EDC — Account Performance Security Guarantee (APSG)
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
EDC's APSG is a 100% AAA-rated guarantee on standby letters of credit and letters of guarantee issued by a Canadian financial institution on behalf of an exporter. By absorbing the bank's risk, the APSG frees up working capital and collateral that would otherwise be tied to performance bonds, bid bonds, and advance payment guarantees.
Eligibility Requirements
- Canadian business engaged in or planning export activity
- Must have an existing banking relationship with a Canadian financial institution that participates in the EDC APSG program
- Export contract requiring performance security (bid bond, performance bond, warranty bond, advance payment guarantee, lease bond, supplier guarantee, or regulatory guarantee)
- Company must demonstrate satisfactory operational and financial health
- EDC assesses managerial, technical, and financial capabilities of the applicant
- Start-ups with export contracts are eligible to apply
- Country risk of the foreign buyer must be acceptable to EDC
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Sized to contract value — no published dollar cap; typical range $50,000–$10,000,000
- Type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Deadline
- Ongoing
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win APSG
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 7-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 5-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 reviewers score on
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipThe APSG is initiated through your bank, not directly through EDC — call your business banking relationship manager first and ask if they participate in the EDC APSG program.
Rejection Pitfalls 6
- Business has no export activity or credible export plans
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 7
Eligible Expenses 7
Ineligible Expenses 5
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Applying for APSG? Our Financial Projections Model ($29) covers the multi-year projections and burn-rate math reviewers look for. 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 RiskHow APSG Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about APSG