Trade Diversification Hub

Canadian trade is changing quickly

The Canadian Trade Diversification Hub tracks consequential developments affecting Canadian manufacturers, retailers and businesses seeking new markets.

We focus on what matters: tariffs, trade agreements, export programs, government incentives, international market opportunities and technologies that can help Canadian businesses diversify.

Not just what happened. Why it matters—and what Canadian businesses can do next.

NEWS UPDATES ▼

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Programs We’re Tracking

Canadian businesses are navigating a rapidly changing trade environment. We are tracking programs that may help businesses manage tariff pressures, diversify markets, adopt technology, improve productivity, strengthen supply chains, retain workers and reach new customers across Canada and internationally.

Status Guide: 🟢 Open / Available · 🔵 New / Expanded · 🟡 Announced / Details Pending · ⚫ Closed

Last updated: September 18, 2026

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Regional Tariff Response Initiative

🔵 Regional Tariff Response Initiative — Canada-wide

STATUS: EXPANDED — APPLICATIONS OPEN THROUGH REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES

The federal Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) has been expanded to $3.45 billion and is being delivered through Canada’s seven regional development agencies.

The initiative helps businesses affected by tariffs address immediate liquidity pressures while making longer-term investments in competitiveness, productivity, resilience and market diversification.

Depending on the regional program and applicant, support can include:

Liquidity · Equipment · Automation · Digitization · Technology adoption · Productivity · Process modernization · Market diversification · Export development · Supply-chain resilience

Businesses should apply through the regional development agency serving their province or territory.

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🟢 British Columbia — PacifiCan

STATUS: ENHANCED PROGRAM OPEN — APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED

PacifiCan is accepting applications from B.C. businesses affected by tariffs and global trade disruption.

Eligible businesses can seek short-term liquidity assistance and longer-term support for projects designed to strengthen competitiveness and resilience.

Liquidity Assistance

Short-term non-repayable assistance can help eligible businesses maintain Canadian operations and employment.

Eligible expenses may include:

Employee salaries and wages · Commercial rent or lease payments · Utilities · Business insurance · Property taxes

Pivot Projects

Longer-term projects can support:

Productivity improvements · Process modernization · Equipment · Technology adoption · Automation · Digitization · Market diversification · Export development · Supply-chain resilience

Eligible businesses may be able to combine liquidity assistance with a pivot project.

Particularly relevant to: Furniture · Cabinetry · Wood products · Building products · Manufacturing · Technology adoption · Digital transformation · Export development

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

For B.C. manufacturers, this is one of the most important current federal programs combining immediate tariff relief with longer-term investment in new markets and competitiveness.

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY / APPLY THROUGH PACIFICAN

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🟢 Alberta · Saskatchewan · Manitoba — PrairiesCan

STATUS: ENHANCED PROGRAM OPEN

Businesses across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba may apply through PrairiesCan.

Eligible businesses can seek:

Up to $2 million for demonstrated liquidity needs

plus

Up to $1 million for an eligible pivot project

for combined non-repayable support of up to $3 million.

SMEs must generally have been viable before the tariffs were imposed and have annual revenue of at least $1 million.

Projects can support:

Equipment · Automation · Productivity · Expanded production · Supply-chain resilience · Market diversification · New-market development

Applications may be submitted until:

December 31, 2028, or until available funding is fully committed.

Liquidity-assistance projects must end by March 31, 2028.

Pivot projects must be completed by March 31, 2029.

Businesses are encouraged to apply early.

Particularly relevant to: Manufacturing · Furniture · Cabinetry · Building products · Automation · Technology · Export development · New-market expansion

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

The combination of liquidity support and non-repayable funding for business pivots makes this particularly relevant to Prairie manufacturers attempting to reduce dependence on U.S. markets.

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY / APPLY THROUGH PRAIRIESCAN

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🟢 Southern Ontario — FedDev Ontario

STATUS: ENHANCED PROGRAM OPEN

FedDev Ontario is accepting applications under the expanded RTRI.

Eligible tariff-affected businesses can seek support for:

Liquidity · Productivity · Technology · Capital investment · Manufacturing capacity · Supply-chain resilience · Market diversification · Competitiveness

Businesses may be able to combine short-term liquidity support with longer-term pivot investments.

