Open Now: Business Funding Programs in Canada and Quebec (October 2026)
As of October 8, 2026, open federal programs include the Regional Tariff Response Initiative, BDC Pivot to Grow, the CSBFP, NRC IRAP and SR&ED. Open in Quebec: ESSOR, FORCE, CRIC, C3i, Écocamionnage, Hydro-Québec Efficient Solutions and the Services Québec wage subsidy, among others. CanExport SMEs and Canada Summer Jobs are closed for now.
Start an applicationBy Chady Zahri, Chief Executive Officer · Updated October 8, 2026
Voxen insight
Read the status and the conditions before the amount. A program that closed in August, or that needs $1M in revenue you do not have, is worth nothing to your plan this quarter. The programs that fit are usually fewer than the lists suggest, and the share they leave you is the part to plan for.
How this list is checked
Every status below was read on the program's official page on October 8, 2026, and each open program links to it. The list is refreshed monthly; closed and ended programs are listed without links. Rules can change between checks, so confirm on the official page before you apply. And be wary of anyone who promises a result: as the Competition Bureau puts it, no one can guarantee government grants or loans.
Federal programs open in October 2026
Federal programs are delivered across the country, sometimes through regional agencies or your own bank. Two of them, Pivot to Grow and the CSBFP, are loans rather than grants.
| Program (official page) | Type | Status | What to know first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) | Contributions, mostly non-repayable | Accepting applications through CED in Quebec and the other regional agencies | Liquidity stream: up to $2M at up to 50% of costs such as wages and rent. Needs $1M+ in revenue and real U.S. tariff exposure. |
| BDC Pivot to Grow loan | Loan from a federal Crown lender | Available until March 31, 2028 | $250K to $5M per stream, 0% for the first 12 months. Needs $1M+ in revenue and 15%+ of sales exported to the U.S. |
| Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP) | Government-backed bank loan | Live, through banks, caisses and credit unions | Up to $1.15M per borrower, for businesses with $10M or less in revenue. 2% registration fee. |
| NRC IRAP | Non-repayable contributions and advice | Continuous intake through an advisor | For incorporated firms up to 500 employees developing technology. Does not fund day-to-day operating costs. |
| SR&ED tax credit | Tax credit | Live | 35% for most Canadian-controlled private corporations up to the expenditure limit, refundable on current spending. |
| Student Work Placement Program | Wage subsidy | Continuous, through delivery partners | Up to $5,000 per placement. |
Checked on 2026-10-08 on each program's official page.
Quebec programs open in October 2026
Quebec's programs run through Investissement Québec, Services Québec, Hydro-Québec and the ministries. Several are tax credits claimed through your accountant rather than applications.
| Program (official page) | Type | Status | What to know first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investissement Québec FORCE | Loan | Runs until March 31, 2028 | Loans up to $50M for manufacturers and the primary sector hit by U.S. tariffs of 25% or more. Needs $2M+ in revenue. |
| ESSOR | Grants (stream 1) and loans or loan backing (stream 2) | Continuous intake; framework ends March 31, 2027; IQ can suspend intake without notice | Stream 1 pays 50% of a feasibility study (up to $50K) or a digital plan (up to $20K) or its execution (up to $50K). |
| CRIC tax credit | Refundable tax credit | Live for tax years beginning after March 25, 2025 | 30% on qualifying R&D and pre-commercialization spending above a threshold, up to $1M of it, then 20%. |
| C3i tax credit | Tax credit | Live through 2029 | 25%, 20% or 15% by region on manufacturing equipment, computer equipment and management software. |
| Services Québec wage subsidy | Wage subsidy | Continuous | Pays part of a new hire's wage, capped at minimum wage. The candidate must be referred by Services Québec. |
| PRIIME | Wage subsidy | Live | For a first North American job in the person's field, for immigrants and members of visible minorities. |
| MFOR, business stream (training) | Training support | Live; amounts set case by case | Helps pay for staff training. Amounts are set file by file. |
| Écocamionnage | Grant | Live until March 31, 2028 | For trucking efficiency technology and used heavy trucks. Needs CTQ registration with a satisfactory safety rating and 2+ years in operation. |
| Hydro-Québec Efficient Solutions | Rebate | Live; rules updated March 31, 2026 | For business-rate customers (G or Flex G). The customer pays at least 10% of eligible costs. |
| ÉcoPerformance | Grant | Live under rules in force since July 7, 2026; the mechanical-system tune-up stream closed September 1, 2026 | Aimed at businesses that burn fossil fuels, mainly manufacturers. |
Checked on 2026-10-08 on each program's official page.
