Every major federal support for business sits under a statute or a mandated Crown agency. Knowing the legal framework is what lets a plan speak the program's language. Here is the federal landscape we work with.
| Program / Agency | Legal basis | What it offers — and what the plan must show |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP) | Canada Small Business Financing Act & Regulations | Government-guaranteed loans via banks/credit unions: up to $1M term loans + $150K lines of credit for businesses with ≤$10M gross revenue. Plan must justify eligible asset classes and repayment capacity. |
| Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) | Business Development Bank of Canada Act | Crown-lender financing and advisory for SMEs. Plans emphasise management capability, market depth and cash-flow repayment. |
| Export Development Canada (EDC) | Export Development Act | Export guarantees, insurance and working capital. Plans need export market analysis and FX/credit risk treatment. |
| Farm Credit Canada (FCC) | Farm Credit Canada Act | Agriculture and agri-food financing. Plans reflect production cycles, quota/land values and seasonality. |
| Canadian Agricultural Loans Act program (CALA) | Canadian Agricultural Loans Act | Guaranteed loans for farms and co-operatives. Farm business plan with asset-specific financing case. |
| Futurpreneur Canada | Federally supported non-profit | Startup capital + mentorship for entrepreneurs 18–39, with BDC co-lending. Requires its own plan and cash-flow format. |
| Program | Legal basis | What it offers — and what the plan must show |
|---|---|---|
| SR&ED | Income Tax Act s.37; s.127 ITCs | Refundable/non-refundable investment tax credits for eligible R&D. Requires systematic technical documentation and cost tracking — coordinated with corporate tax filings. |
| CanExport SMEs | Global Affairs Canada program | Cost-shared export development funding. Requires an export market entry plan and eligible-cost budget. |
| NRC IRAP | National Research Council Act | Innovation funding and advisory for tech SMEs. Requires a commercialization plan and project costing. |
| Regional Development Agencies | Ministerial mandates (ISED portfolio) | PacifiCan, PrairiesCan, FedDev Ontario, FedNor, ACOA, CED-Q, CanNor — scale-up loans and contributions. Project plans in agency intake format. |
| Sustainable CAP | Federal–provincial framework agreement | Cost-shared agriculture programs delivered provincially. Farm/processor project plans and budgets. |
| Canada Job Grant family | Labour market transfer agreements | Provincially delivered employer training grants. Training plans tied to business outcomes. |
| Pathway | Legal basis | Status & what the plan must show |
|---|---|---|
| Start-up Visa | IRPA / Ministerial Instructions | Closed to new applications after Dec 31, 2025 (limited exceptions). Transition support for existing SUV work-permit holders seeking PR. |
| New Entrepreneur Pilot | IRPA pilot authority — details expected 2026 | Announced successor to the SUV. We prepare pilot-ready plans as criteria are published. |
| C11 Entrepreneur Work Permit | IRPR R205(a) — significant benefit | Active. Plan must evidence significant economic, social or cultural benefit to Canada. |
| Intra-Company Transfer | IRPR R205(a) / trade agreements | Active. Requires a credible Canadian expansion plan and qualifying corporate relationship. |
| Provincial Nominee entrepreneur streams | IRPA s.87 + provincial agreements | Active, intake-dependent — see provincial programs. |
Amounts, criteria and intake status above reflect our review of official sources as of mid-2026 and are provided for orientation only. Every engagement begins by re-verifying the current program rules against the governing statute, regulations and program guides.
Free scoping call — we'll confirm the program's current criteria and quote the plan.
