Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — British Columbia

• Repayable contributions for businesses: $200,000 to $10 million per project, covering up to 75% of eligible costs.
• Non-repayable contributions for businesses: $200,000 to $1 million per project, covering up to 50% of eligible costs (maximum one project per recipient).
• Non-repayable contributions for not-for-profits: up to $10 million per project supporting SMEs.
• At least 25% of funding for repayable business projects must come from non-PacifiCan sources (with at least 10% from non-government sources).
• Combined government assistance cannot exceed 90% of total eligible project costs, except for Indigenous-led projects where it may reach 100%.

• The applicant must be an incorporated for-profit business located in British Columbia with 10 to 499 full-time employees.
• The business must have been in continuous and viable operation for at least 3 years prior to March 21, 2025, with at least 2 complete years of externally prepared or reviewed financial statements.
• The applicant (or the businesses supported, if a not-for-profit) must demonstrate viability prior to the imposition of U.S. and China tariffs before March 21, 2025.
• At least 25% of the business’s sales must be to the U.S. and/or China, or the business must have been affected, or have a high likelihood of being affected, by recent trade disruptions including new U.S./China tariffs or Canadian countermeasures.
• The project must focus on activities such as boosting productivity, growing and diversifying markets, or strengthening supply chains in response to tariff impacts.

Who is eligible?

• Incorporated for-profit businesses employing between 10 and 499 full-time employees in British Columbia
• Not-for-profit organizations that support small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• Businesses operating in industries such as forestry, metal, machinery and equipment, agriculture, and seafood (specifically prioritized for non-repayable funding applications)

Eligible expenses

• Investments in digitization, automation, and modernization of technology aimed at enhancing productivity and competitiveness.
• Costs associated with developing and expanding into new markets.
• Expenses related to optimizing and strengthening supply chain logistics, including compliance with market access standards.
• Expenditures for reshoring production or research and development operations.
• Recruitment and hiring expenses for highly qualified personnel and expertise essential to project objectives.

Eligible geographic areas

• British Columbia

• Demonstrated capacity and readiness to complete a significant portion of project activities by March 31, 2026, and the entire project by March 31, 2028.
• Evidence of business viability and performance prior to tariff impacts, and capacity for future growth (revenues, exports, jobs, etc.).
• Clear and viable project or business plan, including articulation of future growth opportunities.
• Confirmed non-PacifiCan and non-government financial contributions that exceed the minimum required share of eligible project costs.
• Clear demonstration of economic benefits for British Columbia and Canada, focusing on productivity, market diversification, supply chain improvements, and value for money.

• Eligible costs may be retroactively claimed up to 12 months prior to application, provided they are not incurred before March 21, 2025.
• Projects must start on or after March 21, 2025 and be completed by March 31, 2028.
• Applications received before October 15, 2025 will receive priority in the review process.
• Recipients can apply for multiple projects, but non-repayable funding is limited to one project per business for the lifetime of the RTRI.