Comprehensive guide to 64 r&d & innovation funding programs in New Brunswick
Businesses in New Brunswick can access 64 specialized r&d & innovation programs combining federal and provincial funding. New Brunswick is one of three Atlantic provinces with a standalone provincial R&D tax credit — the NB R&D Tax Credit at 15% refundable — which stacks directly on top of federal SR&ED. NBIF (New Brunswick Innovation Foundation) provides the province's primary applied innovation vouchers and proof-of-concept grants.
| Credit layer | Rate | Refundable? | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal SR&ED (CCPC enhanced) | 35% on first $6M of qualifying expenditures | Yes | CCPCs under taxable capital threshold |
| NB provincial R&D credit | 15% on NB-sourced qualifying expenditures | Yes | NB corporations with SR&ED-eligible NB activities |
| Combined (CCPC in NB) | Up to ~50% effective recovery | Both refundable | CCPC conducting qualifying R&D in NB |
| Program | Amount | Who qualifies | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBIF Innovation Voucher Fund | Up to $80,000 | NB SMEs partnering with a recognized research institution | Rolling intake, nbif.ca |
| NBIF Emerging Concepts and Technologies | Up to $125,000 | NB businesses/organizations doing proof-of-concept R&D | Competitive intake, annual call |
| NBIF Start-up Investment Fund | Pre-seed equity investment | NB early-stage technology companies | Referral-based, contact NBIF |
You're in a strong position relative to companies in provinces without a provincial R&D tax credit. The NB R&D Tax Credit at 15% refundable means your company receives a cash refund even with no provincial tax payable — this is non-dilutive capital that doesn't require investor approval or give up equity. Combined with federal SR&ED at 35% refundable for CCPCs, the combined effective recovery on qualifying NB R&D wages is approximately 50%.
After establishing your SR&ED claim, the next layer is the NBIF Innovation Voucher Fund (up to $80,000) if you have or can establish a research institution partnership — universities in Moncton, Fredericton, and Saint John are natural NBIF partners. NBIF's Emerging Concepts and Technologies program (up to $125,000) targets proof-of-concept projects, which is ideal for pre-commercial technology work. Both programs have rolling or annual competitive intakes and require an NB-based team.
Recommended stack: SR&ED + NB 15% credit (both filed annually) → NBIF Innovation Voucher or Emerging Concepts grant → NRC IRAP advisory engagement for commercialization pathway → Opportunities New Brunswick Scale-Up NB for growth-stage support.
You have access to a well-differentiated funding stack that goes beyond what non-partnered companies can access. NSERC Alliance (up to $1M/year) is the most valuable program — the company provides at least 25% of the total project cost in cash, and the university provides the PI and institutional resources. Importantly, your cash contribution to the Alliance project is simultaneously SR&ED-eligible, provided it meets the definition of R&D expenditure. This double-dipping is legal and explicitly permitted.
NBIF Innovation Voucher Fund (up to $80K) is designed precisely for this type of industry-institution collaboration and has a simpler application process than NSERC Alliance. It can be used as a bridge to build the relationship and preliminary results needed for an NSERC application. Mitacs Accelerate can augment the team at $15K–$30K per student internship unit, drawing from UNB's or UdeM's graduate programs.
Atlantic-focused: ACOA's REGI (Regional Economic Growth through Innovation) program has funded larger collaborative research projects in Atlantic Canada. Contact ACOA's Fredericton or Moncton office for project-specific guidance.
You are likely a strong SR&ED claimant even if you don't think of your work as "R&D." Manufacturers regularly conduct activities that meet the SR&ED definition: developing or modifying manufacturing processes to resolve technological uncertainty, improving production yield through systematic investigation, or designing and testing new tooling configurations. The key is systematic documentation of the technological uncertainty and the investigation approach.
Budget 2025 restored capital expenditure eligibility for SR&ED — this is significant for NB manufacturers who acquire or modify equipment for R&D purposes. Previously excluded, these costs are now again SR&ED-eligible. The NB 15% refundable credit applies to the same capital expenditures. An NRC IRAP ITA in New Brunswick (based in Fredericton or Moncton) can help you assess which manufacturing activities qualify and develop a systematic documentation approach before filing.
