Government funding for BC businesses
Government funding your business may qualify for.
Grants, interest-free loans and tax credits from federal, provincial and municipal programs, in one place. Browse them yourself, or have Nirvana Canada’s team assess your eligibility and prepare the application.
Eligibility and approval are decided by each funding body. We help you find the right programs and apply well.
Open now · most requested
- 01NRC IRAPOpen year-roundUp to 80% of project salariesGrant · National Research Council of Canada
- 02PacifiCan Regional AI Initiative (RAII)Closes Nov 23$200K–$5M interest-free, up to 50% of costsRepayable loan · PacifiCan
- 03B.C. Employer Training GrantOpen80% of training costs, up to $10K per employeeGrant · Province of British Columbia
How Nirvana Canada can help
You can explore the programs. We can get you through them.
Most programs reimburse costs after approval, run on fixed intakes and ask for a business case. Our team assesses which ones your company may qualify for, prepares the application with you, and manages the claim once it’s approved. The first conversation is free.
- 01
Eligibility assessment
A free 30-minute call about what you plan to build, buy or hire in the next 12 months. We check which programs your company may qualify for and what they could be worth.
- 02
Funding plan
We sequence the programs so they stack without breaking stacking limits or straining cash flow while you wait for reimbursement.
- 03
Application preparation
Business case, budget, forms and supporting documents prepared with your team and submitted before the deadline.
- 04
Claims & reporting
If approved, we handle expense claims and progress reports so reimbursements arrive on schedule.
Closing soon
Intakes with a deadline on the calendar
Applications take weeks to prepare, so these are the ones to talk about first.
Where most companies start
The programs that fit almost every BC company
Between them they cover innovation, R&D and staff training, so we check these first on every funding call.
- GrantNRC IRAP80%of project salaries for R&D and AI work, non-repayable and open all year.How it works
- Tax creditSR&ED tax credit35% + 10%of eligible R&D back as refundable federal and BC tax credits.How it works
- GrantB.C. Employer Training Grant$10,000per employee for third-party training, up to $300,000 a year.How it works
Funding finder
Browse by what your business needs
Search by name, or filter by business need, funding type, province and company size. Programs outside your size stay on the page, marked, so you see the full picture across all three levels of government.
27 programs match in British Columbia across federal, provincial and municipal levels.
Federal
13 of 13 fit your sizeNRC IRAP
Open year-roundUp to 80% of project salaries
GrantIRAP AI Assist
OpenAI pilots and planning, commonly $50K–$75K
GrantSR&ED tax credit
Claim at year-end35% refundable on the first $6M of R&D
Tax creditPacifiCan Regional AI Initiative (RAII)
Closes Nov 23$200K–$5M interest-free, up to 50% of costs
Repayable loanRegional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI)
OpenUp to $3M non-repayable for tariff-hit firms
GrantBDC LIFT
OpenAdvice plus preferential-rate financing for AI and automation
Repayable loanPacifiCan Business Scale-up & Productivity
Next intake TBA$200K–$5M interest-free to scale up
Repayable loanCanExport SMEs
Early 2027$10K–$50K per export project
GrantInnovative Solutions Canada
By challengeGovernment R&D contracts, $150K up to $2M
Government contractMitacs Accelerate
RollingYour $7,500 becomes a $15,000 research internship
Wage subsidyStudent Work Placement Program
Year-roundUp to $5,000–$7,000 per student placement
Wage subsidyCanada Summer Jobs
Apply Nov–DecUp to 50% of minimum wage for youth hires
Wage subsidyCanada Small Business Financing Program
Through your bankGovernment-guaranteed bank loans up to $1.15M
Repayable loan
British Columbia
8 of 8 fit your sizeB.C. Employer Training Grant
Open80% of training costs, up to $10K per employee
GrantBC SR&ED tax credit
Claim at year-end10% refundable on BC R&D, on top of federal
Tax creditBC Manufacturing & Processing Credit
New for 202615% on equipment and buildings, up to $300K a year
Tax creditInnovate BC Ignite
Periodic intakesUp to $300K for R&D with a university partner
GrantInnovator Skills Initiative
Between intakesUp to $10K per new tech hire
Wage subsidyExport Navigator & Trade Accelerator
OngoingFree export advisors and a 5-day export-plan program
Advisory & supportBC Hydro business incentives
Bonus to Feb 11Energy-upgrade rebates plus a 30% bonus
RebateCommunity Workforce Response Grant
Scheduled intakesTraining for urgent and tariff-driven needs
Grant
Municipal & regional
6 of 6 fit your sizeRevitalization tax exemptions
By cityUp to 10 years off municipal property tax
Tax exemptionCommunity Futures BC
OpenLoans up to $1M and free advice outside major cities
Repayable loanNorthern Development Initiative Trust
By intakeGrants up to $200K for central and northern BC firms
GrantCity economic development offices
OngoingSite selection, permit help and introductions
Advisory & supportBC Bid & municipal purchasing
OngoingPublic-sector contracts for ready suppliers
Government contractFaçade & storefront grants
By cityMatching grants, commonly up to $5,000
Grant
Program details checked October 2026 · Intakes open and close often; we confirm status before you apply
Eligibility by size
What changes as your company grows
Most programs are open to any company with 1–100 staff. These cut-offs decide the rest.
| Cut-off | What it means |
|---|---|
| Under 10 staff | Not eligible for federal tariff relief (RTRI, up to $3M) |
| 50 or fewer staff | Canada Summer Jobs, plus priority for the B.C. Employer Training Grant |
| Over $1M revenue | Opens BDC LIFT financing for AI and automation |
| $10M revenue or less | Government-guaranteed CSBFP bank loans up to $1.15M |
| 50–100 staff | Strongest fit for PacifiCan contributions of $200K–$5M |
| 500 or fewer staff | Ceiling for NRC IRAP and most federal SME programs |
Free funding check
Start your funding check
A few details about your business help us come to the 30-minute call with the right programs already shortlisted. Then pick a time on our calendar.
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