Particularly relevant to: Advanced manufacturing · Furniture · Building products · Automation · Digital modernization · Market diversification

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

Southern Ontario contains one of Canada’s largest concentrations of manufacturers and home-product suppliers. The program can help businesses manage immediate tariff pressures while investing in the technology and capacity required to reach new markets.

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY / APPLY THROUGH FEDDEV ONTARIO

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🟢 Northern Ontario — FedNor

STATUS: APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED

FedNor is delivering the RTRI to eligible Northern Ontario businesses affected by tariffs and changing trade conditions.

Projects can support:

Productivity · Market diversification · Domestic supply chains · Technology adoption · Interprovincial trade · Business resilience

Particularly relevant to: Wood products · Forestry · Manufacturing · Building products · Technology adoption · Market diversification

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY THROUGH FEDNOR

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🟢 Quebec — Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

STATUS: APPLICATIONS OPEN

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions is delivering the RTRI to eligible Quebec businesses affected by tariffs and global trade disruption.

Support can help businesses address immediate pressures while investing in:

Competitiveness · Productivity · Technology · Supply-chain resilience · Market diversification

Particularly relevant to: Furniture · Cabinetry · Wood products · Manufacturing · Technology · Export diversification

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY THROUGH CED

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🟢 Atlantic Canada — ACOA

STATUS: ENHANCED PROGRAM OPEN

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency delivers the RTRI across:

New Brunswick · Nova Scotia · Prince Edward Island · Newfoundland and Labrador

Eligible businesses may seek liquidity assistance as well as pivot-project support.

Eligible activities can include:

Productivity improvements · Process modernization · Equipment · Technology · Automation · Digitization · Market diversification · Export development · Supply-chain resilience

Particularly relevant to: Manufacturing · Wood products · Furniture · Building products · Technology adoption · Export development

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY THROUGH ACOA

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🟢 Yukon · Northwest Territories · Nunavut — CanNor

STATUS: REGIONAL SUPPORT AVAILABLE

CanNor delivers the RTRI throughout Canada’s three territories.

Support can help tariff-affected businesses address trade pressures and invest in:

Productivity · Technology · Supply-chain resilience · Domestic-market expansion · Market diversification

Particularly relevant to: Northern SMEs · Technology adoption · Productivity · Domestic-market expansion · Export diversification

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY THROUGH CANNOR

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Business Diversification & Financing

🟢 Canada Strong Diversification Fund

STATUS: OPEN — CONTINUOUS INTAKE

The federal Canada Strong Diversification Fund (CSDF) is a $2-billion initiative delivered through the Strategic Response Fund.

It supports Canadian businesses facing significant impacts from U.S. tariffs and is intended to protect jobs, maintain industrial capacity, strengthen supply chains and help businesses diversify.

The program has two distinct streams.

Stream 1 — Adapting, Pivoting and Diversifying the Canadian Economy

This stream supports projects that help companies — including SMEs — pivot operations, serve alternative markets, increase self-reliance and secure strategic investment in Canada.

Projects can include activities that:

Create new products and technologies · Enter alternative markets · Improve productivity · Retool operations · Diversify markets · Strengthen domestic manufacturing · Build long-term resilience

Priority can be given to projects that:

• operate in highly trade-exposed sectors;
• address significant tariff-related revenue, profitability or employment impacts;
• develop products or technologies for new markets;
• strengthen Canadian industrial or skills capacity;
• increase capacity to serve the Canadian market; or
• accelerate exports to alternative markets.

Eligible pre-development activities can include front-end engineering and design studies related to retooling and market diversification.

Stream 2 — Capital Maintenance

This stream provides non-repayable funding for ongoing capital maintenance and medium-term liquidity for businesses affected by new U.S. Section 338 tariffs.

Applicants generally must:

• employ at least 10 full-time equivalent employees;
• generate at least $20 million in annual revenue;
• have averaged at least $5 million annually in capital expenditures over the most recent three fiscal years; and
• demonstrate direct or indirect impact from U.S. Section 338 tariffs.

Funding requests must generally be:

$5 million to $30 million

and provide medium-term relief for up to two years.

The CSDF focuses primarily on proposals with eligible project costs above $20 million and federal contribution requests of $10 million or more.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis until available funding is fully committed.

