CanExport SMEs
2026–27 funding covers up to 50% of eligible export-project costs. The 2026 intake closed August 31; a new intake has not been confirmed here.
- Geography
- Canada
- Amount
- Up to $50,000
Funding guide
Startup grants and government funding in Ontario
Learn how to assess grants, tax support and government funding programs for a Toronto or Ontario startup.
Choose a program around the work you need to fund
Start with your project, then compare who can apply, what the money covers and when you need cash. These are different funding routes; a tax credit or repayable contribution should not be counted as a grant.
| Program | Best fit | Support and cash timing | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter Company Plus | Ontario residents 18+, citizens or permanent residents, not in full-time school | Up to $5,000; local selection and training requirements apply | Business plan, budget and cash or in-kind contribution of at least 25% of the grant |
| NRC IRAP | Incorporated, for-profit Canadian companies with up to 500 employees developing innovative technology | Project-specific support; funding is assessed individually | Technical project, commercialization plan, team capabilities and Canadian economic benefits |
| Ontario Job Grant | Eligible Ontario employers operating for at least one year | Cost sharing for approved third-party training; standard maximum $10,000 per trainee | Provider quote, training outcomes, employee details and employer contribution |
| CanExport SMEs | Canadian SMEs developing new international markets | 2026–27 support: $10,000–$50,000, up to 50% of eligible project costs. Intake closed August 31, 2026 | Export market plan and cash contribution; wait for a confirmed next intake |
| Summer Company | Eligible Ontario students aged 15–29 returning to school | Seasonal award up to $3,000 in two stages; the 2026 summer cycle has ended | Student eligibility, summer business plan and participation commitments |
| Invest Ontario Fund | High-impact Ontario investment projects | Tailored grants or loans; this is not a general idea-stage grant | Investment scope, jobs, sector fit, budget and project impact |
Worked example: an eligible Ontario founder requests a $5,000 Starter Company Plus grant. The minimum contribution is $1,250, so the plan accounts for at least $6,250 in combined grant and founder contribution. The contribution can be cash or in kind under the provincial rules, but the local centre decides which costs and evidence it accepts. Being eligible does not establish that a local intake is open.
Contrast that with an incorporated technology company planning an R&D experiment. For IRAP, explain the technical objective, people, costs and route to market. A founder looking only for general rent or routine website development should not assume that the project fits. For training, compare Ontario Job Grant instead.
For an illustrative $40,000 CanExport project, a 50% contribution would be $20,000 and the company would need $20,000 in cash. This is a planning example for a future intake, not an invitation to apply to the closed 2026 window. Confirm eligible activities before committing spending.
Funding programs (6)
Invest Ontario Fund
Invest Ontario Fund provides tailored grants or loans for eligible high-impact investment projects in Ontario. Verify current fit and intake with the official source before applying.
- Geography
- Ontario
- Amount
- Amount not publicly stated
NRC IRAP
Project-specific innovation support for incorporated, for-profit Canadian technology companies with up to 500 employees. Funding is assessed individually.
- Geography
- Canada
- Amount
- Amount not publicly stated
Ontario Job Grant
Ontario Job Grant helps eligible Ontario employers pay for approved third-party employee training. Verify current fit and intake with the official source before applying.
- Geography
- Ontario
- Amount
- Up to $10,000
Starter Company Plus
Starter Company Plus offers grant support for eligible applicants in Ontario. Verify current fit and intake with the official source before applying.
- Geography
- Ontario
- Amount
- Up to $5,000
Summer Company
Seasonal award and mentoring for eligible Ontario students aged 15–29. The 2026 summer cycle has ended; confirm next-cycle dates with the local provider.
- Geography
- Ontario
- Amount
- Up to $3,000
Start with eligibility, not the headline amount
Government programs can have specific requirements for location, company age, ownership, project costs and timing. Confirm each requirement on the official source before investing time in an application.
Separate grants from tax support and financing
A grant, refundable tax credit, loan and repayable contribution create different cash-flow and reporting obligations. The funding database labels the known structure and clearly marks terms that are not public.
Prepare evidence for the proposed work
Keep a clear project plan, budget, milestones and records showing why the work is eligible. Do not incur costs early unless the program explicitly permits it.
