BDC Commercial Real Estate Loan
Compared with the 242 other application forms we have read
- The decision is made by your bank or credit union, not the funder. 6 work that way.
- The heaviest thing to produce is technical documentation. 14 ask for that.
- Scored mainly on whether you can afford it and pay it back. 42 lead with that.
Do you qualify for this loan?
Get your instant eligibility verdict plus a head start on the application. Free, no account needed.
We use this program’s real eligibility rules. 4 short questions follow.
Want your full match picture across 850+ programs? Take the 2-minute quiz →
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Term loan for acquiring, constructing or renovating commercial property, with possible interest-only payments at the start. Typically starts at $100,000 and can reach several million dollars.
Eligibility Requirements
- Canadian business registered and active in Canada.
- Typically operating and generating revenue for at least 24 months.
- Must demonstrate profitability or a clear path to profitability, with a good credit history.
- Owners, CEO and shareholders must have reached the age of majority.
- Financing is for property acquisition, construction, renovation or related expenses.
- Usually requires the property as collateral and may require a personal or corporate guarantee.
- Not for private schools, retirement homes or projects zoned for residential use.
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Typically starts at $100,000 and can reach several million dollars, depending on the project. May finance up to 100% of project cost.
- Type
- Loan
- Level
- Federal
- Financing share
- Up to 100% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Continuous. No application deadline is published.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Moderate — standard application process
Moderate competition — prepare a strong application
Complex — detailed documentation needed
How to qualify
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipAsk about the interest-only period.
Rejection Pitfalls 6
- Less than about 24 months of operating and revenue history
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
How BDC judges your application
What the reviewer scores, what gets applications rejected, and what to write.
Distilled from 6+ source documents, condensed into one brief. Sources as of 2026-09-07.
6 of the sources
- Commercial Real Estate Loan bdc.ca
- Financing FAQs bdc.ca
- Legal notice bdc.ca
- Financing bdc.ca
- Client Space login client.bdc.ca
- How to Get a Business Loan bdc.ca
Sign up free to save this programme and track your application in your workspace.
What BDC favours
Solid plan with realistic projections and clear objectives◦
“A solid plan with realistic projections and clear objectives is essential.”
The form
Submit a loan request online
- 1Submit a loan request onlinewritten answer
Tell us about your project and provide information about your business.
Business information
- 2Business informationshort answer
- 3Business informationlist
- 4Business informationshort answer
Personal information
- 5Personal informationshort answer
BDC states no length limits for these answers.
Judged against
- 1
Is the plan for this property viable?
Show them Describe the property project, what the financing buys, and why the plan and projections are realistic.◦
In the funder’s words · 1
- Viable business plan
- 2
Can the business carry this loan?
What to show, and the funder’s 1 criterion behind it in Premium
- 3
Does the business clear the basic requirements?
What to show them in Premium
2 questions the reviewer answers about you, in Premium.
Where applicants fail
“This loan doesn’t cover the construction or operation of private schools, retirement homes or projects zoned for residential use.”
Premium · the rest of this brief
See all 6 rules that can reject you and every criterion you are judged on. Then we draft your application for you.
3 more rules that can reject you · 1 more criteria · 4 more prompts
Do you pass?
Each one can rule you out. Tick the ones you meet.
You
Owners of the age of majority
Owners, CEO, and shareholders: Must have reached the age of majority.
Your business
Registered and active in Canada
Location: Your business must be registered and active in Canada.
Typically 24 months of revenue
Time in business: Typically operating and generating revenue for at least 24 months.
Documents to attach
Ticks are kept on this device.
The money
Maximum financingUp to 100% project cost
Depending on your project, get financing of up to 100% of the project cost to cover expenses like moving costs and downpayments.
Interest-only periodUp to first 36 months
Take a break on us and pay only interest for up to the first 36 months of your loan.
What it pays for · 4
- Buy commercial land or buildings
- Build new premises
- Expand or renovate
- Replenish working capital depleted by real estate costs
What it does not pay for · 3
- the construction or operation of private schools
- retirement homes
- projects zoned for residential use
From application to money
- Talk to a representativeTalk to a BDC representative
- Submit loan requestSubmit loan request
- Complete Client SpaceComplete Client Space account
- Offer decisionDecision depends on volume and information
- Accept and signAccept offer and sign documents
In the funder’s words · 5
- Talk to a representative
- Discuss the project and the documents with a BDC representative before the request is complete.
- Submit loan request
- Tell us about your project and provide information about your business.
- Complete Client Space
- A Client Space account is required to complete the online loan request process.
- Offer decision
- This depends on several factors, including the number of loan requests we receive and how quickly you provide us with all the necessary information.
- Accept and sign
- Accept the loan offer and sign the related documents, if the business qualifies for a loan.
Quoted lines are word for word from the source documents; lines marked ◦ are our reading of them.
Everything you need to secure BDC Commercial Real Estate Loan
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 3-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 3-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what lenders look for
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 3
Eligible Expenses 5
Ineligible Expenses 3
Deadline Notes
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Stacking partner data not yet available.
Clawback Risk
Not-applicable RiskHow BDC Commercial Real Estate Loan Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDC Commercial Real Estate Loan | Typically starts at $100,000 and... | Hard | Loan | Continuous. No... |
| Black Entrepreneurship Program | Up to $250,000 | Moderate | Loan | Ongoing |
| Canada Small Business Financing Program | Up to $1.15 million | Easy | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| Investissement Québec — Project Finan... | Varies | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| Futurpreneur Canada Startup Program | Up to $75,000 | Moderate | Loan | Ongoing |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about BDC Commercial Real Estate Loan