Relevant to: Manufacturing · Furniture manufacturing · Wood and paper · Machinery · ICT manufacturing · Electrical equipment · Food and beverage · Chemicals · Plastics · Textiles · Cement · Industrial diversification

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

Stream 1 is particularly important because it directly connects tariff response with retooling, new products, alternative markets and long-term diversification.

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY / CONTACT THE STRATEGIC RESPONSE FUND

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🟢 Strategic Response Fund

STATUS: ACTIVE

The Strategic Response Fund (SRF) supports major projects that strengthen Canadian industrial capacity, supply chains, innovation and economic resilience.

Current priorities include:

Tariff response · Industrial transformation · Advanced manufacturing · Supply-chain resilience · Strategic technology · Major Canadian investment

The Canada Strong Diversification Fund is being delivered through the SRF as a major component of the federal tariff response.

Relevant to: Larger manufacturers · Industrial projects · Technology · Advanced manufacturing · Supply-chain investment · Strategic Canadian production

→ CHECK STRATEGIC RESPONSE FUND ELIGIBILITY

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🔵 BDC — Pivot to Grow

STATUS: EXPANDED FINANCING AVAILABLE

BDC’s expanded Pivot to Grow program helps Canadian SMEs manage cash-flow pressures created by U.S. tariffs and invest in business adaptation.

The liquidity stream provides:

Loans from $250,000 to $5 million

0% interest for the first 12 months

Interest-only payments over 36 months

Amortization over 96 months

The minimum annual revenue requirement has been reduced to:

$1 million

BDC also provides targeted assistance to businesses in particularly affected sectors.

Relevant to: SMEs · Manufacturers · Cash flow · Equipment · Supply-chain restructuring · Market expansion

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

Unlike many contribution programs, Pivot to Grow addresses immediate cash-flow pressure while businesses restructure suppliers, customers and markets.

→ CHECK BDC ELIGIBILITY

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🔵 EDC — Trade Impact Program

STATUS: EXPANDED SUPPORT AVAILABLE

Export Development Canada’s Trade Impact Program provides Canadian exporters and businesses supplying exporters with financing, insurance and risk-management support as they adapt to international trade disruption.

EDC has made up to $5 billion in additional capacity available.

Support can include:

Working capital · Direct financing · Guarantees · Trade-credit insurance · Foreign-exchange solutions · Risk management · Market-diversification support

Relevant to: Exporters · Manufacturers · Suppliers to exporters · International sales · Working capital · Market diversification

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

EDC can help businesses manage the financial risk involved in entering new international markets as well as maintaining existing export operations.

→ EXPLORE EDC TRADE IMPACT SUPPORT

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🟢 AgriMarketing — Market Diversification for SMEs

STATUS: OPEN

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is providing targeted support to help eligible agriculture, agri-food, agri-products, fish and seafood SMEs develop new international and interprovincial markets.

The initiative includes $75 million in contribution funding over five fiscal years for market diversification.

Applications are being accepted until:

September 30, 2030

although intake may close earlier if available funding is fully committed.

Projects must generally have at least:

$20,000 in eligible project costs

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada may contribute:

Up to 70% of eligible project costs

with federal non-repayable contributions normally below $100,000 per project.

Eligible activities can include:

Market research · Export strategies · Branding · Trade missions · Trade shows · Market promotion · Localization · Intellectual-property protection · Distribution agreements

Relevant to: Agriculture · Food · Seafood · Agri-products · Interprovincial trade · Export diversification

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY / APPLY

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🟢 Large Enterprise Tariff Loan Facility

STATUS: AVAILABLE

The $10-billion Large Enterprise Tariff Loan Facility provides financing to larger Canadian businesses affected by actual or potential tariffs and countermeasures.

The facility is intended to help otherwise viable Canadian companies:

Maintain operations · Protect employment · Manage liquidity · Adjust supply chains · Respond to changing trade conditions

Relevant to: Large manufacturers · Forestry · Industrial businesses · Transportation · Major employers · Strategic supply chains

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY

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🟢 Canada Small Business Financing Program

STATUS: AVAILABLE

The Canada Small Business Financing Program helps eligible Canadian small businesses obtain financing by sharing lending risk with participating financial institutions.

Although it is not specifically a tariff-response program, financing can complement diversification initiatives involving:

Equipment · Technology · Leasehold improvements · Intellectual property · Working capital · Business expansion

Businesses apply through participating banks, credit unions and other financial institutions.