New Brunswick's fisheries and aquaculture sector — significant in Campbellton, Caraquet, Miramichi, Shippagan, and the Bay of Chaleur coast — has access to both mainstream innovation funding and sector-specific programs. AgriInnovate Program (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, up to $10 million) supports commercialization of agri-food and aquaculture innovations. Enabling Agricultural Research and Innovation (NB Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, up to $90K over program duration) is a provincial program specifically supporting NB agriculture and aquaculture R&D, with no match required and 100% cost coverage available.
Ocean Supercluster is relevant for Atlantic maritime technology companies — NB companies in ocean-related aquaculture and fisheries technology are eligible despite the Supercluster's Halifax headquarters. ACOA's Business Development Program innovation stream has historically supported fisheries and aquaculture technology businesses in NB through non-repayable contributions. The SR&ED + NB 15% credit applies equally to qualified R&D in these sectors.
| Program | Amount | Repayable? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACOA Business Development Program (Innovation stream) | Varies (non-repayable for eligible innovation projects) | No (innovation stream) | SMEs with innovation-intensive projects, established track record |
| ACOA REGI (Regional Economic Growth through Innovation) | Larger capital projects | No (contribution agreement) | Significant industry-academic R&D collaborations, cluster building |
| ACOA RTRI (Regional Tariff Response Initiative) | Announced 2025 | TBD by project | NB companies diversifying supply chains or markets due to trade disruption |
1. Federal SR&ED: Budget 2025 raised the qualifying expenditure limit directly from $3M to $6M — no intermediate step: Budget 2025 (tabled April 2025) raised the CCPC enhanced rate SR&ED expenditure limit directly from $3 million to $6 million per year. Capital expenditures are eligible again. The maximum enhanced CCPC credit increased to $2.1 million per year (not $1.4M — that was the pre-Budget-2025 maximum under the old $3M limit). For NB companies, this change is material if your qualifying R&D wages or eligible capital expenditures previously exceeded $3M annually. The NB provincial 15% credit applies to the same expanded eligible expenditure base.
Source: Budget 2025, Chapter 3 (Research and Innovation); CRA SR&ED program guidance2. ACOA Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — 2025 launch: ACOA announced the Regional Tariff Response Initiative in 2025 to support Atlantic businesses affected by tariff disruptions and trade policy changes. The RTRI provides funding for NB companies pursuing supply chain diversification, market development in new export markets, and productivity investments to offset tariff impacts. The innovation dimension of RTRI may be relevant for NB manufacturers investing in R&D to develop import-substitution products or access new markets. Contact ACOA's Moncton or Fredericton regional office for current program parameters, as RTRI details were subject to ongoing refinement as of early 2026.
Source: ACOA program announcements 2025; Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Strategy 2024–20283. Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Strategy 2024–2028: This strategy, coordinated by ACOA across Atlantic Canada including New Brunswick, sets investment attraction and trade diversification priorities through 2028. Programs aligned with this strategy include ACOA's Business Development Program innovation stream and REGI. For NB companies doing R&D that supports export market development or investment attraction, alignment with the Strategy's priorities strengthens ACOA funding proposals. Key sectors prioritized in the strategy include ocean technology, agri-food, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing — all sectors with established NB presence.
4. NBIF program developments: NBIF's core Innovation Voucher Fund (up to $80K) and Emerging Concepts and Technologies program (up to $125K) have continued operating through 2025–2026 with no announced structural changes as of this writing. NBIF programs typically open one to two competitive intakes per year for the Emerging Concepts stream, while the Voucher Fund maintains rolling intake. Monitor nbif.ca for current call dates. NBIF also manages strategic investments via its Start-up Investment Fund (pre-seed equity), which has been investing in NB technology companies across Moncton, Fredericton, and Saint John.
