CanExport Program
Does your business want funding for marketing expenses in foreign markets?
What is CanExport?
The CanExport Program provides financial support to small and medium-sized businesses in Canada seeking to develop new export opportunities, specifically in high growth priority markets and sectors.
Brief Overview of the CanExport Program:
- CanExport funding is for marketing efforts that increase sales through business development outside Canada
- Funding may be spent on travel expenses, trade show, conferences, translation services, marketing tools, IP protection & contracts
- To be eligible, a company must have $100,000 to $100 million in annual revenue, and less than $20,000 or 10% in total international sales in the last two years
- CanExport is funded by the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) and The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP)
CanExport SME Program
What is the CanExport SME program?
The CanExport SME program is a funding program created to support Canadian businesses seeking to develop new export opportunities in international markets where they currently have little or no sales.
Amount of funding: Up to 50% funding to a maximum $75,000 grant per project
Who is eligible for CanExport SME?
The business must:
- Be for-profit
- Have a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) number
- Be an incorporated legal entity, limited liability partnership (LLP) or cooperative in Canada
- Have fewer than 500 full time employees
- Have $100,000 to $100 million in annual revenue declared in the tax reporting year
What activities are eligible?
- Visits to foreign markets for research
- Attendance of virtual and in person trade shows, networking functions, meetings, or conferences
- Translating, adapting, or creating marketing material
- IP & legal adaptation activities
What activities are ineligible?
- Ongoing or operational activities not associated with market expansion
- Promoting Canadian investment or seeking economic immigrants
- Activities in a foreign country where more than 10% or $100,00 of total sales has been generated in the last 24 months
- Language training and other educational services
What documentation is required?
- Business plan
- Screenshot of registration fees for events or application fees for certification and patents
- Link to virtual event’s official website
- Consultant quotes
- Name of vendors
Steps to submit a successful application
Begin by selecting a minimum of five international markets where your company aims to secure new customers or make sales.
Next, confirm that each chosen market meets the CanExport definition of a new, eligible target market. (A market is eligible if, during the last tax reporting year, the company made less than $100,000 in sales or less than 10% of the company’s total sales.)
Then, for each market, set realistic goals and objectives, and create a detailed plan of action.
Subsequently, select from the seven categories of activities to help achieve your objectives for each market.
After that, provide a detailed and specific budget outlining the anticipated expenses.
Finally, create a realistic timeframe for conducting your planned activities.
For additional information on CanExport SMEs, click here.
When can I expect a decision?
A decision shall be made within 60 business days following the submission of a completed application.
When would I get rebated?
Generally within 6 weeks of submitting the completion report, and copies of invoices/receipts.
CanExport Innovation Program
What is the CanExport Innovation program?
The CanExport Innovation program is designed to aid Canadian SMEs and academic institutions develop R&D collaborations through partnerships in foreign markets.
Amount of funding: Up to 75% of funding to a maximum of $75,000 per project
Who is eligible for CanExport Innovation?
Eligible Canadian organizations include:
Academic institutions
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Non-government research centres
The organizations above must:
- Be registered in Canada
- Have a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number
- Have a prototype
- Intend to launch the technology in 5 years
- Own, co-own, or have decision making rights over the intellectual property for the technology
Which activities are eligible?
- Seeking expert legal and business advice
- Translating, adapting, and creating promotional plans/materials
- Shipping technology to determine compatibility with a partner’s technology
- Attending virtual and in person networking functions, meetings or conferences
- Travel to negotiate new agreements
- Application for IP protection
For additional information on CanExport Innovation, click here.
What documentation is required?
- Business plan
- Written proof from each foreign partner indicating their interest to conduct meetings on specific dates
- Screenshot of registration fees for events or application fees for certification and patents
- Link to event’s official website
- Consultant and/or shipping fees quotes
When can I expect a decision?
A decision shall be made within 60 business days following the submission of a completed application.
CanExport Associations Program
What is the CanExport Associations Program?
The CanExport Associations stream allocates funds for National Industry Associations and Trade Organizations. The stream is designed to improve Canada’s reach in priority markets and sectors; they do so by covering a portion of eligible sales and marketing activities.
Amount of funding: Up to 50% funding to a maximum of $400,000 per project
Who is eligible for CanExport Associations?
- Canadian National Industry or trade associations
- Canadian National Bilateral Chambers of Commerce and Business Councils
- Canadian National horizontal/multi-sectoral organizations
- Canadian National Organizations representing companies majority owned by underrepresented groups in trade (e.g. Indigenous, women, LGBTQ2+)
The organizations above must:
- Be a not-for profit corporation
- Not sell products that are sold by your members
- Have sufficient private revenues to cover 50% of costs for proposed activities, confirmed by 2 years of financial statements
What activities are eligible?
- Export training / consulting
- Creating/updating strategy for international business development or market diversification
- Gathering market intelligence (custom research, reports and studies)
- Translating, adapting or creating marketing tools and materials
- Virtual trade shows
For additional information on CanExport Associations, click here.
When can I expect a decision?
A decision shall be made within 60 business days following the submission of a completed application.
CanExport Community Investments
What is CanExport Community Investments?
The CanExport Community Investments program helps to increase Canadian employment by supporting Canadians communities’ collaborative efforts to attract, retain and expand foreign direct investment (FDI).
Amount of funding: Up to 50% funding to a maximum of $500,000
Who can apply?
Eligible recipients are Canadian communities and non-profit, locally based organizations that are seeking assistance.
What are the key FDI sectors and markets?
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Agrifood
- Chemicals and Plastics
- Information and Communication Technology
- Life Sciences
- Services (Business & Financial)
- Clean Technologies
What activities are eligible?
- Lead generation & meetings with investors
- Creation of marketing tools
- Training
- Foreign market intelligence
For additional information on CanExport Community Investments, click here.
When can I expect a decision?
A decision shall be made within 60 business days following the submission of a completed application.
Video - How to Submit a CanExport Community Investments Application
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