Put the funding plan into practice
Understand how NRC IRAP fits technology development
NRC IRAP supports Canadian small and medium-sized businesses developing innovative, technology-driven products and services. Its role includes advice and financial support for innovation. A strong starting point is a specific technical project with a commercial purpose, rather than a request to cover every expense of launching a business.
Describe the technical work, the capability your team brings and how the result will reach customers. The existing IRAP article provides project-planning context; the NRC’s current program information supplies the eligibility and engagement route.
- Define the product or process improvement and the work required.
- Build a project budget linked to people, activities and milestones.
- Explain the customer need and commercialization plan.
Official program or investor information: NRC IRAP financial support
Match each cost to the right kind of support
The Ontario articles cover research, training, commercialization, regional development and sector-focused programs. Use those categories to identify the work you need funded. A research project, employee training plan and equipment purchase are different applications, even when they support the same business goal.
Separate a non-repayable grant from a repayable contribution and a tax credit. Check the program’s cost categories, timing and treatment of other funding before committing money. Your cash plan should account for whether support arrives in advance, after spending or through a tax claim.
- List each project cost and its proposed funding source.
- Ask which costs can begin before approval and which cannot.
- Disclose other funding and identify how the remaining costs will be paid.
Official program or investor information: FedDev Ontario business application guide
Grant and project fit
Find support for work you already need to do
The non-tech funding clip gives a useful starting rule: find support for the project you want to undertake. A program search becomes easier when you can describe the work, location, costs, stage and result, rather than asking for a grant for an entire company.
The government-funding workshop distinguishes grants from tax credits. Identify whether the support pays before or after you spend, what contribution the company must make and how approval affects the timing of the work. A headline amount does not tell you whether you can finance the project.
Use the recorded program tours to discover categories such as hiring, training, export activity and R&D. Their amounts and examples belong to the recording date. Check the provider’s current eligible costs, deadlines and intake before including an amount in your budget.
TorontoStarts · October 2024
Grants and Funding for Non-Tech Startups in Canada
A short discussion about support for non-tech and early-stage businesses. The central advice is to find funding for the project you need to undertake, rather than invent a project around a grant.
Watch on YouTubeTorontoStarts · December 2022
Government Funding for Startups
A workshop comparing grants with tax credits and discussing competitive applications, project costs and employee training. It highlights why timing and cash available to fund the work matter.
Watch on YouTubeRecorded program tour and government-support discussion
TorontoStarts · August 2024
10 Grants in 10 Minutes
A recorded tour of grant and funding programs, followed by questions on eligibility and how to approach funding bodies. Use it to build a shortlist for your planned work; the amounts and thresholds reflect the session.
Watch on YouTubeTorontoStarts · February 2024
Is the Government Doing Enough to Support Startups?
A panel discussion about government support, early-stage funding gaps and the commitments founders can take on after receiving a small grant. It offers perspectives on the support landscape rather than an application guide.
Watch on YouTubeStarter Company Plus
Use the local program route for training and support
The Starter Company video introduces a combination of training, mentoring and a small grant. Ontario’s program page describes grants of up to $5,000 and directs applicants to a local Small Business Enterprise Centre. Local delivery and intake requirements matter.
On 11 October 2026, Toronto’s official program page listed applications as closed. It describes eligibility requirements for the entrepreneur and business, including operating history and an applicant contribution. Check the city page for the next intake instead of using an older recording as an application notice.
TorontoStarts · June 2024
Ontario Starter Company Grants: How to Get Up to $5,000 for Your Startup!
The Startup Coach introduces Starter Company Plus training, mentoring and micro-grants. Use the official provincial and local links on this page for the current application route.
Watch on YouTubeCollaborative projects
Explain the adopter, partners and business impact
The Scale AI workshop examines collaborative AI adoption projects, with a technology adopter, participating organizations and a defined business result. Begin by identifying the operational problem and the organization that will use the solution.
Write down the partners’ work, the costs they will carry and the impact you intend to measure. Review the current Scale AI project criteria and submission route with its team. The recorded supply-chain examples help explain a project, but do not establish approval or the funding share for a new application.
TorontoStarts · February 2024
Unlocking Funding Opportunities: Scale AI Program Explained
A workshop explaining collaborative Scale AI projects, participating partners, an adopter and project impact. The examples focus on AI adoption in value chains and supply chains; confirm current criteria with Scale AI.
Watch on YouTube