BDC Small Business Loan
Compared with the 242 other application forms we have read
- Scored mainly on whether you can afford it and pay it back. 42 lead with that.
- States real length limits, about 167 words in total. Only 64 tell you how long to write.
- Most rejections here are settled before you write a word: they turn on who you are, not how well you argue.
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
Online loan of up to $350,000 for established Canadian small businesses. No collateral required — only a personal guarantee. Designed for businesses generating revenue for 24+ months with good credit. Streamlined digital application with faster approval for amounts under $100,000. Flexible repayment terms including principal payment holidays and seasonal schedules.
Eligibility Requirements
- Business must be registered and operating in Canada
- Generating revenue for at least 24 consecutive months
- Business must be currently generating profits
- Good personal and business credit history
- Business must have an account with a financial institution
- BDC expects at least $100K in annual revenue for a request up to $100,000, and at least $250K for a request of $100,000–$350,000; and a personal credit score of 600 or higher
Quick Assessment
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
Very accessible — simple application
Low competition — good odds of approval
Easy — minimal documentation
How to qualify
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipBDC lends alongside the chartered banks rather than in place of them, and it explicitly supports underserved sectors — so it is worth approaching for working capital or equipment even where a conventional lender was cautious. The online portal for under $100K is genuinely fast and low-friction (approval in under 10 days). Use BDC for working capital or equipment while pursuing grants for innovation — the two are explicitly stackable and BDC itself is named as a co-funder in many programs (including Fierce Founders Uplift). BDC publishes no rate for this loan — only a formula: current floating base rate plus a variance based on your personal and business information, so the rate varies by client. The simulator gives estimates based on the average rate offered to eligible clients; treat them as illustrations, not a quote. but note the simulator page omits the 24-month revenue and profitability requirements that the product page states, so plan against the product page. The eligibility check itself is anonymous, takes only minutes, and asks for one 1,000-character project description before any identity is collected — the Client Space account is only created at the end. The eligibility check itself is anonymous, takes only minutes, and asks for one 1,000-character project description before any identity is collected — the Client Space account is only created at the end. Client Contact Centre: 1-877-232-2269.
Success Profile
A Canadian small business with 2+ years of operations, consistent revenue, and a specific capital need (equipment purchase, working capital buffer, inventory, or facilities improvement). Business is profitable or close to breakeven. Owner has reasonable personal credit history. Business is in any sector — BDC lends to all industries.
Evaluation Criteria
BDC evaluates creditworthiness rather than competitive merit. Key factors: 24+ months of revenue-generating operations, profitability (or clear path to profitability), good personal and business credit history, viable business model, and clear plan for use of funds. No collateral required — only a personal guarantee. BDC's mandate is complementary lending, serving businesses that chartered banks may underserve.
How BDC Small Business Loan 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 2026-09-03.
6 of the sources
- Small Business Loan - Apply online for up to $350,000 bdc.ca
- Small business loan simulator bdc.ca
- Financing FAQs bdc.ca
- Start-up Financing bdc.ca
- BDC online financing request - intro screen finance.bdc.ca
- BDC online financing request - screen 1: amount and financing options finance.bdc.ca
Sign up free to save this programme and track your application in your workspace.
What BDC Small Business Loan favours
Canadian business, 24+ months revenue, profitable, good credit◦
“Are we a good fit? Check out the main requirements to get a business loan with BDC. Location: Based in Canada. Time generating revenue: More than 24 months. Profitability: Generating profits. Credit history: Good track record.”
The form
Eligibility check
- 1Financing request - eligibility check (intro)short answerno limit
- 2How much do you want to borrow?short answerno limit
Your business
- 3How long has the business been in operation?selectionno limit
- 4What type of loan are you looking for?selectionno limit
About your project
- 5About your projectwritten answer · 1,000 characters
Tell us about your project and how the loan will be used.
Eligibility attestations
- 6Business eligibility attestations - request up to $100,000checkboxesno limit
- 7Business eligibility attestations - request over $100,000 and up to $350,000checkboxesno limit
Identity and account
- 8Last step before seeing if your project is eligibleshort answerno limit
Prepare before you apply
- 9Information to have on hand for the online applicationlistno limit
- 10Documents that may be requested after submissionlistno limit
- 11What the Client Space account is used forlistno limit
bar = length the funder allows, from its stated limits
Judged against
- 1
Can this business service the debt?
Show them Set out what you are buying, what it costs, why now, and how operations will service the loan.◦
In the funder’s words · 1
- There is no competitive adjudication and no rubric. BDC is a lender: the decision is a credit decision, taken on the business and its owners, and the only published inputs are the four Main requirements, the tier-specific revenue and credit-score expectations, and the credit checks on guarantors and directors.
- 2
Does the business clear the stated gates?
What to show them in Premium
- 3
Is the money going to a permitted business?
What to show them in Premium
- 4
Whose credit is BDC checking?
What to show them in Premium
4 questions the reviewer answers about you, in Premium.
Where applicants fail
“The information provided above must be true and accurate. Otherwise, BDC has the right to decline your loan application, cease the disbursement of funds if the loan has already been authorized or even require the full repayment of any loan proceeds already disbursed.”