Source: NBIF official program pages, nbif.ca; New Brunswick Innovation Foundation annual reportsNBIF (New Brunswick Innovation Foundation) is headquartered in Fredericton and delivers the Innovation Voucher Fund and Emerging Concepts programs across all of New Brunswick. ACOA operates regional offices in Moncton, Saint John, and Fredericton, with coverage extending to Bathurst, Campbellton, Edmundston, Miramichi, and Woodstock. Opportunities New Brunswick (ONB) operates from Fredericton and delivers the Scale-Up NB business growth program. UNB Fredericton and UNB Saint John are the primary university partners for NSERC Alliance and NBIF voucher projects. Université de Moncton (Moncton, Edmundston, Shippagan campuses) serves Francophone NB businesses and is the region's leading French-language university R&D partner. New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) with campuses in Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton, Bathurst, Miramichi, Woodstock, Campbellton, and Sussex provides college-industry R&D linkages for applied research. The Pond-Deshpande Centre at UNB Fredericton focuses on entrepreneurship and innovation support for early-stage NB companies. Moncton is NB's largest city and primary commercial hub, with concentrations in IT, logistics, and bilingual services. Saint John hosts energy (Irving), forestry products, and marine technology companies. Fredericton anchors the provincial tech sector with Intricity (AI), Ambulnz, and a growing cybersecurity cluster. Dieppe (adjacent to Moncton) and Riverview are emerging suburban innovation areas. Bathurst serves the northeastern mining and forestry sectors. Edmundston connects to the Madawaska County forest products industry. Miramichi, Caraquet, and Shippagan are critical for fisheries and aquaculture technology R&D. Oromocto (adjacent to CFB Gagetown) hosts defence-technology-adjacent R&D. Sackville (near the NS border) is home to Mount Allison University. St. Stephen and Woodstock serve cross-border trade-intensive businesses. Sussex anchors the agricultural sector in Kings County. Northumberland County includes Miramichi's fish-processing innovation corridor.
Source: NBIF regional program delivery; ACOA NB regional office list; ONB program delivery; UNB and UdeM research office directories| Stage / Size | Recommended Program | Delivery Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Early-stage, any size (qualifying R&D activities) | SR&ED + NB 15% provincial credit | CRA + NB Finance (annual filing) |
| Small partnership project (up to $80K) | NBIF Innovation Voucher Fund | NBIF (nbif.ca) |
| Proof-of-concept (up to $125K) | NBIF Emerging Concepts and Technologies | NBIF (competitive) |
| Medium R&D project ($100K–$1M) | NRC IRAP + NSERC Alliance (if academic partner) | NRC + NSERC |
| Growth-stage innovation ($500K+) | ACOA BDP Innovation stream + ONB Scale-Up NB | ACOA + ONB |
Organization: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $50 million
Supports large-scale, transformative and collaborative projects between industry, researchers and non-profit organizations that help grow Canada's economy.
Organization: National Research Council Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $1 million
Provides advice, connections and funding to help Canadian small and medium-sized businesses increase their innovation capacity and take ideas to market.
Organization: Canada Revenue Agency
Level: federal
Amount: Up to 68% tax credit
Federal tax incentive program that encourages Canadian businesses to conduct research and development in Canada.
Organization: Sustainable Development Technology Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $10 million
Supports the development and demonstration of clean technology solutions that address climate change, air quality, clean water and clean soil.
Organization: Global Affairs Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $99,999
Helps small and medium-sized enterprises pursue new export opportunities and markets.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $25,000
Helps employers create quality work experiences for youth while addressing their human resource needs.
Organization: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $1 million
Helps Canadian entrepreneurs bring their innovations to market by connecting them with federal departments and agencies that have a challenge to solve.
Organization: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $10 million
Supports the development and commercialization of innovative agri-food products, technologies, processes or services.
Organization: Ocean Supercluster
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $5 million
Accelerates ocean technology development and commercialization to strengthen Canada's ocean economy.
Organization: Export Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Provides a suite of financial solutions (insurance, guarantees, financing) to help Canadian companies grow their export business and manage risk.
Organization: Business Development Bank of Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Provides financing, advisory services and venture capital to Canadian small and medium-sized businesses.
