Financing your new business
Entrepreneurs often report that getting financing is the most challenging aspect of starting a business. There are both government and private-sector sources of financing that you can tap into to get your business off the ground.
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Government financing
The government provides financing to help entrepreneurs like you start a business. Some of this financing is targeted at specific demographic groups or industry sectors, and some is more widely available. The financing includes grants and contributions (which generally do not have to be repaid) and loans and loan guarantees (which generally do have to be repaid).
- CYBF Newcomer Program
If you are a recent immigrant to Canada and are between the ages of 18 and 39 years old, you can apply for money to start a business.
- CYBF Start-Up Program
Are you between 18 and 39 years old? If you are a Canadian resident with a good business idea, you could get $15,000 or more to start or run a business full-time.
- APEX Investment Fund
If your business is in one of three key industry sectors, you may be able to attract an equity investment of up to $5 million from this private fund.
- ATB Financial
If you are looking for money to help you start or operate your small business in Alberta, you may be eligible for financing opportunities.
- AVAC Ltd.
If you operate a new Alberta agricultural business, you can apply for money for R&D; and to help you market your product or service.
- Aboriginal Business Development Fund (Ulnooweg Loan)
Funding for Aboriginal people in Atlantic Canada to start, buy, grow or refinance a business.
- Aboriginal Business Development Program
If you are Aboriginal and live in the territories, you could get financing to start or grow a business.
- Aerospace Tax Holiday
Your PEI aerospace business may be eligible for a tax rebate.
- Agricultural Development Loans
Access loans for your Aboriginal agriculture business. Agricultural loans are available to First Nations individuals, bands, tribal councils and First Nation owned corporations.
- Agriculture Financial Services Corporation Lending
Access loans and services to start or grow farm, agribusiness or other small business.
- Alberta BoostR
This crowdfunding platform can help your Alberta businesses raise money through a community of supporters, in exchange for a reward.
- Alberta Foundation for the Arts Grants
Learn about grants and resources for artists in Alberta.
- Alberta Indian Investment Corporation
If you are an Aboriginal entrepreneur seeking financing and business support, learn about loans, equity investments and services available to you.
- Apeetogosan (Métis) Development Inc.
Are you an established or budding entrepreneur seeking financing and business support services? If so, learn about direct business financing, equity investments, and business services.
- Atlantic Association of Community Business Development Corporations
If you live in a rural region of Atlantic Canada, you can access business counselling, financing and training to help start or grow your business.
- Atuqtuarvik Corporation — Loan Services
If you are Inuit and live in Nunavut, you may get money to start, buy or grow a business.
- BDC financing
You could get money to help you start or grow your business.
- BDC growth capital for aboriginal business
Find out how you could get money to help start or grow your Aboriginal business.
- BDC subordinate financing
Do you own a successful business, but lack the collateral to get a conventional loan? Discover an alternative way to finance your business growth.
- Black Business Initiative — Financial support
As an African Nova Scotian entrepreneur, you could access a loan of up to $25,000 to start or expand your business.
- Business Assistance — Immigrant Investor Program
If your business is in one of the eligible industries and obtains a positive recommendation from an accredited financial intermediary, you could receive funding.
- Business Attraction Fund
Get a loan or equity investment to establish your company in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Business Development Centres of Nunavut
If you live in Nunavut, you can apply for loans, training and business counselling to help you start or grow a business.
- Business Development Program
Access funds to start, expand or improve your business in Atlantic Canada.
- Business Start Program
Are you a new owner/operator ready to begin your business journey? Access this three-day business workshop and loan guarantee program to start things off on the right foot.
- Buying a business
Find out how you may get financing to buy an existing business.
- CEED — SEED Capital Loan Program
You could get financing of up to $20,000 to start, expand or modernize your urban business.
- Canada Small Business Financing Program
Access funds for your small business with the help of this loan guarantee program.
- Canadian Agricultural Loans Act program
Find out how you could use this loan guarantee program to secure credit for your farming business.
- Capitalization of social economy companies
You could obtain a capitalization loan or benefit from the purchase of preferred shares for your social economy company.
- Clarence Campeau Development Fund
If you are Métis, you could get money to help you start a business or grow the one you have.
- Commercial loans
Learn about commercial loans for your Aboriginal business in Saskatchewan.
- Community Business Development Corporations – Social Enterprise Loan
Find out how you could get a loan of up to $150,000 to start-up, renovate or grow your social enterprise in rural Atlantic Canada.
- Community Business Development Corporations — Loans for Atlantic entrepreneurs
You could borrow up to $150,000 to start, grow, or modernize a business in a rural area of Atlantic Canada.
- Community Futures Alberta — Small Business Loans
You could get a loan to start or grow a business if you live in rural Alberta.
