Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Strategy (ATIGS)
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Who actually receives this funding
37 businesses received this funding in 2025 — 269 recipients since 2017. Typical award: $110.2K. Half of all awards fall between $61.4K and $183K. Top sectors among classified recipients: Religious, civic, professional org, Provincial government, Colleges and professional schools. Top provinces: Nova Scotia 51% · New Brunswick 24% · Newfoundland and Labrador 13%. Covers: ACOA ATIGA contributions — all 7 sub-stream variants, 269 rows total. Recipients are primarily Atlantic trade associations, sector bodies, and provincial trade agencies (not direct individual SMEs). Source: Government of Canada proactive disclosure data · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Data through Q3 2026.
The typical Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Strategy award is $110.2K — the median of 269 awards since 2017. In 2025, 37 organizations were funded.
Source: Government of Canada proactive disclosure
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Federal-provincial partnership delivering subsidized export development services to Atlantic businesses. Launch Export: 8-month cohort ($15K value for $250 fee, 8 spots/province). MEDP: tailored European/Indo-Pacific market entry via consultants ($1,250-$2,500 fee). Businesses access expert coaching at a fraction of market cost.
Eligibility Requirements
- Registered business in Atlantic Canada
- SME (<500 employees)
- Exportable product or service
- For MEDP: demonstrated revenue growth; senior management commitment
- For Launch Export: desire to expand sales outside Atlantic Canada
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- ~$15,000 in subsidized services (Launch Export); tailored market entry (MEDP)
- Type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 75% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing — Launch Export annual cohorts (fall); MEDP continuous
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win ATIGS
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 4-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 8-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 3-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipLaunch Export is one of Atlantic Canada's best-value programs — 8 months of training, coaching, and a trade mission for $250. Apply in the first 2-3 weeks of intake. For MEDP, a warm introduction from ACOA or GAC significantly improves acceptance.
Success Profile
Product-based Atlantic SME with 5-100 employees and domestic sales track record, targeting international markets. Launch Export: export-curious but not yet active. MEDP: already exporting, scaling into Europe/Indo-Pacific.
Evaluation Criteria
Launch Export: export readiness (product/service developed), market opportunity alignment, commitment to full 7-month virtual participation. MEDP: exportable product in an ATIGS strategic sector (Aerospace, Biosciences, Energy, Food & Beverage, ICT, Mining, Ocean Technologies, Seafood), proven revenue growth, financial capacity to act on market intelligence, senior management commitment.
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 4
Eligible Expenses 7
- Export readiness training and coaching sessions (Launch Export — fully subsidized)
- Digital marketing asset creation up to $1,000 + HST per company (Launch Export)
- Trade mission travel reimbursement up to $2,100 CAD for air and accommodations (Launch Export)
- In-market OCO consultant fees — fully subsidized above the participation fee (MEDP)
- Market intelligence and sector analysis in European/Indo-Pacific markets (MEDP)
- Buyer introductions and business matching (MEDP)
- Trade mission and business delegation coordination (MEDP)
Ineligible Expenses 4
- Domestic market development activities
- Products or services not ready for export
- Staff time that cannot be committed to full program participation
- General marketing not tied to export objectives
Intake Periods
Launch Export: annual cohort, intake typically opens September-October. 2025-26 cohort closed. MEDP: continuous intake until annual capacity reached; April-June recommended.
Deadline Notes
Launch Export: 8 spots/province, apply in fall. MEDP: continuous until capacity reached — contact provincial trade office early (April-June). $20M program over 2022-2027.
Open Application Portal →Ineligible Organizations
- Businesses with 500+ employees
- Businesses without a developed product/service ready for export
- Businesses not registered and headquartered in Atlantic Canada (NS, NB, PE, NL)
- Real estate developers (MEDP)
- Retailers, franchises, distributors, and agents (MEDP)
- Creative industries companies (MEDP)
- Publicly funded organizations — universities, hospitals, crown corporations (MEDP)
- Games of chance operations, bingo halls, and small-scale gaming operators (MEDP)
Applying for ATIGS? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskVery low. ATIGS delivers subsidized services, not cash grants. Travel reimbursement (up to $2,100) is the only cash equivalent and is paid against receipts post-activity. No repayment provisions in standard terms. Non-participation after acceptance may result in ineligibility for future cohorts.
How ATIGS Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth ... | ~$15,000 in subsidized services | Easy | In Kind | Ongoing — Launch Export... |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Applications accepted... |
| Export Development Canada (EDC) Finan... | Varies | Easy | Equity | Ongoing |
| Ocean Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Call-specific — no open... |
| Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency ... | Up to 50% of capital costs | Moderate | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about ATIGS