For youth
22 programs
for youth founders (18-39).
Several programs gate on age, and you should use them before you age out. Futurpreneur lends up to $75,000 with BDC co-lending, but only if you apply before turning 40. The Indigenous Youth Entrepreneurship stream uses the same 18 to 39 window. On top of those, hiring subsidies that target student employees (Student Work Placement, Canada Summer Jobs) stack well with the loans.
See which apply to my businessWhat you should know
- ·Futurpreneur: 18 to 39 at application. Apply before your 40th birthday.
- ·Indigenous Youth Entrepreneurship: same 18 to 39 window, delivered through Indigenous Financial Institutions.
- ·Student Work Placement and Canada Summer Jobs are employer-side programs; they subsidize student wages, not founder age.
Grants
10Futurpreneur Canada Startup Loan
Up to $25,000
Youth Employment and Skills Strategy
Up to $30,000 per youth hired
Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)
Up to $7,000 per student
Mitacs Accelerate
$10,000 per 4-month internship
Mitacs Business Strategy Internship
50% of intern stipend, up to $7,500 per internship
Mitacs Globalink Research Internship
Mitacs covers $6,000 of internship stipend
Mitacs Accelerate Entrepreneur
Up to $15,000 per 4-month internship
PME MTL Fonds Jeunes entreprises
Grant up to $15,000 (paired with a PME MTL loan)
Summer Company
Up to $3,000
Clarence Campeau Development Fund (Saskatchewan Métis)
Non-repayable equity grants plus loans (amount set by project and stream)
Tax Credits
3Refundable Tax Credit for On-the-Job Training Periods
24% to 50% of eligible training wages for corporations (12% to 25% for individuals)
Manitoba Paid Work Experience Tax Credit
15% to 20% of wages, up to $5,000 per student or apprentice
Co-operative Education Tax Credit
25-30% of wages, up to $3,000 per work placement
Incentives
9Fonds Impulsion PME (Venture Capital for Innovative SMEs)
$250,000 to $2 million per company (up to $4 million with co-investors)
Calgary Downtown Office Conversion Program
Up to $75 per square foot of converted office space
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
Futurpreneur Newcomer Startup Program
Up to $25,000 in loans plus two years of mentorship
Indigenous Youth Entrepreneurship (IYE) Program
Up to $75,000 in combined loans and grants
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
Can I stack Futurpreneur with the Canada Job Grant?
The programs do not duplicate. Futurpreneur funds the founder. CJG funds training for a specific employee. They serve different purposes and can run in parallel.
See which apply to your business.
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