20+ federal and provincial programs covering market development, trade finance, and international expansion. Compare CanExport, EDC, TCS, and provincial trade funds by amount, target market, and stacking potential.
See All 20 Programs ↓Canada offers 20+ export and international expansion funding programs that help businesses enter foreign markets. The CanExport SMEs grant provides up to $50,000 per project at 50% cost-share, with first-time applicants typically receiving $20,000-$30,000 for trade shows, market research, and in-market travel. The Trade Commissioner Service operates in 160+ cities worldwide and provides free market intelligence and introductions at no cost. Export Development Canada (EDC) offers credit insurance, export guarantees up to US$25 million, and direct lending — not grants, but essential commercial risk protection. For technology companies, the Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA) provides $15,000-$40,000 in in-kind support for entering global tech hubs. When stacked correctly, a Canadian SME entering a new market can access $50,000-$100,000+ in non-repayable funding plus unlimited EDC risk coverage. Source: Global Affairs Canada CanExport, Export Development Canada. Find your best export funding match →
In This Guide
How Canada's export support ecosystem works, and what changed this year.
Canada's export funding ecosystem distributes approximately $2.5 billion annually through a combination of grants, trade finance, credit insurance, and advisory services designed to help businesses sell internationally. Unlike R&D funding where tax credits dominate, export support operates through three distinct channels: non-repayable market development grants (CanExport family), commercial trade finance (EDC), and free advisory services (Trade Commissioner Service). Each channel addresses a different barrier to exporting. Source: Global Affairs Canada.
The 2026-27 fiscal year introduced four significant changes. First, CanExport SMEs shifted budget allocation dramatically — only $3.1 million of $31 million targets U.S. projects, reflecting the government's market diversification strategy away from dependence on a single trading partner. Second, agriculture and agri-food companies were excluded from CanExport SMEs and redirected to the new AgriMarketing Market Diversification SME stream at a more generous 70% cost-share. Third, the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) launched with up to $1 million in non-repayable grants for tariff-affected exporters. Fourth, the Ontario Together Trade Fund opened continuous intake with up to $5 million per project for Ontario businesses pursuing export market diversification. Source: Budget 2025.
The most critical distinction exporters miss is the difference between grants and trade finance. CanExport provides non-repayable funding — money you do not pay back. EDC provides commercial financial products — insurance premiums, guarantee fees, and loan interest. Both are essential, but they serve different purposes. CanExport pays for market entry activities (trade shows, research trips, legal compliance). EDC protects against the financial risks of selling internationally (buyer non-payment, currency fluctuation, political risk). The optimal strategy uses both simultaneously because EDC's commercial products do not count toward government stacking limits.
Canada's trade landscape is shifting rapidly. Canadian exports reached $734 billion in 2024, with the U.S. accounting for 75% of merchandise exports. However, federal policy is aggressively pushing diversification through CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership), CETA (Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement), and bilateral agreements with India and ASEAN nations. Exporters targeting non-U.S. markets — particularly the EU, Indo-Pacific, and UK — face less competition for CanExport funding and access enhanced cost-share rates through several programs. Source: Statistics Canada International Trade.
The tariff disruption of 2025-2026 created an entirely new funding channel. The Regional Tariff Response Initiative deployed up to $1 million in non-repayable grants through all 7 Regional Development Agencies. Ontario responded with the Ontario Together Trade Fund at up to $5 million per project. EDC expanded capacity through the Trade Impact Program with an additional $5 billion. BDC launched Pivot to Grow with $100,000-$2,000,000 loans specifically for market diversification. These tariff-response programs run alongside permanent export programs, creating the most funding-rich environment for Canadian exporters in over a decade. Companies affected by U.S. trade uncertainty should apply to tariff-response programs immediately while pursuing permanent programs in parallel. Source: ISED RTRI.
The CanExport family is a suite of four distinct programs, not one program. CanExport SMEs targets individual businesses with $50,000 at 50% cost-share. CanExport Innovation targets international R&D partnerships with $37,500 at 75% cost-share. CanExport Associations targets national industry groups with $500,000 at 50-75% cost-share. CanExport Community Investments targets communities with $75,000 for trade-enabling infrastructure. Each program has different eligibility, different cost-share rates, and different eligible activities — but they all stack with each other and with EDC. Understanding which CanExport stream matches your specific need is the first strategic decision every exporter must make.
Every export program targets a specific stage of internationalization. The Export Readiness Scale maps which programs match which stage, so you apply to the right program at the right time.
