Exporting to the United States – A Team Canada Inc Publication

5.3 Obtaining financial assistance

There are three chief sources for the financial help you may need: banks, government assistance programs and venture capital. In brief:

Banks

As with domestic business operations, bank lines of credit or loans are commonly used to help fund export operations.

Government assistance

Several government agencies and programs exist specifically to help Canadian exporters do business abroad. Among them are:

• The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) provides flexible financing for the development of international markets, R&D, product modifications and new production equipment or technology.
• Export Development Canada (EDC) provides finance services for Canadian exporters and investors, particularly small- and medium-size enterprises. It offers a wide range of financing tools to exporters of all sizes, in all sectors. Thousands of exporters use EDC to make sure they get paid or to provide access to the money they need to export more successfully.
• Industry Canada's Sources of Financing Web page may also help you identify other private or public sources of financing.

Assistance from regional agencies

Various regional development agencies offer financial assistance to exporters. Contact Team Canada Inc at 1 888 811-1119 or your local Canada Business Service Centre to find out what provincial financing programs may be available.