Grants Available In Toronto
Grants are among the most powerful tools in a founder’s financial toolkit; non-repayable, non-dilutive, and available at every stage of business growth. Here are three grant programs every Toronto entrepreneur should have on their radar.
Toronto’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is one of the most vibrant in North America, yet access to capital remains the most persistent barrier for founders. What many entrepreneurs overlook is the sheer volume of grant funding available from federal, provincial, and regional sources, money that never needs to be repaid and never costs you a share of your company. From early-stage R&D to international market expansion, there is a grant program designed for nearly every growth objective. The three programs below represent some of the most impactful and accessible opportunities available to Toronto-based businesses in 2026.
NRC IRAP – Industrial Research Assistance Program- National Research Council of Canada
For technology-driven businesses, IRAP is the gold standard of Canadian grant funding. Administered by the National Research Council of Canada, it funds internal R&D and commercialization costs for new technologies, products, or advanced software. Whether you’re building a proprietary platform, developing a novel hardware product, or pushing an existing technology into new territory, IRAP provides both financial support and access to NRC’s network of Industrial Technology Advisors (ITAs) who work alongside your team throughout the project.
This grant is for Incorporated, profit-driven Canadian SMEs with fewer than 500 employees building or significantly improving a technical product. The funding amount is $75,000–$200,000 for first-time applicants and up to $10M for large-scale technical projects.
CanExport SMEs – Trade Commissioner Service · Global Affairs Canada
For Toronto businesses ready to compete on the world stage, CanExport SMEs removes one of the most common barriers to international growth: the upfront cost of breaking into a new market. Administered by the Trade Commissioner Service, the program subsidizes up to 50% of eligible export costs, including foreign trade shows, market research, global intellectual property (IP) protection, and target-market digital marketing campaigns. Given Toronto’s position as Canada’s most internationally connected city, CanExport is a natural fit for businesses here looking to turn a domestic success into a global one.
Canadian businesses with under 500 employees and between $100,000 and $100M in annual revenue should target this grant. It offers up to $50,000 in non-repayable funding per project application.
Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG)- Government of Ontario · Ministry of Labour
Your team’s capabilities are a direct competitive advantage, and the Canada-Ontario Job Grant exists to help you sharpen them. COJG provides direct financial support to employers who purchase third-party training for new or existing employees. For small business owners, this is a particularly effective tool: the program covers the majority of training costs for upskilling staff in specialized software, equipment operation, project management, or leadership development. If you’re hiring an unemployed individual and training them, the government covers the full cost up to the program cap. Businesses outside Ontario will find parallel variants, such as the BC Employer Training Grant, available across Canada.
Small business owners seeking to upskill teams in software, equipment operation, project management, or leadership should be quick to take advantage of this grant, offering up to $10,000 per employee for existing staff; and up to $15,000 (100% covered) when hiring an unemployed individual.
Time To Go Grant Hunting
There are other grants not mentioned here as well. A funding team should be thorough in their research to understand all the grants they can take advantage of. This greatly aids in the preservation and useful redirections of capital that is critical for growing businesses in expensive regions such as ours.
Our MECA Team, while experts with credit applications, also help our clients source funding through grant and special programs. The success of our clients is our biggest priority, which ties into our vision to growing the ethical business footprint of SMBs in the GTA. This service is reserved for clients that have us on monthly retainer, where we work closely with the finance team for a minimum 3-month period.
Get in touch today and let’s see if MECA Capital Advisory is a fit for your start up or growing company.
MECA Capital Advisory offers Fractional Banking Office, where one of our experts will be integrated into your Finance Team to ensure you not only get bank-ready but stay bank-ready. Whether you need a bank-ready business plan, credible projections, or ongoing financial leadership through our Fractional Banking services, our role is simple: to ensure your business is not just prepared—but positioned for approval.
MECA Capital Advisory provides proactive, data-driven strategy that secures better terms and accelerates the funding process. Final price is assessed based on business complexity, industry sector, the current state of financial statements, and the specific scope of the engagement.