The Export Readiness Scale illustrates why sequence matters more than which program to pick. A company at Stage 1 should start with the free Trade Commissioner Service and a modest CanExport market research project — not jump to CIIP co-innovation. Each stage builds the track record, relationships, and in-market presence that make the next stage's programs accessible. Companies that skip to Stage 3 programs without Stage 1 foundations waste application effort and often fail eligibility requirements. The TCS relationship is the single most important first step because trade commissioners connect you to every other program in the ecosystem.
Stage progression is not always linear. Technology companies with strong international interest can enter at Stage 2 by applying to CanExport SMEs and CTA simultaneously. Companies with existing international R&D partnerships can skip directly to CanExport Innovation at Stage 3. Creative industries companies with prior international distribution may enter at Stage 3 or 4 through Creative Export Canada. The key insight is that each program's eligibility requirements correspond to a specific stage — CanExport SMEs requires $100,000 domestic revenue (Stage 2 readiness), CIIP co-innovation requires an established foreign partner (Stage 3-4 readiness), and EDC direct lending requires $10M+ revenue (Stage 4). Your current business metrics determine your entry point on the Scale.
The transition from Stage 2 to Stage 3 is where most Canadian exporters stall. A company makes its first international sale (Stage 2) and then struggles to convert one-off transactions into sustained export revenue. The programs designed for this transition are EDC credit insurance (protecting against the buyer non-payment risk that kills new exporters), CanExport Innovation (building deeper partnerships beyond transactional sales), and provincial RDA programs (funding the operational capacity needed to serve international customers reliably). Companies that remain at Stage 2 for more than 18 months should reassess whether their product-market fit translates internationally or whether they need to reposition before scaling.
The six core federal programs for Canadian exporters, with enrichment data from GrantCompass research.
CanExport SMEs is the primary non-repayable export grant for Canadian businesses, covering 50% of eligible international market development costs including trade shows, market research trips, marketing material adaptation, legal and regulatory compliance, and in-market travel. The 2026-27 intake prioritizes non-U.S. markets, with only $3.1 million of the $31 million budget allocated to U.S.-targeted projects.
The Trade Commissioner Service is a free advisory service operated by Global Affairs Canada with over 1,000 trade commissioners in 160+ cities across 6 continents. TCS provides market intelligence, qualified buyer/partner introductions, regulatory guidance, and letters of support for CanExport applications. The in-kind value of sustained TCS engagement is estimated at $5,000-$50,000+.
EDC is a federal Crown corporation that provides commercial financial services to Canadian exporters — credit insurance, export guarantees up to US$25 million, direct lending (minimum $1 million), and investment matching up to $25 million. EDC manages a $123.4 billion portfolio and served 27,800 customers in 2024. EDC is NOT a grant program — all products carry premiums, fees, or interest.
CanExport Innovation funds international R&D partnerships, technology licensing, regulatory certification, and co-innovation with foreign partners at 75% cost-share — the most generous rate in the CanExport family. No minimum revenue requirement means pre-revenue deep-tech startups qualify. Organizations can receive up to $100,000 across multiple projects within any 12-month period.
CIIP funds co-innovation projects with international partners in target markets including India, Israel, South Korea, and Japan. The program uses a two-stage pipeline: Partnership Development Activities (PDA) at $5,000-$15,000 for initial partner identification, followed by Co-Innovation Projects at $150,000-$600,000 for full collaborative R&D. Only approximately 10 co-innovation projects are funded annually.
Creative Export Canada funds international market development for Canada's creative industries — film, games, music, publishing, performing arts, and digital media. The Export-Ready Stream provides up to $2.5 million for established exporters (average award ~$226,000 in 2025-26). The Export Development Stream offers up to $90,000 for earlier-stage creative businesses building international capacity.
Take the GrantCompass quiz to get matched with export funding programs based on your province, industry, business stage, and target market. Includes a personalized Funding Roadmap showing your optimal application sequence.
