Comprehensive guide to 65 startup funding programs in Prince Edward Island
Businesses in Prince Edward Island can access 65 specialized startup programs combining federal and provincial funding opportunities.
Organization: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $15,000
Helps small and medium-sized businesses adopt digital technologies to grow their businesses, compete in the global marketplace, and create jobs.
Organization: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $250,000
Provides financing and support to Black entrepreneurs and business owners to start and scale their businesses.
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: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $1 million
Helps small businesses get loans by encouraging financial institutions to provide financing for small business loans.
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: 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: Digital Technology Supercluster
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $5 million
Builds digital technology solutions that address challenges in health, manufacturing, and natural resources.
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: Farm Credit Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Provides financing and services to agriculture and agri-food businesses across Canada.
Organization: Regional Development Agencies
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Provided support to businesses and communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through interest-free loans (program closed in 2021).
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: 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: 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 technology companies with women in key leadership positions, to foster greater gender diversity in tech and support women-led businesses.
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: 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 $200,000 per year (50% of costs)
Supports under-represented groups in agriculture (such as women, Indigenous peoples, youth, persons with disabilities) to develop skills, gain knowledge and grow their businesses.
Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
A national plan with various funding initiatives to support marine safety, environmental protection, and Indigenous partnerships in ocean protection.
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: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (FedDev / regional agencies)
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $100,000 (non-repayable) or $500,000 (repayable)
Provided support to tourism businesses and organizations to adapt operations and invest in new opportunities post-COVID (fund administered by regional agencies).
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: Canadian Heritage
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Offers numerous grants and contributions programs supporting culture, heritage, official languages, Indigenous languages and sport (e.g., Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, Canada Book Fund, Athlete Assistance Program, etc.).
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: Up to $25,000 (community stream)
Supports projects that empower seniors, encourage social participation and inclusion of seniors, and improve their quality of life, including small community-based grants and larger pan-Canadian projects.
Organization: Employment and Social Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Former federal program that funded community projects to reduce homelessness, now replaced by Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy as of 2019.
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 $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 100% wage subsidy (minimum wage)
Provides wage subsidies to help employers create summer job opportunities for youth (students) across Canada, particularly in not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and small businesses.
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: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $15,000 per participant (wage subsidy)
Provides funding to organizations to create internships that offer underemployed youth training and work experience in digital skills, helping them transition to careers in the digital economy.
Organization: Indigenous Services Canada
Level: federal
Amount: Varies
Provides access to capital and business opportunities to Indigenous entrepreneurs by supporting a network of Indigenous Financial Institutions that offer loans and financing for Indigenous-owned businesses.
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: Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan)
Level: federal
Amount: Varies (Business Loans)
Offers business loans, mentoring, training, and counseling to Western Canadians with disabilities or health conditions to start or expand a business.
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: Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
Level: federal
Amount: $25,000 to $50,000
Provides access to financing for new immigrants to Canada who are starting or growing a business, helping to overcome challenges like a lack of local credit history.
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: Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
Level: federal
Amount: Up to $75,000
Helps social purpose organizations (social enterprises, non-profits, charities, co-ops) build their capacity to participate in the social finance market and prepare for investment.