Regional Defence Investment Initiative in Atlantic Canada

• Completed application
• Required supporting documents

Who is eligible?

• Businesses, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Non-profit organizations, including industry associations, business accelerators, incubators, and research centres.
• Indigenous-owned businesses and organizations.
• Provincial and municipal governments.

Eligible expenses

• Costs related to research and development, including late-stage product development, technology demonstrations and showcases.
• Expenses for acquiring equipment or modernizing facilities to improve productivity or increase manufacturing capacity for defence-related production.
• Costs associated with commercialization and market expansion for defence or dual‑use products and services.
• Fees and related costs to obtain certifications required to integrate into domestic or international defence supply chains.
• Expenditures for establishing, expanding or modernizing research centres, centres of expertise or specialized facilities focused on defence-related innovation.
• Costs for research, analysis and strategy development aimed at strengthening regional readiness for defence procurement and supply-chain participation.
• Expenses for knowledge and technology transfer activities to accelerate adoption and commercialization of dual‑use and defence-relevant technologies.
• Recruitment costs for specialized expertise needed to enhance organizational capacity to meet defence and security requirements.

Eligible geographic areas

• Atlantic Canada

• Applications are acknowledged after receipt.
• Applications are assessed based on the information and documents provided.
• ACOA may request additional information or clarification.
• A funding decision is made once the assessment is complete, in line with service standards.

• The initiative has a total national envelope of $357.7 million, with $38.2 million specifically delivered by ACOA in Atlantic Canada over three years starting in 2025–26.
• Information sessions are offered in both English and French on December 16, at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. (AST) respectively, with online registration required.
• Additional resources such as an infographic and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document are available to help applicants better understand the program.
• The program is linked to opportunities created when large companies winning major defence contracts in Canada are required to work with domestic suppliers under the Industrial and Technological Benefits policy.