Take the Quiz →Provincial and regional trade programs that stack with federal CanExport grants. Programs vary significantly by province.
| Province / Region | Program | Max Amount | Cost-Share | Type | Difficulty | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Ontario Together Trade Fund | $5,000,000 | Varies | Forgivable loan | Tariff-affected exporters diversifying markets | |
| Ontario | FedDev Ontario BSP | $10,000,000 | Varies | Forgivable loan | Scale-up with export component | |
| Atlantic | ACOA Business Development | Varies | Varies | Forgivable loan | Atlantic exporters, trade missions | |
| Prairies | PrairiesCan BSP | $5,000,000 | Varies | Forgivable loan | Prairie businesses scaling exports | |
| BC | PacifiCan BSP | $5,000,000 | Varies | Forgivable loan | BC exporters, Asia-Pacific market entry | |
| Quebec | CED Quebec REGI BSP | $1,000,000 | Varies | Forgivable loan | Quebec exporters, EU market access | |
| Newfoundland | NL Business Growth Program | $200,000 | Varies | Grant | NL businesses pursuing export markets | |
| All Regions | RTRI (via 7 RDAs) | $1,000,000 | Varies | Grant | Tariff-affected businesses, market diversification | |
| Best overall for export-focused SMEs: CanExport SMEs + provincial RDA program (check your region). Best for tariff response: RTRI + Ontario Together Trade Fund (Ontario) or BDC Pivot to Grow (all provinces). | ||||||
How to combine CanExport, TCS, EDC, and provincial programs for maximum coverage of a single market entry. These are realistic scenarios with verified dollar math.
A 3-year-old Toronto SaaS company with $800K revenue wants to attend London Tech Week, meet potential distribution partners, and adapt marketing for the UK market.
CanExport SMEs and CanExport Innovation use different eligible cost categories and stack without conflict. CTA and TCS are in-kind and do not count toward the 75% stacking limit. EDC is commercial.
A 10-year-old Ontario manufacturer with $5M revenue, 70% U.S.-dependent, needs to pivot to EU markets due to tariff disruption. CE certification, new distributor search, Hannover Messe attendance.
RTRI and Ontario Together Trade Fund have different eligibility scopes — verify with FedDev Ontario that your project does not double-claim the same costs. SR&ED tax credits on automation components are explicitly excluded from the Ontario Together Trade Fund stacking cap.
A 5-year-old BC organic food producer with $2M revenue targeting Japan and South Korea distribution. Product certification, trade missions, marketing adaptation required.
Agri-food companies cannot use CanExport SMEs as of 2026-27. AgriMarketing at 70% cost-share is actually more generous. The Indo-Pacific enhanced cost-share rate (70% vs 50%) applies to AgriMarketing.
Which programs fit which target market. The U.S., EU, and Asia-Pacific each have different program alignment, trade agreements, and funding availability.
The Market Entry Matrix reveals a clear strategic advantage for non-U.S. markets. CanExport allocates $27.9 million to non-U.S. projects versus only $3.1 million for the U.S., meaning the same application quality faces roughly 9x less competition per dollar when targeting Europe or Asia-Pacific. CETA eliminates tariffs on 98% of Canadian goods entering the EU, and CPTPP provides preferential access to Japan, Australia, and Vietnam. Companies targeting these markets also access CIIP co-innovation funding and enhanced AgriMarketing cost-share rates — programs unavailable to U.S.-focused exporters.
The U.S. market path looks different in 2026-27. Traditional CanExport funding for U.S. entry is constrained at $3.1 million, but tariff-response programs create an alternative channel. The RTRI provides up to $1 million specifically for tariff-affected market diversification. Ontario Together Trade Fund offers up to $5 million for Ontario exporters shifting from U.S. dependence. BDC Pivot to Grow provides $100,000-$2,000,000 in loans for companies retooling their market strategy. Even EDC expanded its Trade Impact Program with an additional $5 billion in capacity. For companies already selling to the U.S. and needing to diversify, the tariff-response stack is often larger than the traditional CanExport path. Source: BDC Pivot to Grow.
EU market entry under CETA offers structural advantages. The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement eliminates tariffs on 98% of Canadian goods entering EU member states and provides preferential treatment for Canadian service providers. CETA also includes mutual recognition of professional qualifications in several sectors and opens EU government procurement to Canadian bidders. Canadian companies entering the EU through CETA can combine CanExport SMEs ($50,000 at 50%), CIIP co-innovation (up to $600,000 for EU partnerships), CTA London (in-kind mentorship and workspace), and TCS advisory across 40+ EU trade commissioner posts. The EU is Canada's second-largest trading partner after the U.S. — bilateral merchandise trade reached $109 billion in 2024. Source: Global Affairs Canada CETA.
