Closes Nov 23Repayable loan · PacifiCan
PacifiCan Regional AI Initiative (RAII)
$200K–$5M interest-free, up to 50% of costs
Part of a $700M federal program to help businesses put AI to work. In BC, PacifiCan lends up to half the cost of adopting or commercializing AI. Off-the-shelf software doesn't qualify: the AI has to be adapted to a real business problem.
How the money works
- Amount
- $200,000 to $5,000,000 per project
- Share
- Up to 50% of eligible costs; your company funds the rest
- Terms
- Interest-free, no collateral, no prepayment penalty. Repaid monthly over 5 years, starting one year after the project ends
- Cash flow
- Costs are reimbursed after you pay them, so plan to carry the full cost first
- Example
- On a $1M project, PacifiCan lends $500K and you put in $500K
- Qualifying projects
- AI readiness and data modernization, forecasting and decision support, automation and robotics, supply-chain optimization, cybersecurity and responsible-AI governance, staff AI training; for AI products: pilots, customer trials, IP and scale-up
- Eligible costs
- Project staff salaries; equipment, hardware and software; contractors and consultants; materials; essential travel; marketing, IP and AI computing
- Not covered
- Land and buildings, bonuses and dividends, routine software subscriptions, debt refinancing, taxes, hospitality, and costs before the approved start date
- Stacking
- Total government support is capped at 50%, so SR&ED or other credits on the same costs can reduce the loan
- You'll need
- Two years of financial statements reviewed by an outside accountant (a compilation isn't enough), proof of your 50% share, a business plan, PacifiCan's budget worksheet and the RAII Supplemental Form. Allow 3–4 weeks to prepare
Who may be eligible
- Incorporated and operating in BC
- Adopting AI: 3+ years operating in BC and 5–500 full-time staff
- Commercializing AI: 1+ year in BC, 1–500 staff, product market-ready or close
- Project starts before March 31, 2027
- Your 50% share is available now, from non-government sources (bank statements, an unused credit line or investor letters; forecasts and expected tax credits don't count)
- Clear benefits for BC: new jobs, revenue and export growth
- This intake is for businesses only; not-for-profits can apply in a later intake
Meeting these criteria does not guarantee funding. PacifiCan decides eligibility and approval for each application.
Details last checked October 21, 2026. Amounts and intake dates change; we confirm them with the program before you apply. Official program page.