Comprehensive guide to 62 r&d & innovation funding programs in Nova Scotia
Businesses in Nova Scotia can access 62 specialized r&d & innovation programs combining federal and provincial funding opportunities.
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 Nova Scotia
Level: provincial
Amount: Up to 2/3 of training costs (max $10,000 per trainee)
Provides funding to Nova Scotia employers to train workers (new or existing) for available jobs, sharing the cost of training to boost skills and productivity.
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: 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.