Asia-Pacific via CPTPP is the fastest-growing opportunity. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership gives Canadian companies preferential access to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Brunei — collectively representing 495 million consumers and 13.4% of global GDP. CIIP has dedicated streams for India, Israel, South Korea, and Japan with co-innovation funding up to $600,000. AgriMarketing provides 70% cost-share for Indo-Pacific agri-food projects (vs. 50% baseline). CTA operates hubs in Singapore, Tokyo, and Hong Kong for tech companies. Companies that combine CPTPP tariff advantages with Canadian government export funding can enter Asian markets at a fraction of what competitors from non-CPTPP countries pay.
Three worked examples showing exactly which programs to apply for, in what order, and how much to realistically expect.
Priya runs a project management SaaS built for construction companies. She has 40 paying customers in Canada and wants to expand to the UK and Germany where CETA provides preferential market access. Her product is English-language and she has no European presence.
Step 1: Register with TCS. Priya creates a MyTCS account and connects with a trade commissioner specializing in tech exports to the UK. The TCS officer provides a market brief on UK construction tech buyers and introduces her to three potential channel partners. Cost: $0. Timeline: 2 weeks.
Step 2: Apply to CanExport SMEs. Priya submits a $20,000 project targeting London Tech Week attendance and three partner meetings. Her TCS officer provides a letter of support. She budgets $40,000 total (50% cost-share). CanExport covers trade show registration, flights, accommodation, and marketing material adaptation. Timeline: 12 weeks to approval.
Step 3: Apply to CTA London. Priya joins the Canadian Technology Accelerator London cohort for 4 months of mentorship, co-working space, and investor introductions. In-kind value: approximately $25,000. She uses CanExport funds to cover her travel during in-market weeks.
Step 4: Apply to CanExport Innovation. After meeting a UK construction tech firm at CTA, Priya applies for CanExport Innovation to fund a joint integration project — adapting her platform for UK building regulations. At 75% cost-share on a $30,000 project: $22,500 funding. Timeline: 12 weeks.
$67,500+ in grants and in-kind support over 12 months. CanExport SMEs $20,000 + CTA $25,000 in-kind + CanExport Innovation $22,500 = $67,500. Plus EDC credit insurance on first UK sales.
Marcus manages a Tier 2 auto parts supplier that sends 80% of output to Michigan. Tariff uncertainty is threatening his largest contracts. His CEO wants to diversify into EU automotive supply chains within 18 months.
Step 1: Apply to RTRI immediately. As a tariff-affected Ontario manufacturer, Marcus applies through FedDev Ontario for up to $300,000 in market diversification funding. This covers EU market research, CE certification consulting, and Hannover Messe attendance. Timeline: 60 business days to decision.
Step 2: Apply to Ontario Together Trade Fund. Marcus completes the mandatory online self-screener and submits a proposal for $750,000 covering supply chain retooling for EU standards, new quality certifications, and distribution infrastructure. Timeline: 3-6 months.
Step 3: Apply to CanExport SMEs. Marcus targets a $30,000 CanExport project for Hannover Messe 2027 attendance and three EU distributor meetings in Germany and Czech Republic. The $31M budget's non-U.S. pool gives him strong odds. Timeline: 12 weeks.
Step 4: Secure EDC coverage. Before shipping the first EU order, Marcus obtains EDC Portfolio Credit Insurance covering his new European buyers against non-payment. Premium: 0.5% of insured receivables. Approval: 10-25 days.
$1,080,000 in non-repayable support over 18 months. RTRI $300,000 + Ontario Together Trade Fund $750,000 + CanExport $30,000 = $1,080,000. Plus EDC coverage on EU receivables and potential SR&ED credits on automation work.
Jean-Pierre produces organic granola bars and trail mixes sold across Eastern Canada. Japanese and Korean buyers have expressed interest at SIAL Canada. He needs product certification for Japanese food import standards, packaging adaptation, and trade mission attendance.
Step 1: Apply to AgriMarketing Market Diversification SME Stream. As an agri-food company, Jean-Pierre is excluded from CanExport SMEs but directed to AgriMarketing at a more generous 70% cost-share. He submits a $100,000 project covering Japanese food safety certification, packaging redesign, and FOODEX Japan attendance. Funding: $70,000 at 70%. Timeline: 3-6 months.
Step 2: Connect with TCS Tokyo and Seoul. Jean-Pierre's TCS officer in Montreal connects him with trade commissioners in Tokyo and Seoul who specialize in food imports. They identify three qualified importers and arrange introductory calls. Cost: $0.
