Updated June 2026 · Verified against Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) guidelines
▲ Growing ✓ First-Timer Friendly Advance Payment Est. 2024
Loan Federal Active

BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
Loan Range
Up to $350,000
Ongoing
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Advance Payment
Trend
Growing
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Financing share
100%
BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan provides Up to $350,000. Up to $350,000 with preferred terms for businesses 51%+ owned by women, Indigenous, or Black entrepreneurs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
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Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

Free

Program Description

Up to $350,000 with preferred terms for businesses 51%+ owned by women, Indigenous, or Black entrepreneurs. No application fees, up to 24 months principal deferral, interest rate reduction for completing free BDC Entrepreneurship Fundamentals course. Part of a $50M BDC financing and training programme (a separate $200M is BDC Capital equity investment, not this loan).

Eligibility Requirements

  • Business based in Canada
  • 51%+ owned and operated by women, Indigenous, or Black entrepreneurs
  • Annual revenue below $3,000,000
  • Canadian citizen or permanent resident
  • Must have reached the age of majority in your province or territory of residence
Provinces
All Provinces
Industries
All
Business Stage
Startup Growth Established

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Low
First-Timer
Friendly

Funding Details

Amount
Up to $350,000
Type
Loan
Level
Federal
Financing share
Up to 100% of eligible costs
Deadline
Ongoing

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Competition
Low
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Moderate
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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How to qualify

Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like

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Insider Tip

Complete the free BDC Entrepreneurship Fundamentals course for an interest rate reduction.

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Success Profile

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Evaluation Criteria

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Premium The pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to secure BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan

Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.

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Application Playbook

Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses

Premium 5 steps

Application Steps

1 Visit bdc.ca/en/financing/inclusive-entrepreneurship-loan and verify eligibility criteria

Eligible Expenses 8

Deadline Notes

Ineligible Organizations

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Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

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Compatible Programs

Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund (ISED/BDC) Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) Ecosystem Fund Futurpreneur Canada Community Futures (CF)
Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

Low Risk

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How BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

Free
Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan Up to $350,000 Easy Advance Payment Ongoing
Futurpreneur Canada Startup Program Up to $75,000 Moderate Loan Ongoing
Community Futures Program — Ontario (... up to $250,000, Easy Loan Ongoing (year-round...

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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan

Free
Can I apply if my business is 50% owned by an eligible demographic?
No, you must be 51%+ owned and operated by women, Indigenous, or Black entrepreneurs. 50% ownership does not qualify for this program.
What's the realistic loan amount for a new business?
A business operating under 24 months may request from $25,000. A business operating more than 24 months must request more than $100,000; the maximum either way is $350,000.
Do I need to complete the BDC course to get the interest rate reduction?
Yes, completing the free BDC Entrepreneurship Fundamentals course is required to qualify for the interest rate reduction.
Can I combine this with the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund?
BDC lists the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund (up to $250,000, led by FACE) as a separate offer; whether it can be combined with this loan is not published.
How long is the principal deferral period?
Up to 24 months of principal deferral is available, meaning you pay only interest for the first two years.

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