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

Businesses do not necessarily need a program specifically labelled “tariff relief” to finance diversification. Existing federal financing programs may help fund the technology, equipment or capacity required to reach new markets.

→ ASK A PARTICIPATING FINANCIAL INSTITUTION

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Workforce & Retraining Support

🔵 Team Canada Strong

STATUS: NEW — PROGRAMS BEGINNING TO OPEN

The Government of Canada has launched Team Canada Strong, an $8-billion skilled-trades workforce initiative intended to recruit, train and hire approximately:

80,000 to 100,000 new Red Seal trades workers by 2030–31.

The initiative combines youth recruitment, apprenticeship incentives, training and new federal funding for provincial and territorial workforce development.

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🔵 Team Canada Strong Youth Placements

STATUS: OPEN — EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST CLOSE OCTOBER 23, 2026

The new Team Canada Strong Youth Placements program represents a federal investment of:

$880 million over five years

to provide Canadians aged 15–30 with paid, entry-level construction and trades-related work placements of up to four months.

Placements are intended to:

Build practical skills · Provide trades experience · Create professional networks · Connect young workers to apprenticeships · Support long-term skilled-trades careers

The current funding round is primarily for organizations capable of delivering large-scale placement programs.

Eligible organizations may request:

Up to $15 million per year

and:

Up to $30 million over two years

Expressions of Interest close:

October 23, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. EDT

Organizations selected through the EOI process are expected to be invited to submit full applications by mid-December 2026, with funding decisions expected in April 2027.

Relevant to: Construction · Manufacturing · Skilled trades · Building products · Housing · Infrastructure · Workforce development

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

Canadian businesses investing in manufacturing capacity, housing, infrastructure and domestic supply chains will need skilled workers as well as capital.

This program creates a new pathway connecting young Canadians with employers and apprenticeship opportunities.

→ CURRENT INTAKE IS FOR DELIVERY ORGANIZATIONS — EMPLOYER PLACEMENTS TO FOLLOW

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🔵 Build Canada Apprenticeship Service

STATUS: NEW — EMPLOYER DETAILS TO FOLLOW

The federal government is launching the Build Canada Apprenticeship Service to help small and medium-sized employers recruit and train apprentices.

The service will provide eligible SMEs with financial incentives of up to:

$10,000 per apprentice

for hiring and training a first-year apprentice in an eligible Red Seal trade.

The program will also:

Match aspiring apprentices with employers · Connect Team Canada Strong Youth Placement participants with apprenticeship opportunities · Provide navigation and career support

Relevant to: SMEs · Manufacturing · Construction · Skilled trades · Building products · Apprenticeships · Workforce expansion

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

This is potentially one of the most directly useful Team Canada Strong programs for SMEs because the financial incentive is intended to go directly toward helping businesses hire and train apprentices.

→ WATCHING FOR EMPLOYER APPLICATION DETAILS

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🔵 Provincial & Territorial Skilled-Trades Funding

STATUS: NEW — AGREEMENTS IN DEVELOPMENT

Team Canada Strong includes an additional:

$2 billion in federal funding

to help provinces and territories expand workforce development, technical training, pre-apprenticeship programs and apprenticeship opportunities.

Bilateral agreements and delivery mechanisms are still being developed.

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

This funding is likely to generate additional provincial and territorial programs relevant to employers. We will add individual programs as application mechanisms become available.

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🔵 Sectoral Workforce Innovation Fund

STATUS: OPEN — CONTINUOUS INTAKE

The federal Sectoral Workforce Innovation Fund supports strategic workforce projects addressing national and regional skills needs and helping sectors respond to economic and technological change.

Projects may receive up to:

$10 million

and may run for up to:

36 months

Eligible applicants include organizations capable of developing collaborative, sector-level workforce solutions.

Relevant to: Manufacturing · Technology adoption · AI · Automation · Workforce transformation · Training · Industry partnerships · Skills development

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

This is particularly relevant to larger collaborative projects addressing the workforce consequences of automation, AI, trade disruption and changing production requirements.

→ REVIEW SECTORAL WORKFORCE INNOVATION FUND ELIGIBILITY

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🟡 Workforce Retention and Retraining Program

STATUS: ANNOUNCED — COMING SOON

The federal government has announced the Workforce Retention and Retraining Program (WRRP).