- Community Futures British Columbia — Financing programs for entrepreneurs
You could get money to start or grow a business if you live in a rural area of British Columbia.
- Community Futures Program
You could receive funding to start or grow your business in Northern Ontario or in rural areas of Southern Ontario.
- Community Futures Saskatchewan — Loan products for small businesses
You could get a loan to start or grow a business if you live in rural or northern Saskatchewan.
- Community Futures Self Employment Programs
In rural British Columbia you can receive business training and access to financial assistance if you are unemployed and looking to start a new business.
- Community Futures Treaty Seven – Business development
Are you an Aboriginal entrepreneur wishing to start or grow your business? You may be eligible for a business loan.
- Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan: Financing
If you are a Francophone living in Saskatchewan, you may be able to get financing to start or grow a business.
- Direct Equity Tax Credit Program
Invest in a new or expanding small business in Newfoundland and Labrador and receive a provincial income tax credit.
- Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities: Financing
If you are a Francophone living in Manitoba, you may be able to get financing to start or grow a business.
- Emerging Music Business Program
You could be eligible for funding for your emerging music business in Nova Scotia.
- Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation
If you live in the Cape Breton or Mulgrave areas, you could get money to help you start or grow your business or to upgrade your website.
- Entrepreneur Loan Program
You may be eligible to receive up to $50,000 directly from authorized lenders backed by a government guarantee for your new or expanding business.
- Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program
If you are an entrepreneur with a disability and you live in Western Canada, you could get help to start or grow a business.
- FACTOR funding for the recording industry
If you have a recording business or if you are a song-writer, composer or musician and record in English, you could get money for certain activities.
- Farm Credit Canada Products and Services
You could access capital for your farming or agri-business operation.
- Femmessor — Réussir en affaires
You could obtain funding, training or mentoring for the acquisition, start-up, expansion or consolidation of your company.
- Fiducie du Chantier de l'économie sociale
Do you need funding to start a business or develop new social economics projects?
- Financial Assistance to Industry Program
You could get a loan or loan guarantee to start, grow or maintain your business in New Brunswick.
- Financial programs
Are you looking to obtain financing for your business? This program offers term loans, equity, contributions and letters of credit.
- Financing for starting a business
Learn how you could get money to start or buy a business or to buy property or equipment to set up your business.
- First Nation Youth Livestock Program
If you are an Aboriginal youth interested in a livestock operation, this program can help you build equity by providing financing, training and support.
- Fishing Licence Loan Program
Apply for a loan to buy a New Entrant or New Species fishing licence.
- Fishing Vessel Loan Program
Apply for a loan to purchase, build or modify your fishing vessel in Nova Scotia.
- Fonds afro-entrepreneurs — Loans to Afro-Québécois businesspeople
Are you a member of one of Quebec's black communities? You could receive a loan or loan guarantee for your business' needs.
- Fonds de développement des entreprises d'économie sociale
Do you have a social enterprise? If so, this development fund can help you.
- Funding programs for Nunavut filmmakers
If you are a filmmaker, producer or owner of a production company based in Nunavut, you may get money to create films, television shows and digital media.
- General business loans
As a member of the Six Nations or New Credit aboriginal communities, you could qualify for a term loan of up to $300,000 to buy land, buildings and equipment for your business.
- Grant — Fondation Montréal Inc
If you are a young Montreal entrepreneur, you could receive a grant of between $5,000 and $30,000 to start up your business as well as advice or training.
- Immigrant Small Business Loan Program
As a recent immigrant to Nova Scotia, you can apply for a loan to start, buy or expand your business.
- Indian Business Corporation services
If you are a First Nations person looking for financing for a new or existing business, learn about loans and business services available to you.
- Industry-Academic Collaboration Programs
Learn about financing and support that may help you develop and commercialize innovative techniques, products and services in Ontario.
- JEDI Aboriginal Development Fund
If you are Aboriginal and live in New Brunswick, you can apply for up to $2,500 to start or grow a business.
- Jeunes Promoteurs
If you want to start up your first business and you are between the ages of 18 and 35, you may be eligible to obtain financial assistance.
- Junior Exploration Assistance
You could receive a grant to conduct advanced mineral exploration and prospection.
- Livestock Loan Guarantee Program
Find out about alternative financing solutions to purchase livestock or construct feedlot facilities.
- Local investment fund
Apply for financing to start or expand a business in Quebec.
- Marketing Support Program
You could obtain financial assistance for marketing costs from start-up through to international exporting.
- NB Growth Program
You could get a grant of up to $100,000 to start a business, or up to $60,000 to expand, diversify or improve your small business.
- Natural Stone Assessment
Access a grant for the exploration and assessment of new or undeveloped natural stone sites.
