British Columbia Business Grants: What’s Available and How to Apply

The Workplace Innovation Fund supports key sectors to adopt new technology and processes to address labour shortages and increase productivity to help with workforce challenges.
Both private and not-for-profit/non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for up to $5 million in project funding.

The Video Games Business Development Program is a partnership between Creative BC and Canada Media Fund (CMF) designed to support the success and growth of B.C.-based game studios.

The Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency (TFCR) Program invites eligible businesses to apply for a cost-shared funding opportunity that aims to increase farm-level resilience and preparedness to extreme weather events that threaten the competitiveness of British Columbia’s (B.C.) tree fruit sector.

Traceability Adoption Program provides cost-shared funding towards the purchase and installation of traceability systems, practices, technologies, or infrastructure to help businesses meet new and existing regulatory requirements for the traceability of food, animals, and seafood products.

The Special Enterprise Program (SEP), approved by Council in January 2021, is a 5 year pilot that aims to preserve and strengthen the cultural diversity, long-term viability, and economic opportunity of heritage businesses, social enterprises, and non-profit organizations in Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside.

The Regional Recruitment and Retention of Veterinary Service Delivery for Food Animals (VET) Program supports organizations and veterinary practices to increase the availability of veterinary services for food-producing animals in underserviced communities and regions.

The Regional Housing First Program (RHFP) will increase the creation of affordable rental housing, including addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness in Greater Victoria. The program is the result of a partnering agreement between the Capital Regional District (CRD), BC Housing and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

Through RHFP, BC Housing, the CRD and CMHC will invest to develop and acquire new affordable housing units to be owned by the CRD or Provincial Rental Housing Corporation (PRHC). Those units will be operated by successful project proponents or non-profit partners. CRD and BC Housing will also seek partnership opportunities to further increase the supply of affordable rental housing within the capital region.

The Project Development Fund enables B.C.-owned and controlled production companies to build on development commitments secured from broadcasters, distributors and funding agencies. The fund encourages support for existing and emerging domestic companies and provides financing in the form of non-recoupable advances for feature film script development, dramatic or animated TV projects, or documentaries.

This program was created to help the BC industry develop enhanced on-farm biosecurity programs and an emergency response program that can be immediately activated to prevent a detected outbreak from spreading.

Since 2017, the Off Road Vehicle (ORV) Trail Fund, supported by Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) registration fees, has invested in safe, sustainable off-road trail projects across B.C. The fund builds stronger trail networks, supports community partnerships, and enhances outdoor recreation for residents and visitors.

The Northern Industries Innovation Fund (NIIF) program provides incremental funding to support innovation projects that increase the competitiveness of local businesses in traditional industries across Northern B.C. The program is also intended to support economic diversification and/or viability of businesses to mitigate the economic impact of the pine beetle epidemic.

The New Entrant Farm Business Accelerator Program (NEFBA) helps new agricultural producers grow their businesses by providing financial support for business planning, development, and growth strategies.
It also helps with the cost of commercial farm infrastructure and equipment to accelerate revenue growth.

The Music Industry Initiatives program supports initiatives that grow and develop British Columbia’s music ecosystem.
Successful projects will build the capacity of B.C.’s music industry through training, collaboration, and creating new industry and business opportunities. Canadian companies, not-for-profit organizations, individuals, and collectives are able to apply.

The Music Company program supports the sustainability, growth, and capacity of B.C.’s music companies through investing in business development activities.

Deadstock collection services are needed in the western Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver regions. To address this need, the Livestock Waste Tissue Initiative has been activated to support the development of business plans and capital expenditures to enhance existing or initiate new operations to address the gap.

The Live Music program supports B.C.-based live music events, creating engagement opportunities for audiences and artists.

The Live Music program supports B.C.-based live music events, creating engagement opportunities for audiences and artists.
B) Live music presenters can apply for capacity-building activities through the Business Development stream.

British Columbia (BC)’s Innovative Clean Energy Fund (“ICE Fund”) is designed to support the BC government’s energy, economic, environmental and greenhouse gas reduction priorities and advance BC’s clean energy sector. Since 2008, the ICE Fund has committed over $124 million in funding to support pre-commercial clean energy technology projects and energy efficiency programs.

