Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) — Business Scale-up and Productivity — ACOA

• Repayable contributions are unsecured and interest-free; the specific repayment schedule and conditions are detailed in the agreement.
• Non-repayable contributions are available for non-profit organizations under certain funding streams.

• The applicant must be a business, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, social enterprises, incorporated companies, corporations, co-operatives, or Indigenous-owned businesses.
• The applicant may also be a non-profit organization that offers services to businesses.
• The project must focus on business scale-up, expansion, adopting new technologies, improving productivity, or accessing new markets.

Who is eligible?

• Sole proprietorships
• Partnerships
• Social enterprises
• Incorporated companies, corporations, or co-operatives
• Indigenous-owned businesses
• Non-profit organizations that offer services to businesses
• Post-secondary educational institutions
• Accelerators and business incubators
• Angel networks
• Municipalities and municipal-type organizations
• Community-owned Indigenous businesses

Who is not eligible

There are specific types of companies that are not eligible for this grant. Indigenous-owned businesses, sole proprietorships, partnerships, social enterprises, incorporated companies, corporations or co-operatives, and all other types of enterprises are eligible for the grant.

• Indigenous-owned businesses
• Sole proprietorships
• Partnerships
• Social enterprises
• Incorporated companies
• Corporations or co-operatives
• All other types of enterprises

Eligible expenses

• Costs to scale up and expand business operations.
• Expenses for adopting and integrating new technologies.
• Investments to improve productivity.
• Expenditures related to creating new products.
• Costs incurred to access new markets.

Eligible geographic areas

• Atlantic Canada, including Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

There are evaluation and selection criteria for this grant. The evaluation process considers various factors to determine eligibility and assess the potential impact of the project.

• Evaluation criteria may include:
• Alignment with program objectives
• Viability and potential for growth
• Economic impact and innovation
• Capacity to implement the project
• Benefit to the region and community

• Repayment contributions provided through REGI are unsecured and interest-free, with schedules and conditions detailed in the funding agreement.
• Extra support or flexible repayment options may be available for Indigenous youth, Indigenous women, or community-owned Indigenous businesses.
• The Open Government Portal can be used to search for previously successful REGI funding applications using the keyword “REGI.”
• ACOA Business Information Services offers advisory support for applicants unsure about how to start or develop their business idea.