Program
Federal
Active
Inclusive Trade Investments Program (ITIP) — Export Development Canada (EDC)
Export Development Canada (EDC)
Maximum Funding
Equity investment. EDC has committed $200 million across the...
No deadline. EDC invests on a rolling basis through its Investments team.
Difficulty
Hard
Payment
Equity
Trend
Growing
First-Timers
—
Co-Funding
Varies
Inclusive Trade Investments Program (ITIP) — Export Development Canada (EDC) provides up to Equity investment. EDC has committed $200 million across the program. No per company amount is published. EDC co-invests in or alongside Canadian exporting companies founded or led by equity-deserving groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQI+ people. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
EDC co-invests in or alongside Canadian exporting companies founded or led by equity-deserving groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQI+ people. No per-company amount is stated; applicants are routed through EDC's investments inquiry process.
Eligibility Requirements
- Canadian exporting company.
- Founded or led by equity-deserving groups: women, Indigenous Peoples, Black and other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQI+ people.
- EDC may consider co-investing in earlier-stage companies founded or led by equity-deserving groups or in priority sectors such as Cleantech.
- No dedicated application form; applicants are routed through the general EDC Investments contact or inquiry flow.
- Some capital may be deployed through fund commitments, such as BKR Capital for Black entrepreneurs, rather than direct company checks.
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Hard
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Not rated
Funding Details
- Amount
- Equity investment. EDC has committed $200 million across the program. No per company amount is published.
- Type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Deadline
- No deadline. EDC invests on a rolling basis through its Investments team.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipRead this as a source of investment capital, not as funding.
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See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.
Rejection Pitfalls 5
- No export activity or credible export plan
+4 more pitfalls
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See the most common reasons applications get rejected — before you submit yours.
Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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All 5 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 win ITIP
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 5 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 5-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 5-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
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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5 steps
5 docs
Application Steps
1
Check that you are an exporter, or about to be EDC's mandate is trade. The program is described for Canadian exporting businesses owned and led by people from equity-seeking groups.
Required Documents 5
✓ The page publishes no document list. What follows is what an equity process requires, not an EDC checklist
✓ A business and export plan showing where international growth comes from
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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3 partners
Compatible Programs
BKR Capital
Other EDC solutions (Direct Lending, Export Guarantee Program, trade credit insurance)
Indigenous Growth Fund
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Not-applicable Risk
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How ITIP Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inclusive Trade Investments Program (... | Equity investment. EDC has... | Hard | Equity | No deadline. EDC invests... |
| Indigenous Growth Fund | Via local IFIs (amounts vary) | Easy | Loan | Ongoing (apply through... |
| Digital Technology Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Open — Call for... |
| Investissement Québec — Project Finan... | Varies | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| Export Development Canada (EDC) Finan... | Varies | Easy | Equity | Ongoing |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about ITIP
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What is the Inclusive Trade Investments Program?
EDC has committed $200 million to invest in companies founded or led by Canadians from equity-seeking groups. EDC describes the problem it addresses as a lack of equitable access to capital for Canadian exporting businesses owned and led by people identifying as women, Indigenous, Black or members of other equity-seeking groups.
Who does EDC mean by equity-seeking groups?
Companies owned and/or led by women, Indigenous Peoples, Black and other racialized Canadians, persons with disabilities and those from the 2SLGBTQI+ community. EDC notes its scope started with women and has since broadened to these groups.
Is this a grant?
No. EDC's wording is that the $200 million is committed to invest in companies, so it is equity capital rather than a grant or a contribution.
Is the $200 million what a company can receive?
No. It is EDC's total commitment to the program. No per company investment amount is published on the page.
Does all the money go directly to companies?
No. EDC states that under the Inclusive Trade Investments Program it has committed to BKR Capital, a fund focused on investing in Canadian pre seed and seed stage technology companies founded by Black entrepreneurs, so part of the commitment reaches companies through fund partners.
What else does EDC offer businesses from equity-seeking groups?
EDC describes five pillars: awareness, education, connections, financial solutions and community. It runs a national Women in Trade strategy, an Indigenous business strategy that includes direct lending, loan guarantees, insurance and participation in the Indigenous Growth Fund, a national lead for Black exporters with a twelve chapter guide for Black entrepreneurs, a partnership with the Canadian Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, and a Supplier Diversity Program.
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Full Playbook: ITIP
5 steps · 5 docs · reviewer insights