This program is currently between intakes. Rolling intake from April 1 to March 31 annually, or until budget exhausted. Fuel rebate and volume incentive tied to open water fishing season (typically June–October). Confirm on the official site ↗
Updated June 2026 · Verified against Government of the Northwest Territories — Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) guidelines
✨ New Program ✓ First-Timer Friendly Reimbursement
Grant Territorial Between Intakes

NWT Commercial Fishery Support Program (CFSP)

Government of the Northwest Territories — Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI)
Maximum Funding
Fuel rebate $0.10/lb delivered; volume bonuses up to $15,000;...
Under revision — official page states "new program details coming soon"; appl...
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
New Program
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
100%
NWT Commercial Fishery Support Program (CFSP) provides up to Fuel rebate $0.10/lb delivered; volume bonuses up to $15,000; recruitment up to $30,000; research up to $20,000. The NWT Commercial Fishery Support Program (CFSP) is a territorial pilot program that provides financial incentives to commercial fishers, NWT industry organizations, Indigenous governments, and research bodies to grow and sustain the Northwest Territories' commercial fishery — primarily Great Slave Lake and the Mackenzie River watershed. Under revision — official page states "new program details coming soon"; application form still posted. Contact your local ITI regional office..
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Program Description

The NWT Commercial Fishery Support Program (CFSP) is a territorial pilot program that provides financial incentives to commercial fishers, NWT industry organizations, Indigenous governments, and research bodies to grow and sustain the Northwest Territories' commercial fishery — primarily Great Slave Lake and the Mackenzie River watershed. The program operates through three streams: Responsive Incentives (fuel rebate at $0.10 per pound and volume bonuses up to $15,000), Sector Participation (recruitment funding up to $30,000), and Research and Sustainability (project grants up to $20,000). Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until March 31 annually or until the budget is exhausted.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Commercial fishers holding a valid NWT commercial fishing licence and applicable vessel certificates
  • NWT industry organizations with a mandate in commercial fishing
  • NWT research bodies and post-secondary institutions
  • NWT Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations
  • New NWT fishers must demonstrate relevant experience, equipment access, required licences and permits
  • For Responsive Incentives: fish must be delivered to an NWT fish processing plant or sold domestically within the NWT
  • For Research and Sustainability grants: projects must demonstrate potential for broad sector-wide benefits
Provinces
Industries
Agriculture Food Beverage
Business Stage
Startup Growth Established

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Low
First-Timer
Friendly

Funding Details

Amount
Fuel rebate $0.10/lb delivered; volume bonuses up to $15,000; recruitment up to $30,000; research up to $20,000
Type
Grant
Level
Territorial
Co-Funding
Up to 100% of eligible costs
Deadline
Under revision — official page states "new program details coming soon"; application form still posted. Contact your local ITI regional office.

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Competition
Low
Deadline
Between Intakes
Approval
Entitlement
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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How to Win

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Insider Tip

The fuel rebate is the most accessible stream — if you are a licensed NWT commercial fisher delivering to a Great Slave Lake processing plant, you qualify automatically based on documented volumes.

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Application Playbook

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Application Steps

1 Contact ITI to confirm stream eligibility Email [email protected] or call 867-767-9219 ext. 63080 early in the season (April–May) to confirm which CFSP streams are active and the budget status.

Required Documents 6

Completed CFSP application form (from [email protected] or iti.gov.nt.ca)
Valid NWT commercial fishing licence number

Eligible Expenses 5

Ineligible Expenses 4

Intake Periods

Deadline Notes

Ineligible Organizations

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Funding Stack Strategy

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Clawback Risk

Low Risk

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How CFSP Compares

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Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
NWT Commercial Fishery Support Progra... up to $15,000 Easy Reimbursement Under revision —...
CanNor IDEANorth (Inclusive Diversifi... $50,000 to $6,000,000 Moderate Reimbursement Between EOI windows —...
CanExport SMEs Up to $50,000 Moderate Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Applications accepted...
Export Development Canada (EDC) Finan... Varies Easy Equity Ongoing
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) Financing Varies Easy Loan Ongoing

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Do I qualify for the fuel rebate if I sell fish to buyers outside the NWT?
No — the fuel rebate applies to fish delivered to NWT fish processing plants or sold domestically within the NWT. Fish sold to buyers in other provinces or exported directly do not qualify.
Can an Indigenous organization apply without a commercial fishing licence?
Yes — NWT Indigenous governments and organizations are eligible for the Research and Sustainability stream and the Sector Participation stream without holding a commercial fishing licence themselves, provided they have a clear mandate related to the NWT fishery.
Is there a matching requirement?
No matching requirement is stated for any stream. The fuel rebate, volume incentives, recruitment grants, and research grants are non-repayable without a mandatory cost-share.
How do I document my fish deliveries for the fuel rebate?
Keep all fish plant receipts and records throughout the fishing season. The plant provides documentation of volumes delivered. For domestic sales outside the plant, maintain domestic sales receipts showing weight and buyer location.
Can I access both the fuel rebate and a volume incentive bonus?
Yes — both are part of the Responsive Incentives stream and are calculated on the same delivery volumes. A fisher delivering 100,000 lbs earns the $0.10/lb fuel rebate ($10,000) plus the 100,000 lb volume bonus ($10,000) for a combined $20,000.

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