Step 3: Apply to CED Quebec REGI BSP. Jean-Pierre applies through CED for $150,000 in business scale-up funding covering production capacity for export volumes and quality management system upgrades. Timeline: 4-8 weeks.
Step 4: Secure EDC credit insurance. Before shipping containers to Japan, Jean-Pierre obtains EDC Portfolio Credit Insurance covering his Japanese buyers. This is essential because Japanese payment terms are typically 60-90 days.
$235,000 in grants and forgivable loans over 12 months. AgriMarketing $70,000 + CED REGI BSP $150,000 + TCS $15,000 in-kind = $235,000. Plus EDC credit insurance covering $500K+ in Japanese receivables.
Concise eligibility criteria for the top 5 export funding programs.
When to apply for each program and how long each takes — sequenced for maximum overlap and efficiency.
Ten specific, actionable pitfalls that Canadian exporters make when applying for export funding.
Programs adjacent to traditional export funding that address related needs.
Pre-revenue companies without a product ready for export should focus on R&D funding first. IRAP provides up to $1 million for technology development. SR&ED tax credits recover 35-50%+ of eligible R&D expenditures. Once the product is market-ready, CanExport becomes accessible. CanExport Innovation is the exception — pre-revenue companies can apply immediately for international R&D partnerships at 75% cost-share.
Companies under $100,000 in revenue do not meet CanExport SMEs' minimum requirement but can access the Trade Commissioner Service (free), CanExport Innovation (no revenue minimum), and provincial startup export programs. The startup grants ecosystem includes accelerator programs with international components.
Companies needing to hire for export capacity should explore wage subsidy programs. Several hiring incentives fund international sales positions, bilingual customer support staff, and trade compliance officers. These stack independently with export grants because they cover different cost categories (wages vs. market development).
Companies needing digital tools for international sales should consider the digital transformation funding ecosystem. The Canada Digital Adoption Program and provincial equivalents fund e-commerce platforms, CRM systems, and digital marketing — all essential for international sales but outside CanExport's eligible cost categories.
Companies that have been exporting for years but never claimed funding face a different situation than first-time exporters. Unlike SR&ED tax credits, export grants cannot be claimed retroactively — you cannot get reimbursement for last year's trade shows. However, TCS advisory is available immediately and at no cost. CanExport SMEs accepts applications from experienced exporters entering NEW markets. EDC credit insurance can be added to existing export operations at any time. The immediate action for established exporters is to register with TCS and identify which of your upcoming international activities qualify for funding before they happen. Source: Trade Commissioner Service.
Why the 75% stacking limit catches exporters off guard, and how to structure your applications to avoid leaving money on the table.
The 75% total government assistance ceiling applies to all non-repayable export grants combined. CanExport SMEs covers 50% of eligible costs. Many provincial export programs also cover 50%. If you claim both on the same project costs, the total government assistance reaches 100% — exceeding the 75% ceiling. CanExport will reduce its contribution to bring total assistance within the 75% limit. This is the Hidden Cost-Share Trap: stacking two 50% programs does not yield 100% coverage. It yields 75%, with one program's contribution reduced.
The solution is cost segregation. Structure your export project with distinct cost categories for each program. CanExport covers trade show registration and travel. The provincial program covers marketing adaptation and legal fees. When each program reimburses different costs, the 75% stacking limit applies per-cost-category rather than on the total project. This requires careful budgeting upfront — your CanExport application and provincial application should reference non-overlapping eligible expenses. CanExport's completion report asks you to declare all government assistance received on the same costs.
EDC is the structural exception that makes stacking work. EDC products — credit insurance, export guarantees, direct lending — are commercial financial services. They charge premiums, fees, and interest. Because EDC is commercial and self-financing (not a government subsidy), its products are excluded from the 75% stacking calculation entirely. A company can simultaneously receive CanExport at 50%, a provincial grant at 25%, and full EDC credit insurance coverage without any stacking conflict. This is why EDC is called the "invisible" component of the Export Funding Stack — it adds unlimited value without consuming any of your government assistance room.
SR&ED tax credits are also excluded from most export program stacking caps. The Ontario Together Trade Fund explicitly excludes SR&ED and OIDMTC from its 75% ceiling. If your export project includes automation or product adaptation that involves genuine technical uncertainty, the R&D components can generate SR&ED credits on top of your export funding. This effectively makes the total government assistance exceed 75% — legally — by separating R&D expenditures from market development expenditures. Companies that document their technical innovation alongside their market development routinely achieve total government coverage of 80-90% of project costs across all programs.