“Meeting these criteria doesn't guarantee approval. All applications are subject to a full review of the business and its owners.”
Premium · the rest of this brief
See all 15 rules that can reject you and every criterion you are judged on. Then we draft your application for you.
8 more rules that can reject you · 6 more prompts · 2 more pitfalls
Do you pass?
Each one can rule you out. Tick the ones you meet.
You
Credit score 600 or higher
Personal credit score of 600 or higher
Your business
24 months generating sales
In business for at least 24 months
At least $100K annual revenue
At least $100K in annual revenue
At least $250K annual revenue
At least $250K in annual revenue
Currently generating profits
Currently generating profits
The project
Request at least $10,000
Enter an amount of $10,000 or more.
Request no more than $350,000
You can ask for up to $350,000 for a BDC Small Business Loan. The amount approved will be based on our analysis of your request.
1 thing this funder says you do NOT need, in Premium.
Documents to attach
Ticks are kept on this device.
The money
Maximum requestUp to $350,000
You can ask for up to $350,000 for a BDC Small Business Loan. The amount approved will be based on our analysis of your request.
Minimum request$10,000 or more
Enter an amount of $10,000 or more.
Interest rateFloating base rate + variance
We calculate the interest rate on our small business loan as follows: Current floating base rate + variance based on your personal and business information = interest rate. As a result, the interest rate varies by client.
FeesNo fees up to $100K
No application or prepayment fees up to $100K; Certain fees apply over $100K and up to $350K
Amortization5 years; 8 years over $100K
5-year amortization period up to $100K; Up to 8-year amortization period over $100K and up to $350K
Interest-only monthsUp to 6 or 12 months
Up to 6 months interest-only payments up to $100K; Up to 12 months interest-only payments over $100K
PrepaymentNo penalty on early payments
We let you make early or lump-sum payments with no penalty so you can pay down your loan faster
Repayment shapeEqual monthly principal; interest on balance
BDC loans are non-blended, so you pay the same principal amount every month. Interest is calculated on the remaining balance, which decreases with each payment.
FeesNo application or prepayment fees up to $100K
No application or prepayment fees up to $100K; Certain fees apply over $100K and up to $350K
What it pays for · 8
- Buy inventory
- Develop new products
- Enhance energy efficiency
- Launch a new marketing campaign
- Pay suppliers
- Hire or train employees
- Get industry-specific certifications
- Expand into new markets
From application to money
- Apply onlineOngoingApply online, resume anytime
- Advisor reviewBDC advisor reviews and contacts you
- Approval decisionUnder 10 days to $100K, 30 days above
- Accept the offerAccept loan offer, sign documents
- Funds arriveFunds in less than a week
In the funder’s words · 5
- Apply online
- One online request, saved and resumed as needed, then completed inside a BDC Client Space account.
- Advisor review
- After submitting your application, a BDC advisor will review everything and contact you to discuss options.
- Approval decision
- Approval in less than 10 days for requests up to $100K, and in less than 30 days over $100K and up to $350K.
- Accept the offer
- Accept the loan offer and sign the related documents, if the business qualifies for a loan.
- Funds arrive
- After approval, your funds could be available in less than a week.
Quoted lines are word for word from the source documents; lines marked ◦ are our reading of them.
Everything you need to secure BDC Small Business Loan
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 9-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 4-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what lenders look for
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 9
Eligible Expenses 8
- Inventory purchasing and restocking
- New product or service development and launch
- Energy efficiency improvements and upgrades
- Marketing campaigns and advertising
- Workforce hiring and training
- Industry certifications and compliance costs
- Market expansion (domestic and international)
- General working capital and operational expenses
Ineligible Expenses 5
- Commercial real estate purchases (routed to a separate BDC loan type from inside the same online request)
- Buying an existing business (routed to a separate BDC loan type — "Buying a business" — from inside the same online request)
- Speculative investments unrelated to business operations
- Personal expenses of the business owner
- Refinancing non-BDC commercial loans (routed to a separate BDC loan type — "Refinancing" — from inside the same online request)
Deadline Notes
Ongoing — BDC accepts applications year-round with no intake deadlines. Online application can be completed in under an hour. Approval for amounts under $100,000 is typically faster (days to weeks vs. weeks for larger amounts).
Open Application Portal →Ineligible Organizations
- Businesses operating less than 24 months
- Pre-revenue or pre-profit businesses (directed to BDC Start-up Financing)
- Businesses not registered or operating in Canada
- If unincorporated, the owner(s) must be Canadian residents; if incorporated, the business must be a Canadian entity with commercial operations in Canada
- Businesses in market speculation, residential property financing, private schools, nursing/rehabilitation/personal care, cannabis, virtual currencies or NFTs, arms/armament/ammunition, bars/lounges, gambling, or financing/cheque-discounting activities (attested on requests up to $100,000; not confirmed as universal across all tiers)
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskHow BDC Small Business Loan Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDC Small Business Loan | Up to $350,000 | Easy | Advance Payment | Ongoing |
| Canada Small Business Financing Program | Up to $1.15 million | Easy | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| BDC Start-up Financing | Up to $150,000 | Easy | Advance Payment | Ongoing |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about BDC Small Business Loan