitioning from unregulated to regulated cannabis industry

Who is not eligible

Companies that are not Indigenous-owned (minimum 51% Indigenous ownership required).
Businesses operating outside of British Columbia.
Unregulated cannabis businesses that do not cease operations before grant disbursement.
Companies unwilling or unable to provide a share of project costs (required financial contribution between 25% to 60% depending on project type).

Eligible expenses

Business planning and advisory services costs.
Feasibility studies for the business.
Costs related to government licensing and permitting.
Construction and retrofit expenses.
Equipment purchases.
Capitalization costs for business start-up, expansion or acquisition.
Business design-related expenses.
Skills and training expenses directly related to business launch.

Eligible geographic areas

British Columbia

Selection criteria

Projects are assessed based on best practice business assessment policies and procedures carried out by participating Aboriginal Financial Institutions (AFIs).
Overall guidance and direction in project approval and funding allocation is provided by a multi-stakeholder Steering Committee.

How to apply

Expression of Interest (EOI) Form

Complete the EOI form to express interest in applying for an ICBF contribution from the New Relationship Trust.
Provide information about your business opportunity, capacity needs, and funding requirements.
Submit the form to initiate the process.
Expect a follow-up contact within 5 to 7 business days to discuss the process and next steps.

Applicant and Project Screening

Upon evaluation of the EOI submission, you will be referred to an Aboriginal Financial Institution (AFI) in B.C.
The assigned AFI will conduct standard screening and due diligence to assess project viability.
The assessment will determine the appropriate grant and amount.

Application Approval Decisions

The community engagement funding (Stream 1) will be based on basic criteria for selection.
The business planning, design, and capital funding (Stream 2) will involve business assessment policies carried out by AFIs.
A multi-stakeholder Steering Committee will guide and support approval and funding allocation decisions.
Successful applicants will receive approval communication from either New Relationship Trust or the assigned AFI.

Additional information

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis until December 1, 2025, or until available funding is exhausted.
The program is administered and co-delivered by New Relationship Trust and participating Aboriginal Financial Institutions (AFIs) in British Columbia.
Only one Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund grant is allowed per project, but multiple Indigenous owners can be included under one grant.
The Cannabis Navigator service offers guidance and resource referrals to support applicants through the grant process.

Documents and links

Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital

Apply to this program

Frequently Asked Questions about the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital Program

Here are answers to the most common questions about the Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund — Business Planning, Design, and Capital. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.