The order of application matters for stacking optimization. Apply to the program with the highest cost-share first, because it sets the baseline that subsequent programs must work around. CanExport Innovation at 75% cost-share should be applied for before a provincial program at 50% — not the other way around. If a provincial program approves first at 50%, CanExport's contribution on the same costs is capped at an additional 25% to reach the 75% ceiling. However, if you segregate costs properly across programs, both can pay their full percentage on different expense categories. The optimal structure is: CanExport Innovation (75%) on international partnership costs, CanExport SMEs (50%) on market development costs, provincial program on capacity building costs, and EDC on everything else as commercial coverage.
Documentation requirements differ significantly across export programs. CanExport SMEs requires receipts, boarding passes, trade show registration confirmations, and a completion report describing market development outcomes achieved. EDC requires standard financial documentation — financial statements, accounts receivable aging, and buyer credit information. RTRI requires evidence of tariff impact on your business (revenue loss documentation, contract cancellations, increased cost evidence). Provincial programs through RDAs may require quarterly progress reports and milestone-based disbursement schedules. Companies planning to stack multiple programs should set up a dedicated tracking system before incurring any costs. Assign unique project codes per program and photograph or scan every receipt immediately. Missing documentation is the second most common reason for reduced reimbursement after the pre-approval timing trap.
All 16 export-relevant programs compared side by side. Sorted by accessibility for typical SME exporters.
| Program | Type | Max Amount | Realistic | Cost-Share | Difficulty | Processing | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Commissioner Service | Advisory | Free | $5K-$50K in-kind | N/A | 1-2 weeks | Every exporter (start here) | |
| CanExport SMEs | Grant | $50,000 | $20K-$30K | 50% | 12-18 weeks | Market research, trade shows | |
| CanExport Innovation | Grant | $37,500 | $25K-$37.5K | 75% | ~12 weeks | International R&D partnerships | |
| EDC Credit Insurance | Commercial | Up to $500K/buyer | Full AR coverage | Premium-based | 10-25 days | Payment risk protection | |
| EDC Export Guarantee | Commercial | US$25M | Varies | Fee-based | 2-6 weeks | Working capital for export orders | |
| AgriMarketing SME | Grant | $100,000 | $14K-$70K | 70% | 3-6 months | Agri-food market diversification | |
| CTA | In-kind | ~$40K equiv. | $15K-$40K | N/A | 5 weeks | Tech companies entering global hubs | |
| RTRI | Grant | $1,000,000 | $200K-$750K | Varies | 4-12 weeks | Tariff-affected market diversification | |
| Creative Export | Grant | $2,500,000 | $100K-$600K | Varies | 5-7 months | Film, games, music, publishing | |
| CanExport Associations | Grant | $500,000/yr | $100K-$250K | 50-75% | 12 weeks | National industry associations | |
| CIIP PDA | Grant | $15,000 | $5K-$15K | 50% | 4-8 weeks | Finding international R&D partners | |
| CIIP Co-Innovation | Grant | $600,000 | $150K-$400K | 50% | ~6 months | Joint R&D with foreign partners | |
| Ontario Together Trade | Forgivable loan | $5,000,000 | $250K-$1M | Varies | 3-6 months | Ontario tariff-affected exporters | |
| BDC Pivot to Grow | Loan | $2,000,000 | $100K-$500K | Repayable | 2-4 weeks | Business model pivot, diversification | |
| Global Forest Leadership | Grant | $1,500,000 | $100K-$500K | Varies | 3-6 months | Forestry sector market diversification | |
| Telefilm Marketing | Grant | $75,000 | $20K-$50K | 75% | 2-3 months | Film international marketing | |
| Best starting point: TCS (free) + CanExport SMEs ($50K). Best for tech: add CTA + CanExport Innovation. Best for tariff response: RTRI + provincial trade fund. Best for creative: Creative Export Canada. | |||||||
Answers to the most common questions about Canadian export funding.
A five-step process for building your export funding stack, from free advisory to multi-program coverage.
Answer 12 questions about your province, industry, target market, and business stage. Get a ranked list of export programs — CanExport, EDC, RTRI, and provincial trade funds — matched to your specific situation, with your optimal application sequence.
Take the Grant Match Quiz →CanExport intake windows, new provincial trade funds, and tariff response programs — we track them so you don't miss deadlines.
All claims cite official government sources and verified program documentation. Last reviewed March 2026.