- New Entrant Farmer Loan Program
You could get up to $750,000 in loans to help you buy a farm.
- NextStep to Success
You could access loans of up to $150,000 if you are an Aboriginal woman in Alberta who owns a business or who would like to start one.
- Northern Ontario Entrepreneur
Apply for a grant of up to $125,000 towards eligible costs of starting a new business in Northern Ontario.
- Northern Ontario Young Entrepreneur
You could receive a grant of up to $25,000 if you are between the ages of 18 and 29 and plan to start a new business in Northern Ontario.
- Nova Scotia Business Development Program
You could qualify for a government rebate to help vitalize your start-up or existing business.
- Nova Scotia Farm Loans
Apply for a loan to help fund your agricultural business.
- Nunavut Business Credit Corporation
If you live in Nunavut, you could get up to $1 million to start or grow a business there.
- Ontario Catapult Microloan Fund for Social Enterprises
You may be eligible for a loan of $5,000 to $25,000 for your innovative Ontario-based social enterprise.
- Ontario Disability Support Program: Employment Supports
If you are an entrepreneur with a disability, you can get help starting a business.
- Ontario Innovation Demonstration Fund
You may qualify for funding to help commercialize your innovative green technologies.
- Ontario Self-Employment Benefit
You may be able to turn your employment insurance eligibility into support for planning a new business of your own.
- Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities
If you are a person with disabilities who wants to start a business or if you are an employer who would like to hire someone with a disability, you could qualify for funds.
- Prospectors Assistance
You could receive funding for mineral exploration activities and prospector training.
- Quebec Economic Development Program
Find out about resources that can help you develop your Quebec business.
- Réseau québécois du crédit communautaire
You could obtain microfinancing from this network to start a business in Quebec.
- Regional Economic Intervention Fund (FIER)
Your business could obtain financial assistance in the form of equity for your start-up, development, succession and recovery projects.
- Self Employment Option
Interested in starting your own business in the Northwest Territories? If you are unemployed, you could continue to receive benefits and get help to start your business.
- Self Employment Program
Are you collecting Employment and Income Assistance? Are you ready to be your own boss? The Self Employment Program might be the next step for you.
- Self-Employ PEI
Interested in starting your own business? If you are currently unemployed, you may be eligible to receive benefits to help you do so.
- Self-Employment Benefit — Workforce Expansion
Do you want to start a business and be your own boss? Find out about a program that could help you get started.
- Self-Employment Program
If you are unemployed, you could get self-employment training, continue to receive benefits, and get assistance for living expenses.
- Self-Employment Program (Nova Scotia)
Get support and training to start a business to create your own job.
- Self-employment support
Receive financial and technical support to start or purchase a microbusiness.
- Settlement Investment Corporation
As a Métis business owner, you could get support with direct business loans and services such as business plan development and training.
- Sivummut Grants to Small Businesses
If you live in the Baffin (Qikiqtaaluk) region of Nunavut, you could get up to $25,000 to start or grow a business there.
- Small Business Loans
You could obtain a small business loan to purchase or expand a business, to consolidate debt, or undertake new construction.
- Small Business Loans Association Program
You may be eligible for a loan of up to $20,000 even if you have had difficulty getting financing through traditional methods.
- Strategic Investments Program — Nunavut Equity Investment Fund
If you live in Nunavut, you could get money to start or grow a business in mining, tourism, cultural industries or fisheries.
- Student Entrepreneurship
Are you looking for a summer job? You could get an interest-free loan of up to $3,000 to operate your own business.
- Students in Business
You could apply for an interest-free loan to start your own business if you are between 15-34 years old and planning to go to school.
- Summer Company
If you are a student between 15 and 29 years of age, you may be eligible for up to $3,000 to help you start and run a summer business.
- TEAM Work Opportunity Fund
If you have a self-identified disability, you could access funding to help you become an entrepreneur.
- Tax deduction for new small business
Find out how you can avoid paying Nova Scotia corporate income tax for the first three years of your new incorporated business.
- The Prince's Operation Entrepreneur
If you are a transitioning Canadian Forces member looking to establish a small business, this program could be for you.
- Tourism loans
If you own a tourism establishment other than a bed and breakfast, you may be able to get a loan to buy, build, renovate or expand your business or consolidate debts.
- Women's Enterprise Initiative Loan Program
If you are a woman living in Western Canada, you could get a loan to start, grow or buy a business.
Private-sector financing
You can also turn to the private sector for financing for your business. You can look to Canada's major financial institutions, such as banks, credit unions, and cooperatives. Depending on the type of business you want to start, you might also be able to secure venture capital or financing from angel investors.
- Sources of private sector financing
Find out about the debt and equity financing available from the private sector for your business needs.
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