Local programs open in Quebec
Local funds lend to projects in their territory: the FLI through each MRC, and PME MTL and the City of Montreal for Montreal businesses.
| Program (official page) | Type | Status | What to know first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local investment funds (FLI) | Loan through your MRC | Rules in force until December 31, 2028 | Up to $150K per 12 months, and no more than 50% of eligible costs. |
| PME MTL funds | Loans (Montreal) | Loans open; the 2026 Innovation call for projects is closed | Fonds PME MTL up to $300K, FLS Montréal up to $100K. The business puts in at least 20% of the project. |
| Montreal Secteurs en chantier | Grant (Montreal) | Live | For businesses hurt by major roadworks: a $5K one-time grant, or up to $40K a year for losses. |
Checked on 2026-10-08 on each program's official page.
Closed for now, or ended
These still appear on many third-party lists, the Canada Digital Adoption Program in particular, although it stopped taking applications in 2024.
| Program | Status | Detail | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| CanExport SMEs | Closed for now | Intake ended August 31, 2026; next intake not announced | $10K to $50K at up to 50% of export projects costing $20K to $100K. |
| Canada Summer Jobs | Closed for now | The 2026 window closed December 11, 2025; 2027 dates not announced | Private employers need 50 or fewer staff. |
| Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) | Ended | Stopped taking applications in 2024 | Still listed on many third-party pages. No replacement was found. |
| Productivité innovation | Ended | Ended | Its successor, grand V, is a term loan with technology coaching and a $250K minimum. |
Checked on 2026-10-08 on each program's official page.
What changed recently
- August 25, 2026: the federal tariff package added $1.5B to the Regional Tariff Response Initiative.
- August 31, 2026: CanExport SMEs stopped taking applications; the next intake has not been announced.
- September 1, 2026: EDC enhanced its Trade Impact Program, which EDC says is not a grant, and ÉcoPerformance closed its mechanical-system tune-up stream.
- March 31, 2026: Hydro-Québec updated the rules of its Efficient Solutions program.
Where Voxen fits next to these programs
Voxen does not apply to any of these programs for you and does not advance money against a grant, a credit or a program decision. What Voxen arranges is financing for the share your business pays and for the months before a program pays, assessed on your own revenue. For a full search across more than 1,500 programs, the government's Business Benefits Finder is the official tool, and Voxen's grants finder is another place to start.
What to do next
Pick the programs whose conditions your business meets and confirm each status on its official page. Then check the grants finder, and talk to Voxen about financing the share each program leaves to you.
Frequently asked questions
Which business funding programs closed recently?
CanExport SMEs stopped taking applications on August 31, 2026, and the 2026 Canada Summer Jobs window closed on December 11, 2025. Neither has announced its next intake.
Is the Canada Digital Adoption Program still available?
No. It stopped taking applications in 2024, and no replacement program was found. Many third-party pages still list it.
How often is this list updated?
Each month. Every status is read on the program's official page, and the check date appears under each table.
Can Voxen apply for these programs for me?
No. Voxen does not prepare program applications. It arranges financing for the share of a project your business pays and for the wait before a program pays, based on your own revenue.
Where can I search every program, not only these?
The government's Business Benefits Finder matches a business against more than 1,500 federal, provincial and territorial programs.
Related
- Chady Zahri — Chief Executive Officer
- Grants hub
- Find the programs that fit your business
- Funding while you wait for a program
- Tariff programs
- Hiring and training programs
- Business line of credit
- How to Fund Your Share of a Government Grant While You Wait for the Payout
- Hit by U.S. Tariffs? RTRI, BDC Pivot to Grow and Investissement Québec FORCE Compared
- Hiring Subsidies in Quebec: Services Québec Wage Subsidy, PRIIME and MFOR, and Covering Payroll Until They Pay
- Local Funds (FLI/FLS, PME MTL) vs Private Financing: Which to Use