For women
22 programs
for women entrepreneurs.
Canada has a real, growing set of programs designed specifically for women-owned businesses. The federal Women Entrepreneurship Strategy funds a national microloan plus regional partners in most provinces. Add provincial loan funds, the BDC Thrive platform, and a few program-specific awards, and the funding landscape is one of the clearest in the country.
See which apply to my businessWhat you should know
- ·Most programs require the business to be at least 50% or 51% women-owned and operated.
- ·A few provincial loan funds also accept majority partnerships with women in a strategic role (Evol Quebec uses 25% + strategic role).
- ·Many programs add free advisory support alongside the loan or grant.
- ·Stacking is common: the WEOC national microloan combines with provincial WEO loans to reach $200,000+ in some provinces.
Incentives
20Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund
Up to $50,000 loan
Ulnooweg Indigenous Business Financing
Loans up to $750,000; non-repayable ABFP contributions up to 40% of expansion costs
Waubetek Indigenous Business Financing
Term loans up to $500,000; ABFP financing up to $250,000
Louis Riel Capital Corporation Business Grant and Loan
Combined loan and non-repayable grant package (projects generally above $40,000)
Clarence Campeau Development Fund (Saskatchewan Metis)
Grants and loans from $10,000 to $1,000,000; business plan support up to $10,000
Indigenous Women Entrepreneurship (IWE) Program
Microloans up to $50,000 plus advisory support
Apeetogosan (Métis) Development: Business Financing (MEAP)
Financing from $5,000 to $325,000; up to 90% of project costs
CWCF Tenacity Works Fund
$15,000 to $50,000 term loans
WEOC National Loan Program
Up to $50,000
Evol Loan for Women and Diverse Entrepreneurs (Quebec)
Up to $50,000 (microloan) with larger impact financing available
BDC Thrive Venture Fund for Women
Direct equity from the $500M Thrive platform (seed to Series A/B)
BDC Women in Technology Venture Fund
Equity investment
BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan
Up to $350,000
WeBC Business Loan for Women (British Columbia)
Up to $150,000 (up to $200,000 with WEOC co-lending)
Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Business Loan
Up to $150,000 (term loan)
Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan (WESK) Business Loan
Up to $150,000 (up to $200,000 with WEOC co-lending)
Women's Enterprise Centre of Manitoba (WeMB) Business Loan
$5,000 to $150,000 (up to $250,000 with BDC co-lending)
PARO Prosper Peer Lending Circles (Ontario)
Peer lending circle loans of $1,000 to $5,000
Waubetek Aboriginal Business Financing (North-Eastern Ontario)
Up to $250,000 interest-free repayable financing (up to $20,000 women's stream)
Ulnooweg Indigenous Business Loans (Atlantic Canada)
Micro loans up to $5,000; women and youth up to $25,000; general loans up to $750,000
Common questions
Do these programs require my business to be 100% women-owned?
No. Most require at least 50% or 51%. A few accept 25% with a strategic role (Evol Quebec). Read each program page for the exact threshold.
Can I combine a federal program with a provincial one?
Yes, this is normal. The WEOC national microloan stacks with provincial loan funds (AWE, WeBC, WESK, WeMB, PARO, NLOWE) to reach larger totals.
I am pre-revenue. Will I qualify?
Most women-focused loan funds explicitly serve startups and businesses without strong banking history. That is the gap they were designed to fill.
See which apply to your business.
3-minute quiz. We filter all 324 programs to just the ones your business actually qualifies for.
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