With both federal and Ontario funding making weekly appearances in government funding news, it may feel like Western Canadian grants and loans aren’t as available for small businesses. However, government funding programs for Canadian businesses in western provinces including Manitoba are available for funding projects in clean technology and sustainability improvements, hiring and training, tech adoption and adaption, innovative research, business expansion, and more.
Is your business located in Manitoba? Learn which small business grants and loans may be applicable to support your current or upcoming projects in this article.
There are provincial and federal government funding programs that support Manitoba businesses undertaking various types of strategic projects. By being proactive and applying for government grants and/or loans, Manitoba businesses can access funding that can make an innovative project more feasible with additional financial support.
Browse these programs to learn more about government funding for Manitoba businesses.
Manitoba Small Business Grants
Government grants are non-repayable funding towards the strong support of economic growth or innovation. Here are a few Manitoba-specific grants currently available to take advantage of if your business has a project that meets the eligibility criteria.
Canada-Manitoba Job Grant (CMJG)
The Canada-Manitoba Job Grant (CMJG) is a provincial stream of the Canada Job Grant (CJG) program. The CMJG offers government grants to employers training new and existing Canadian employees to improve their employability and in-demand skillsets.
Amount: Non-repayable grant contributions of up to 66% of training costs (i.e., course, exams, textbooks, software resources, etc.) up to a maximum of $10,000 per trainee.
Eligibility: Manitoba-based small businesses with a minimum $2M liability insurance. Trainee must be a resident of Manitoba, and a permanent Canadian citizen, or granted refugee status.
Timeline: Training projects must be completed within the year and cannot be over 12 months in length. The program accepts applications year-round.
Types of Projects: Hiring and training new and existing employees through third-party training programs that develop job-specific skills.
CanExport Grants for Business Expansion
The CanExport federal funding program provides Canadian government grants to support export expansion marketing projects, including participation in trade shows and government-led trade missions. By accessing CanExport funding for exporting activities, Manitoba businesses can de-risk export market evaluation and development, and ultimately accelerate their international growth.
Amount: Manitoba businesses may access up to 75% of costs for collaborative R&D export marketing projects to a maximum $75,000 per application; or 50% of costs up to $50,000 for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to break into international markets.
Eligibility: 1+ years incorporated with taxes filed, 1-500 FTE employees, and $100k-$100M in annual revenue. Budget must be >$20,000 for markets where less than $100,000 or 10% of international sales have been generated in the past 24 months.
Timeline: While currently closed for applications, the CanExport program typically has a continuous intake of applications and is set to open again soon by 2024. Apply at least six weeks ahead of incurring eligible project expenses. Up to two applications can be submitted per government fiscal year, but only one project can be open at a time.
Types of Projects: Business expansion marketing projects including trade shows, marketing material translation, and market research.
Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) Grants/Repayable Funding
The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) is a Canadian government funding program that provides support for technology development projects for Manitoba businesses. It promotes large-scale investments in Canada, while also encouraging technology transfer and development and/or commercialization of disruptive products and services.
Amount: SIF funding can offset eligible project costs by up to 50% to a minimum $10 million in grants and/or a combination of loans to help Manitoba businesses improve productivity and innovation.
Eligibility: Incorporated Canadian businesses with high growth potential and the ability to drive innovation. Must leverage significant private sector co-investments.
Timeline: Streams 1-3 and 5 offer continuous intake and stream 4 has annual intake dates. Projects can go beyond 5 years.
Types of Projects: Research, development, and commercialization of innovative technologies.
Manitoba Small Business Loans
Government loans are repayable funding options towards the strong support of economic recovery, relief, and growth of a business within an economy, as well as for other projects such as advanced innovation in a scientific or technological sector. Here are some Manitoba-specific loan programs that are currently available to meet your business needs.
Canada Small Business Financing Program
The Canada Small Business Financing Program is part of the Canada Small Business Financing Act and can help support Manitoba small business growth through business loans with competitive interest rates.
Amount: Up to $1 million for business expansion activities, including the acquisition of a building, leasehold improvements, purchasing new or used equipment, and software components.
Eligibility: For-profit Canadian companies with annual gross revenues of <$10 million. Decision based on personal credit scores. May require a business plan.
Timeline: Applications accepted year-round. Must apply at a financial institution or credit union.
Types of Projects: Business expansion projects that will create sustainable growth within the Manitoba business.
Western Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) Program
The Western Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) Program can help Manitoba businesses with high growth potential in adopting and/or adapting innovative technology processes to support productivity, grow operations, and increase exports to global markets.
Amount: Repayable contribution (no-interest loan) of up to 50% of eligible project expenses to a maximum $5 million per project and $10 million per applicant.
Eligibility: Must maintain profitable operations in western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba) for at least two years, and be incorporated at the time of application. Projects must focus on advanced manufacturing, digital technology, value-added agriculture, clean technology, clean resources, or life sciences.
Timeline: The next application intake period will open in late-winter or early-spring of 2025. Funding is provided through periodic reimbursements to cover incurred and paid project costs. Projects can last for up to three years; repayment begins one year after the project is complete.
Types of Projects: Capital and technology adoption or adaptation of innovative technologies and processes, expanding management capacity, commercializing/producing new products or processes, and researching/developing export markets.
Government Funding for Western Canadian Businesses
The Western Canada and Manitoba small business grants and loans listed on this blog may offer support for your organization’s upcoming projects. To discuss your eligibility and receive application assistance during the process, please contact Mentor Works, a Ryan Company.
Strong business development is one of the most important strategies a company can plan for and perform. Canadian government funding supports businesses by helping them meet their targets and project goals towards economic growth and innovation.
Interested to learn more about the different types of funding available to Canadian businesses? Funding options such as grants, loans, tax credits, incentives, and vouchers are all available and each type has their own advantages and limitations. Download our free Types of Government Funding Slide Deck to learn more.