The program is intended to help businesses facing economic challenges, including tariff-related disruption, retain and retrain workers.

Employers are expected to be eligible for up to:

$1,000 per participating employee

toward eligible training and administrative costs.

Relevant to: Manufacturers · Retooling · Technology adoption · Retraining · Workforce retention · Business transformation

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

Market diversification frequently requires businesses to change production processes, introduce new technology and retrain existing employees.

→ DETAILS TO FOLLOW WHEN THE PROGRAM OPENS

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🟢 Work-Sharing + Worker Retention Grant

STATUS: AVAILABLE DURING TRANSITION TO WRRP

Existing federal Work-Sharing and Worker Retention Grant measures continue to provide assistance while the new WRRP is developed.

These programs can help eligible businesses:

Retain employees · Reduce layoffs · Retrain workers · Retool · Diversify operations

→ REVIEW CURRENT WORK-SHARING SUPPORT

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Trade & Customs Relief

🟢 Tariff Remission

STATUS: AVAILABLE IN QUALIFYING CIRCUMSTANCES

Canada’s tariff-remission process can provide exceptional relief from Canadian counter-tariffs in qualifying circumstances.

Remission may be considered where inputs cannot reasonably be sourced domestically or from alternative suppliers, or where tariffs create exceptional or severe adverse economic consequences.

Applications are considered individually.

→ REVIEW TARIFF-REMISSION ELIGIBILITY

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🟢 Duties Relief & Duty Drawback

STATUS: AVAILABLE

Businesses importing goods that are subsequently exported may be able to avoid duties through the Duties Relief Program, or recover duties already paid through the Duty Drawback Program.

These programs can be particularly relevant to Canadian manufacturers incorporating imported components or materials into products that are subsequently exported.

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Sector-Specific Support

🔵 Forestry & Wood Products

STATUS: TARGETED SUPPORT AVAILABLE

Canadian forestry and wood-products businesses can access targeted tariff-response financing and programs designed to help companies:

Manage liquidity · Modernize equipment · Improve productivity · Diversify markets · Strengthen supply chains

Particularly relevant to:

Lumber · Millwork · Cabinetry · Furniture · Building products

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🔵 Steel · Aluminum · Copper

STATUS: TARGETED SUPPORT AVAILABLE

BDC and other federal tariff-response programs provide specialized assistance to businesses operating in steel, aluminum and related metal value chains.

Financing can support:

Working capital · Liquidity · Equipment · Automation · Reshoring · Productivity improvements

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⚫ CanExport SMEs

STATUS: 2026–27 INTAKE CLOSED

The CanExport SMEs 2026–27 application period closed:

August 31, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. ET

Applications are not currently being accepted.

Successful projects may receive up to:

$50,000

toward approved international business-development activities.

Information regarding the next application intake has not yet been announced.

Businesses considering a future application can use the intervening period to:

Identify target markets · Develop market-entry strategies · Research customers and partners · Prepare eligible international business-development projects

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

CanExport remains one of Canada’s most directly relevant programs for SMEs seeking to enter new international markets.

→ NEXT INTAKE: WATCHING FOR ANNOUNCEMENT

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Provincial & Regional Programs

🟢 British Columbia — Business Diversification and Sustainability Program

STATUS: OPEN — DEADLINE OCTOBER 15, 2026

Northern B.C.’s Business Diversification and Sustainability Program provides funding to eligible businesses seeking to diversify operations, expand markets, introduce new products or services and improve productivity.

Eligible businesses may receive grants of up to:

$200,000

covering as much as:

75% of eligible project costs

Funding can support:

Equipment · Technology · Capital projects · Market expansion · New products and services · Productivity improvements

Applications are being accepted until:

October 15, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. PT

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

This is a time-sensitive opportunity with a strong fit for businesses investing in technology and new markets.

→ APPLY BEFORE OCTOBER 15, 2026

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🟢 Alberta — Canada–Alberta Workforce Resilience Initiative

STATUS: OPEN

The Canada–Alberta Workforce Resilience Initiative supports employers, industry associations, communities and other eligible organizations responding to changing global trade conditions.

Workforce Planning Grant

STATUS: OPEN

Supports sectors and communities developing strategies for:

Skills transferability · Worker transition · Training pathways · Workforce adjustment · Future skills requirements

Employer-led Training Grant

STATUS: OPEN — DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 30, 2026

Supports employers and industry associations training existing workers to adapt to changing business, technology and trade requirements.