Organization: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $500,000
Supported community-led projects that create jobs and economic opportunities in communities across Canada (program now closed).
Organization: Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports business development and economic growth in Atlantic Canada through various programs and funds.
Organization: Prairies Economic Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports business growth and economic diversification in the Prairie provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) with various funding programs and services.
Organization: Pacific Economic Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports business development and economic growth in British Columbia through federal funding programs and services tailored to B.C.
Organization: Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports business growth, innovation and community economic development in Southern Ontario through various contribution funding programs.
Organization: Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports business development and regional economic growth in Quebec through grants and contribution programs.
Organization: Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports economic development in Canada's three territories through funding programs for businesses and communities.
Organization: Mitacs
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $15,000 per internship (matched)
Connects companies with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for research and development projects, with matching funding for the internships.
Organization: Colleges and Institutes Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Connects businesses with colleges and institutes for applied research projects, often via grants like NSERC's college programs.
Organization: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports collaborative research projects between universities and industry (e.g., through NSERC Alliance grants and other partnership programs).
Organization: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports research partnerships in social sciences and humanities (e.g., through SSHRC Partnership Grants and Partnership Engage Grants).
Organization: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports health research projects in partnership with industry (via CIHR programs that co-fund industry-academic collaborations).
Organization: Genome Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $10 million
Supports large-scale genomics and genomics-related research projects through competitive funding programs co-funded with industry and provinces.
Organization: Canadian Space Agency
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports space technology R&D and commercialization through various CSA funding programs and opportunities (e.g., Space Technology Development Program).
Organization: Québec/Department of National Defence
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Connects defence and security challenges with innovative solutions from Quebec companies and academic partners (Réseau d'innovation défense).
Organization: Department of National Defence
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $1.5 million
Provides funding for innovative solutions to defence and security challenges through competitive calls (IDEaS program includes contests, contracts, and sandboxes).
Organization: Public Services and Procurement Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $500,000
Helped Canadian companies test and sell their innovative products to federal departments (now succeeded by Innovative Solutions Canada - Testing Stream).
Organization: Global Affairs Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $75,000
Helps Canadian innovators (early-stage R&D collaborations) explore international partnerships by funding travel and meeting costs to secure foreign partnerships for technology commercialization.
Organization: Global Affairs Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $400,000
Helps Canadian industry associations undertake export development activities for the benefit of their members.
Organization: Business Development Bank of Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Increases private sector venture capital available to Canadian entrepreneurs by investing in venture capital funds and fund-of-funds, indirectly supporting high-growth firms.
Organization: Business Development Bank of Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Invests in early-stage technology companies across Canada, focusing on innovative startups poised for high growth.
Organization: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $100 million
Supports large-scale industrial transformation projects that strengthen Canada's industrial capacity, often through contributions to major facility or innovation upgrades.
Organization: Natural Resources Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $1.5 billion
Supports the development and expansion of domestic clean fuel production capacity through project funding (capital investments in new facilities or upgrades).
Organization: Natural Resources Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $10 million
Supports research, development and demonstration of clean energy technologies (including renewable, smart grid, energy efficiency, and other clean energy solutions).
Organization: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
A five-year federal-provincial funding framework (2023-2028) supporting innovation, competitiveness and resilience in the agriculture and agri-food sector via various programs (grants, loans, insurance).
Organization: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $250,000 per year (50% of costs)
Supports the development of export markets for Canadian agricultural products through contribution funding for marketing activities and trade shows.
Organization: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $250,000 per project
Supports the development and adoption of assurance systems, standards and certifications to meet buyer and market demands for Canadian agriculture and agri-food products.
Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $1 million
Supports innovation and market development in the aquaculture sector through contribution funding for projects that increase global competitiveness and sustainability of Canadian aquaculture.
Organization: Natural Resources Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $2 million
Supports innovation in Canada's forest sector to develop new products and markets through funding of R&D and technology adoption projects.
Organization: Natural Resources Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $5 million
Supports the commercialization of innovative mining technologies by co-funding pilot demonstrations and commercialization projects in the mining sector.
