Regional Defence Investment Initiative in Atlantic Canada

• The applicant must be a business (mainly a small or medium-sized enterprise), a non-profit organization, an Indigenous-owned business or organization, or a provincial or municipal government located in Atlantic Canada and applying through ACOA.
• The applicant must be active in, or seeking to position itself within, the defence industry supply chain, including through dual-use products or services.
• The project must clearly contribute to integrating businesses or regional ecosystems into domestic or international defence supply chains and strengthening defence industrial or innovation capacity.
• The project must demonstrate benefits for the Canadian Armed Forces, the NATO Alliance or NATO allies, and support defence readiness or industrial capability.
• The project should align with RDII objectives such as improving productivity or capacity, responding to defence procurement opportunities, or developing defence-related regional innovation ecosystems.

Who is eligible?

• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) active in the defence industry supply chain
• SMEs wishing to position themselves within the defence industry supply chain, including through dual-use products or services
• Indigenous-owned businesses operating or seeking to operate in defence-related supply chains
• Non-profit industry associations that support businesses involved in defence-related activities
• Business accelerators, incubators, and research centres that support companies in defence and dual-use technologies

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

• Businesses and organizations located in Atlantic Canada, within the area served by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).

• Extent to which the project benefits the Canadian Armed Forces, the NATO Alliance or NATO allies, and contributes to defence readiness or industrial capability.
• Strength of the project’s contribution to increasing Canada’s defence industrial capabilities and capacity, particularly through business-led initiatives.
• Demonstrated impact on integrating Canadian businesses into domestic and international defence supply chains.
• Expected economic benefits, including productivity gains, competitiveness, and broader regional economic impacts.
• Contribution to defence-related regional infrastructure, Indigenous economic inclusion, and alignment with the Buy Canadian Policy.

• 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.