The Government of British Columbia created the Indigenous Housing Fund (IHF) in 2018. This fund helps build affordable rental homes for Indigenous families, Elders, individuals, and people with disabilities.

The ISAT program supports Indigenous Nations, communities, businesses, and organizations in increasing Indigenous participation in agriculture, seafood, food processing and related community economic development initiatives.
The program does so by addressing labour capacity and workforce challenges within the food, seafood and agriculture sectors. ISAT funds activities involved in training and skills development, peer-to-peer learning, and revitalization of cultural and economic food harvesting and production practices.

The Indigenous Food Systems and Agriculture Partnership Program (IFSAP) funds activities involved in agriculture, food processing, and/or food systems planning, training and skills development, technological adoption, productivity and profitability improvements, and climate change adaptations.

The Indigenous Food Security and Sovereignty (IFS) Grant offers non-repayable funding to BC First Nations, Indigenous organizations, businesses, and entrepreneurs to support the development, growth, and innovation of Indigenous food systems, agriculture, sustainability, and food sovereignty.

The Heritage Façade Rehabilitation Program provides grants of up to $50,000 for the rehabilitation and seismic stabilization of the façades of registered heritage buildings.

The Food Safety Program (FSP) supports BC on-farm and post-farm businesses in adopting new, or improving existing, food safety practices and systems, helping the BC agrifood sector meet current and emerging national and international food safety requirements.

This funding allows more residual fibre to be used instead of being left behind or burned. Funding supports innovative uses of uneconomical fibre from Crown land, including fibre from fire and insect damaged forests, while helping reduce emissions from open burning.

This funding supports projects that reduce wildfire risk and help communities across B.C. become more resilient to wildfire. Projects must align with provincial wildfire risk reduction priorities and standards.

The Enhanced Replant Program provides support to help wine grape, berry, and tree fruit producers replace existing acreage with climate-resilient varieties that produce in-demand, premium fruit.

The Early Childhood Educator Training Wage Program helps strengthen the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) workforce by providing a training wage to ECE Assistants (ECEAs), certified ECEs and Responsible Adults employed by licensed child care facilities in the Basin, to support them to complete and/or upgrade their ECE qualifications.

The Downtown Eastside Small Arts Grants program is intended to help you as an emerging artist working and living in Downtown Eastside advance your art practice.

Group Project grants are designed to support a group of artists who want to make something together – a live performance, a group exhibition, or a video production.

This page is for individuals, small businesses, farms, and charitable organizations. If you represent an Indigenous community or local government, visit: Disaster Financial Assistance for communities.
Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) is a program intended to help you recover from uninsurable losses caused by a disaster or emergency event, such as a flood, that has resulted in extensive or widespread damage. If an event qualifies for DFA, eligible applicants may receive financial support for essential recovery needs.

Creative Spark Vancouver enables emerging artists to gain experience on small projects that could lead to new career opportunities, new community relationships, different perspectives on arts and education, future learning opportunities and exciting multi-faceted projects.

The Government of British Columbia created the Community Housing Fund (CHF) in 2018. This fund helps build rental homes for people, including families, seniors, and people with disabilities.
The CHF is a $3.3‑billion program that will build more than 20,000 affordable rental homes for people with low or moderate incomes.

The HIP provides grants, subject to Council approval pursuant to section 206(2) of the Vancouver Charter, to encourage private investment and financially assist with the cost of heritage conservation.

Child Care Grants support the purchase and installation of specialized child care equipment that contributes to the development of new child care spaces within existing or expanding facilities.

The Buy BC Partnership Program is a fundamental component of Buy BC programming that provides up to $2 million in cost-shared funding annually to local producers, processors, and associations to support their ability to undertake local marketing activities that increase consumer awareness and sales of local agriculture, food and beverage products.

The Business Foundations program invests in growing businesses owned by people from systemically excluded groups in B.C.’s music ecosystem, to expand and develop networks, capacity, and infrastructure.
Businesses can apply for grants up to $10,000 to support business operations, funding up to 100% of expenses.

Through the federally and provincially co-funded British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF), we support protection and restoration activities for Pacific salmon and other priority wild fish stocks. We also support projects that will ensure the fish and seafood sector in B.C. is positioned for long-term environmental and economic sustainability.

The Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) Program works to help producers contribute to a cleaner, healthier environment with projects that improve waste management, air quality control, emissions control, soil and riparian integrity, and environmental impacts.

Businesses and non-profit organizations that provide tourism experiences within British Columbia are eligible to receive funding of up to $15,000 to implement a project or obtain sustainability certification.
Project Two of the BC Tourism Climate Resiliency Initiative (BCTCRI)–Micro-Grants to Support Sustainability and Climate Adaptation Plan Implementation–offers micro-grant funding for organizations that already have a sustainability or climate adaptation plan and are ready to implement the recommendations into their organization by purchasing equipment, updating infrastructure, implementing new systems, or pursuing sustainability certification.

The BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund (BCMJF) is helping manufacturing companies modernize, innovate, and grow by providing funding for capital projects in all regions in B.C., particularly in communities affected by economic impacts or downturns.

The program welcomes applications from all manufacturing sectors. There is a particular focus on helping the forestry sector retrofit and develop new, sustainable value-added business lines that reduce dependency on old growth logging and make innovative use of biomaterials.

The BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund (BCMJF) first launched in 2023 to support manufacturing companies to modernize, innovate, and grow by providing funding for capital projects in all regions in B.C., particularly in communities affected by economic impacts or downturns.

The BC Climate Agri-Solutions Fund (BCCAF) provides cost-shared funding to eligible producers and supports the training of certified crop advisors and agrologists as well as information sharing throughout the agricultural community. The objective of BCCAF is to support farmers in adopting beneficial management practices (BMPs) that store carbon and reduce greenhouse gases, specifically in the areas of:

Nitrogen Management
Cover Cropping
Rotational Grazing
These practices also provide other environmental benefits such as improved biodiversity and soil health. Other activities to support the adoption of beneficial management practices, such as outreach, education and training are also supported.

The BC Agriculture and Food Export Program is funded under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership – a five-year (2023 to 2028) investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen and grow the agriculture and food sector. The program aims to increase sales, reduce market risk, and enhance long-term sustainability for B.C.’s agriculture, food and beverage exporters by providing cost-shared funding to undertake market development activities outside of B.C. that enable sector businesses and associations to maintain, expand and/or diversify export markets.

The B.C. Employer Training Grant provides funding to small, medium and large enterprises to support skills training for their workforces, including prospective new hires.
The intent of this program is to help British Columbians access the skills training required to adapt to the labour market’s changing job requirements, while also encouraging employer involvement in skills training.

B.C.’s Agri-Business Planning Program (ABPP) provides funding to help primary agricultural producers and food and beverage processors access business planning services and specialized business training.
1. To support businesses to proactively assess their financial situation as part of a comprehensive risk assessment plan and/or to assess the feasibility of the financial investment in growth, setting up a contingency fund, business interruption insurance, breakeven analysis, succession, sale of assets, debt service capacity, debt restructure and/or debt mediation
2. To support the development of immediate and long-term recovery plans for businesses that have been impacted by an external event such as fire, flood, drought, tornado, disease outbreak, death, or illness

B.C.’s Agri-Business Planning Program (ABPP) provides funding to help primary agricultural producers and food and beverage processors access business planning services and specialized business training.
: To support access to specialized training for business owners and managers resulting in improved business management knowledge, adoption of practices and benefit(s) to the business.

BCAAP is a project-based, cost-sharing grant program administered by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit that supports planning and infrastructure investments on eligible aviation facilities across British Columbia.

The Atlin Capital program provides grant funding to support community infrastructure projects that will strengthen the local and regional economy. The program supports public multi-use facilities or capital investments that drive revenue and job creation and will provide a long-term asset for the community of Atlin.

The Atlin Business Façade Improvement program provides grant funding for local businesses and not-for-profits to enhance businesses façades, catalyzing economic development in the community. The grant funding provides a rebate to business/building owners to invest in aesthetic improvements to storefronts that encourages increased walk-in traffic and patronage of commercial establishments.

The Agritech Concierge Program supports agritech companies to grow and scale their businesses, building on the success of British Columbia.’s Agritech Grant Program and the recommendations of the 2020 Food Security Task Force Report.