Top British Columbia Grant and Loan Programs for 2025

Canada’s westernmost province, British Columbia (B.C.), boasts a beautiful landscape with snow-capped mountains and wide valleys of protected wildlife. Businesses from around the world operate out of British Columbia because of its thriving economy, natural resources, and supportive workforce.  

B.C. is also home to many small, medium, and enterprise-level Canadian businesses. To view a list of all federal and provincial programs available to businesses located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, visit our Western Canadian funding directory page for an up-to-date list of active government grants, loans, and tax credit programs. 

“Amazing things are happening in AI in British Columbia. Cutting-edge companies across our province are developing and adopting AI technologies to increase productivity, drive innovation, and attract investment.”  
– Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister responsible for PacifiCan. 

 

AI and Software Development Grants in B.C. 

Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) 

PacifiCan is delivering more than $32 million in AI support through the RAII. Businesses can receive up to $3 million per project to commercialize or adopt AI solutions in sectors like health, environment, transportation, and more. Applications are open and continuous, with an intake deadline of January 17, 2025, for projects starting after April 1, 2025. 

Eligibility includes incorporated B.C. businesses with at least one year of operation, staff in B.C., and 3–500 employees. 

Learn more about the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII).  Innovate British Columbia Grant Programs 

Innovate BC also offers specialized programs: 

• Ignite: Up to $300,000 for research and development (R&D) projects that move technology from prototype to market (in partnership with academic institutions) 

• Co‑op Grants: Covers up to $5,000 per student work term; great for hiring emerging talent 

• BC Fast Pilot: Up to $200,000 to help tech companies test pilot projects, especially within large enterprises or public sector pilots 

Learn more about the Innovate British Columbia Grant Programs. 

Top B.C. Hiring, Wage Subsidies, and Training Grants 

Both the federal and provincial governments offer wage subsidy programs that cover a portion of employee wages while they are working for your company for a specific duration of time or for eligible projects. While other funding programs may have the option to include wages within their eligible expenses, these programs provide wage subsidies as the focus of their funding. 

British Columbia Employer Training Grant (ETG) 

Amount of funding: B.C. businesses can receive between 60–100% of employee training costs to a maximum of $300,000. 

Eligible Applicants: Businesses based out of B.C. that meet the eligibility criteria can apply. 

Eligible Activities: Projects include third-party trainer fees, tuition and exam fees, textbooks and course materials, training software, and more training-related costs. 

Learn more about the British Columbia Employer Training Grant (ETG). 

Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ)  

Amount of funding: Up to 50% of minimum wage is covered for youth hires in for-profit businesses, and up to 100% of wages is covered for nonprofit organizations. 

Eligible Applicants: Canadian businesses, nonprofits, and public sector employers with 50 or fewer employees are eligible. Positions must be full-time (30+ hours/week) and span for 6–16 weeks. 

Eligible Activities: Hiring opportunities for youth ages 15–30 that will benefit from temporary summer work experiences are eligible. 

Learn more about the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program. 

Top B.C. Grants for Business Expansion 

British Columbia has federal and provincial government funding programs designed to support your strategic growth projects. Receive funding for entering new markets or for projects that support business scale-up. 

Western Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) Program 

Amount of funding: High-growth British Columbia businesses can receive repayable funding (no-interest loan) of 50% of project costs up to $5,000,000 per project and a maximum of $10,000,000 per business. 

Eligible Applicants: Businesses located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba that have been profitable for at least two years and incorporated at the time of application are eligible. 

Eligible Activities: This program funds projects focused on advanced manufacturing, digital technology, value-added agriculture, clean technology, clean resources, or life sciences. 

Learn more about the Western Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) Program. 

CanExport SMEs 

Amount of funding: Up to 50% of project costs covered in grant funding to a maximum $50,000 per project. 

Eligible Applicants: Businesses located in Canada that have under 500 employees, make between $100K–$100M annually, are incorporated, and are financially stable at the time of applying. 

Eligible Activities: Eligible projects must have a minimum expense of $20,000+ and can include marketing and research costs for foreign markets, translation services, IP protection, and more. 

Capital and Technology Adoption Funding 

Adopting new technologies within your business can provide a competitive advantage. However, purchasing equipment, training your staff to operate this equipment, and integrating it into production workflows are daunting tasks that many B.C. businesses can’t undertake alone. Therefore, the Canadian federal and provincial governments introduced capital and technology adoption grant and tax incentive programs. These programs include funding for purchasing new equipment and upskilling employees. 

Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) 

Amount of funding: British Columbia businesses can receive up to 50% of project costs (both repayable and nonrepayable funding) to a maximum of $20,000,000 (must have a minimum project size of $20,000,000). 

Eligible Applicants: This is open to all Canadian businesses but is extremely competitive to apply. It is highly recommended to apply with a government funding application writing team. 

Eligible Activities: Funding supports projects through the R&D, commercialization, and technology demonstration stages. 

Learn more about the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF). 

Canada Media Fund: Experimental Stream 

Amount of funding: British Columbia businesses can receive up to 50–75% of project costs to a maximum of $1,500,000 per project phase. 

Eligible Applicants: All for-profit businesses with projects developed in Canada (minimum of 75%) are eligible to apply. 

Eligible Activities: Interactive projects in Web 2.0 or higher, software apps, mobile apps, virtual reality, and video games are eligible. 

Learn more about the Canada Media Fund: Experimental Stream. 

R&D Grants and Loans 

British Columbia is home to many great inventions, such as the egg carton, cosmetic Botox, and even Chinese buffets! B.C. businesses have a history of creating innovative products and services that have become popular across the world. The Canadian federal and provincial governments want to help fuel the creation of more R&D projects by introducing grant and loan programs that accelerate their development cycle. 

Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) 

Amount of Funding: No maximum amount of funding on retroactive tax credits. Labour can be covered up to 69% of eligible salaries including overhead costs, up to 36% of contractor costs, and up to 45% of material costs. Learn more about SR&ED tax credits here. 

Eligible Applicants: All applicants must be a Canadian-Controlled Private Corporation (CCPC), other corporation, individuals and trusts, or a member of a partnership. See the full breakdown of SR&ED eligibility. 

Eligible Project Costs: All eligible projects must be a business-led research and development project. Eligible costs can include internal and contractor labour costs, overhead, materials, and more SR&ED expenses. 

Learn more about the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) Program. 

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Alliance 

Amount of Funding: Up to $1,000,000 in grant funding towards eligible research project costs each year. 

Eligible Applicants: Public, private, and nonprofit organizations located in Canada are eligible to apply for the NSERC Alliance program. 

Eligible Project Costs: Research labour, equipment, consulting fees, publication, and conference expenses are eligible. 

Learn more about the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Alliance Program. 

Why This Matters for AI, Software, and Game Development 

If your business is building the next big thing (whether it’s a sophisticated AI tool or a captivating game), B.C. has a funding ecosystem that supports every development stage: 

• RAII open doors for AI integration and scaling. 

• Ignite and Fast Pilot help nurture prototypes in real environments. 

• SR&ED, SIF, and NSERC offer strong R&D and commercialization pathways. 

• Canada Media Fund is tailor‑made for immersive game and interactive tech development. 

Ready to Take the Next Step? 

These programs offer more than funding, they offer opportunities. If your business is developing tech, AI, or video games, this is your moment to apply, scale, and succeed. 

Let our Ryan Canada government funding team simplify the process, lift your load, and keep your focus on what matters: your innovation. Get in touch today and let’s turn your ideas into funded success.