Organization: Natural Resources Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $10 million
Supports research, development and demonstration projects in critical minerals mining, processing and recycling, aiming to advance critical mineral supply chains.
Organization: Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $100,000
Supports the development of Indigenous tourism experiences and businesses through grants (often project-based funding for product development, marketing, etc.).
Organization: Canada Media Fund
Level: federal
Amount: Varies (grant or recoupable investment)
Supports the creation of Canadian content in television, digital media and interactive platforms through various funding streams (development, production, marketing).
Organization: Telefilm Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports the Canadian audiovisual industry through investments and funding for film, television, and digital media projects (production, development, marketing funds).
Organization: Canada Council for the Arts
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports Canadian artists and arts organizations through a variety of grants for creation, production, professional development, touring, and more in arts and culture sectors.
Organization: Sport Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports sport development and high-performance sport in Canada through funding programs such as the Athlete Assistance Program, Sport Support Program, and Hosting Program.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $10 million
A federal initiative to support innovative approaches to social challenges, including a $755 million fund to fund, finance, and support social purpose organizations (currently rolling out).
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $100,000 (small projects stream)
Supports capital projects that improve accessibility in workplaces and community spaces for people with disabilities through grants for renovations, retrofits or accessible technologies.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Supports skills development and employment training for Indigenous peoples through funding agreements with Indigenous service delivery organizations across Canada.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $5 million
Supports the development of foundational and transferable skills (like literacy, numeracy, digital skills) for Canadians through funding to organizations that deliver training and upskilling projects.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $2 million
Supports union-based apprenticeship training and innovation in training approaches through project funding, to help more apprentices succeed and modernize training systems.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $10 million
Addresses workforce challenges in specific economic sectors by funding projects that help connect Canadians with training and jobs in in-demand sectors (e.g., sector-based workforce development projects).
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $7,000 per placement
Supports work-integrated learning opportunities for post-secondary students by providing wage subsidies to employers who create co-op placements in STEM and business fields (e.g., through partner delivery organizations).
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $5 million
Supports training and skills development for jobs in the green economy and clean technology sectors, often through wage subsidies for youth in environmental roles (delivered via various partner organizations).
Organization: NGen (Supercluster)
Level: federal
Amount: Varies (project-based funding)
Canada's Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster that co-funds collaborative, transformative manufacturing and technology projects led by industry consortia to scale up innovation.
Organization: Protein Industries Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies (project-based co-investment)
An innovation supercluster that co-invests in projects to grow Canada's plant-based protein and value-added agri-food sector, fostering collaboration from farm to fork.
Organization: Scale AI
Level: federal
Amount: Varies (project-based funding)
Canada's artificial intelligence supercluster that funds collaborative projects deploying AI to enhance supply chains. Supports industry-led consortia in retail, manufacturing, transportation and more.
Organization: Government of New Brunswick
Level: provincial
Amount: Up to 2/3 of training costs (max $10,000 per trainee)
Helps New Brunswick employers offset the cost of training for new or existing employees by providing a grant for a portion of approved training expenses.
Organization: Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
Level: federal
Amount: Varies (Repayable Contribution)
Provides interest-free, repayable contributions to help small and medium-sized enterprises in Atlantic Canada grow, improve productivity, and become more competitive.
Organization: Regional Development Corporation of New Brunswick
Level: provincial
Amount: Varies
Supports local and regional priorities that will grow local economies in New Brunswick, focusing on community-driven projects.
Organization: Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC)
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Part of the federal 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Program, this fund provides funding to not-for-profit business-support organizations to deliver projects that help 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs develop skills and access resources.
Organization: Canada Council for the Arts
Level: federal
Amount: Varies by component
Funds Canadian artists, artistic groups, and organizations to create and disseminate innovative and diverse art. Supports research, creation, and project development.
Organization: Government of New Brunswick - Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries
Level: provincial
Amount: Up to 100% of costs, max of $90,000 over program duration
Offers funding for R&D, agricultural innovation, and technology demonstration within the agriculture, agri-food, and agri-science sectors in New Brunswick.
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