Closed
Source verified August 2, 2026
On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects
On-road transportation decarbonization support
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Funding available
$ 500,000 - $ 5,000,000
Deadline
Closed
Location
Canada
Who can apply
Legal entities incorporated or registered in Canada, including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations such as electricity and gas utilities, companies, industry associations, research associations, and standards organizations, community groups, and Canadian academic institutions.
See full eligibility
Overview
Energy Innovation Program – On-road Transportation Decarbonization Call for Proposals funds R&D and demonstration projects in Canada to decarbonize the transportation sector, with contributions up to $1,500,000 for R&D and up to $5,000,000 for demonstration projects. Eligible work includes development and testing of novel equipment, pre-commercial technology installation, and supporting infrastructure.
Receipt of requests is now closed
Get notified about updates to this grant.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Implement environmental initiatives
- Develop a new product or service
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 5,000,000 $
- Minimum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- For-profit business
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Higher Education
- Research
- Social Services
- Environment
- Business Associations
- Not Elsewhere Classified
Target groups
- Indigenous peoples
- Rural / Remote communities
- Business owners / entrepreneurs
- Nonprofits / charities
- Academia / students
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Local
- Municipal
- Regional
- Provincial
- National
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Development, assessment, testing and integration of novel and innovative equipment, vehicle components, software, and methodologies.
- Proof of concept technologies with significant technical risk, including field trials, bench-scale testing, pilots, and prototypes.
- Pre-demonstration field trials.
- Installation of a pre-commercial technology.
- Modification of existing processes, equipment, or systems to accommodate an innovative technology or process, and installation of equipment and/or infrastructure to support a demonstration.
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Legal entities incorporated or registered in Canada, including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations such as electricity and gas utilities, companies, industry associations, research associations, and standards organizations, community groups, and Canadian academic institutions.
- Provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and their departments and agencies, where applicable.
- Indigenous applicants, including Indigenous communities, for-profit and not-for-profit businesses and organizations that clearly demonstrate ownership and controlling interests by Indigenous groups, First Nations (bands or councils under the Indian Act), tribal councils, and Inuit organizations.
Eligible expenses
- Salaries and benefits for employees on the proponent’s payroll, for actual time spent by the employees on the project.
- Professional, scientific, technical and contracting services.
- Reasonable travel costs, including meals and accommodation, based on National Joint Council Rates.
- Capital expenditures such as the purchase, installation, testing and commissioning of qualifying equipment, materials and products, including diagnostic and testing tools and instruments and Original Manufacturer equipment warranty.
- Other expenses including laboratory and field supplies, printing services and translation, data collection services, facility costs for seminars and conference room rentals, licence fees and permits, capacity building and training, field testing services, Indigenous ceremony costs excluding hospitality, honoraria for Elders, and overhead expenses directly related to the project and not exceeding 15% of eligible expenditures.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Projects that consist solely of purchasing commercially available ZEVs or the supporting infrastructure.
- Projects that primarily focus on developing or enhancing codes and standards.
- Capacity building and training; assessments or characterization studies, including data compilations and syntheses; the use of existing software, models or tools to run scenarios or identify innovation needs; reviewing evidence supporting existing codes and standards; or adopting international codes and standards for Canada.
- Off-road vehicles or their supporting infrastructure; other modes of transportation or their supporting infrastructure; battery supply chain, manufacturing, or inside-the-cell components; energy storage; and grid-side solutions that are asset-agnostic.
- Vehicle purchases and retrofits; hydrogen production technologies; hydrogen storage technologies; grid-side infrastructure investment; costs outside the Eligible Expenditure Period; overhead expenses exceeding 15% of Eligible Expenditures; the reimbursable portion of Federal and Provincial Taxes; and in-kind costs.
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada
Selection criteria
- Projects that support departmental priorities such as regional balance in Canada, advancing inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) in the natural resources sector, and socio-economic considerations.
- Collaboration and leveraging are strongly encouraged for all project components.
- Additional points will be awarded for projects that leverage funding from non-government sources.
- Voluntary IDEA responses may be considered during the selection process at the EOI and FPP stages.
How to apply
- Review the Applicant’s Guide and determine your eligibility to apply.
- Complete and submit an EOI through the Applicant Portal by 11:59 p.m. PT on July 20, 2023.
- If invited, complete and submit an FPP.
- Provide all mandatory information to be considered for funding.
Processing and Agreement
- Your EOI will be reviewed by a technical expert panel, and NRCan notifies applicants of the EOI evaluation results and invites successful applicants to the FPP phase.
- Your FPP will be reviewed by a technical expert panel.
- All applicants selected for funding will undergo a due diligence assessment, which will include an evaluation of the project’s finances, technical risk, team strengths, and legal and regulatory considerations.
- Applicants whose projects pass the due diligence assessment will be invited to work with NRCan to draft, sign, and execute a contribution agreement.
- After entering into a contribution agreement with NRCan, proponents of successfully funded projects will be required to report on a quarterly and yearly basis, and ongoing data collection and assessment will be required for five years following the project’s completion date.
Contacts
Other components of this program
Explore related funding streams and grants that belong to the same program.
- Energy Innovation Program – Clean Energy Technology Innovation component (Voted)Supports clean energy technology innovation
- Energy Innovation Program – Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration component (Voted)Supports next-generation EV charging infrastructure demonstration
- Energy Innovation Program – National Energy Systems Modelling CallSupports energy systems modelling for net-zero planning
- Energy Innovation Program — Clean Fuels Call for ProposalsAdvances clean fuel technologies for environmental sustainability
- Energy Innovation Program — Innovation Ecosystem Enablers – Call for proposalsShared testing infrastructure for clean energy innovation
- Energy Innovation Program — Testing Facilities Call for ProposalsSupports shared testing infrastructure for energy innovators
- Net Zero Emerging Concepts and Technologies Research ProgramSupports emerging net-zero clean technology research
- On-road Transportation Decarbonization — Demonstration ProjectsSupport for on-road transport decarbonization projects
Frequently Asked Questions about the On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects Program
What is the On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects?
Energy Innovation Program – On-road Transportation Decarbonization Call for Proposals funds R&D and demonstration projects in Canada to decarbonize the transportation sector, with contributions up to $1,500,000 for R&D and up to $5,000,000 for demonstration projects. Eligible work includes development and testing of novel equipment, pre-commercial technology installation, and supporting infrastructure.
How much funding can be received?
On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects Funds up to 75% of admissible expenses, capped at $5,000,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects program?
To be eligible for the On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects program, you must:
Legal entities incorporated or registered in Canada, including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.
Provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and their departments and agencies.
Indigenous applicants, including Indigenous communities and Indigenous-owned or controlled businesses and organizations.
What expenses are eligible under On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects?
Development, assessment, testing and integration of novel and innovative equipment, vehicle components, software, and methodologies.
Proof of concept technologies with significant technical risk, including field trials, bench-scale testing, pilots, and prototypes.
Pre-demonstration field trials.
Installation of a pre-commercial technology.
Modification of existing processes, equipment, or systems to accommodate an innovative technology or process, and installation of equipment and/or infrastructure to support a demonstration.
Who can I contact for more information about the On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects?
You can contact Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) by email at eiptransport-pietransports@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca or by phone at 0.
Where is the On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects available?
The On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects program is available across Canada.
Is the On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects a grant, loan, or tax credit?
On-road Transportation Decarbonization — R&D Projects is a Grant and Funding