Impact ApplicationsFuelling Canada's Innovators™

Government Grants for Canadian Businesses

Canada runs hundreds of federal, provincial, and regional funding programs for for-profit businesses. This hub explains how the major programs work, who qualifies, and how to combine them, so you can fund your next project without giving up equity.

The main types of business funding in Canada

"Grant" is often used as a catch-all, but Canadian government funding comes in several distinct forms. Knowing which is which matters, because they stack differently and some reduce the base of others (government assistance, for example, lowers the expenditure a SR&ED claim can be calculated on).

Non-repayable grants

Direct funding you do not pay back, tied to an eligible project or activity.

Refundable tax credits

Programs like SR&ED that return a percentage of eligible R&D spend, even at a loss.

Repayable contributions

Low- or zero-interest funding repaid over time, common for scale-up and commercialization.

Wage & training subsidies

Programs that offset the cost of hiring, upskilling, or bringing on students and apprentices.

Major grant programs

The programs Canadian businesses ask about most. Each links to a full breakdown of eligibility, funding amounts, and deadlines.

RTRI

Open

Incorporated for-profit businesses in AB, SK, MB impacted by U.S., Chinese, or Canadian counter-tariffs. Must demonstrate tariff impact and financial viability pre-March 2025.

Up to $1M non-repayable + $5M repayablePrairiesCan