Applications close:

September 30, 2026, or earlier if available funding is fully allocated.

Relevant to: Manufacturing · Technology adoption · Automation · Retooling · Workforce training · Business transformation

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

Market diversification frequently requires businesses to change production processes, introduce technology or retrain existing employees.

→ APPLY BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 FOR EMPLOYER-LED TRAINING

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🔵 Ontario — Ontario Together Trade Fund

STATUS: OPEN — ELIGIBILITY EXPANDED SEPTEMBER 2026

The Ontario Together Trade Fund supports Ontario businesses making near-term investments to improve trade resilience, serve more Canadian customers, develop new markets and re-shore critical supply chains.

Projects can support:

Interprovincial trade · Market diversification · Manufacturing capacity · Advanced technology · Innovative processes · Reshoring · Supply-chain development

Beginning September 15, 2026, Ontario expanded eligibility to businesses affected by new U.S. measures targeting sectors including:

Furniture · Mattresses · Paper products · Steel and aluminum products · Other metal products · Motorboats · Golf carts · Certain dairy and specialty cheese products · Animal skins and leather products

Additional eligibility is scheduled to take effect September 29, 2026 for businesses affected by further U.S. import restrictions.

Particularly relevant to Picturethis3D’s industry network: Furniture and related home-product manufacturers are now directly among the sectors affected by the latest trade measures.

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

The fund specifically emphasizes new markets and interprovincial trade, making it particularly relevant to businesses seeking to replace U.S. sales with Canadian or alternative international customers.

→ CHECK ONTARIO TOGETHER TRADE FUND ELIGIBILITY

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🔵 Ontario — Protect Ontario Financing Program

STATUS: AVAILABLE — ELIGIBILITY EXPANDED

The Protect Ontario Financing Program provides working-capital financing to eligible Ontario businesses experiencing significant tariff-related disruption.

Funding can help qualifying businesses meet immediate obligations such as:

Payroll · Lease payments · Utilities · Other working-capital requirements

The program covers eligible businesses directly exporting affected products to the United States as well as qualifying businesses supporting affected supply chains.

Ontario has expanded eligibility in response to the latest U.S. trade measures.

Relevant to: Manufacturing · Furniture · Steel · Aluminum · Copper · Automotive · Paper products · Consumer goods · Working capital

WHY WE’RE WATCHING IT

This program addresses immediate liquidity while businesses adapt their customers, suppliers and markets.

→ COMPLETE ONTARIO ELIGIBILITY ASSESSMENT

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🟢 Ontario — Skills Advance Ontario

STATUS: OPEN

Ontario and the Government of Canada are investing more than $228 million through the Canada–Ontario Workforce Tariff Response to help employers and workers respond to tariffs and global economic uncertainty.

Skills Advance Ontario is one of the principal delivery mechanisms.

Projects can help employers:

Retain workers · Upskill employees · Retrain workers · Respond to changing technology · Address workforce needs created by trade disruption

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY

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🟢 Prince Edward Island — Tariff Impact Relief Fund

STATUS: OPEN

The PEI Tariff Impact Relief Fund helps Island businesses respond to tariffs and related trade disruption.

Eligible businesses may receive a conditionally non-repayable contribution covering up to 50% of eligible project costs, to a maximum of $50,000.

Eligible activities can include:

Market diversification · Interprovincial trade · New customers and suppliers · Market research · Certification · Product modification · Technology adoption · Automation · Digitization · AI · Productivity improvements

The temporary program is expected to remain available until:

March 31, 2027

subject to available funding.

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY / APPLY

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🟢 Prince Edward Island — Tariff Working Capital Assistance Program

STATUS: OPEN

Eligible PEI businesses affected by U.S. tariffs may apply for working-capital loans of up to:

$500,000

at a fixed interest rate of:

4% per year

with principal payments deferred for the first 24 months.

Financing can help businesses:

Maintain operations · Preserve jobs · Cover fixed operating costs · Invest in alternative supply-chain strategies

→ CHECK ELIGIBILITY / APPLY THROUGH FINANCE PEI

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🔵 More Provincial & Territorial Programs

STATUS: TRACKING NATIONWIDE

We continue to monitor trade diversification, export development, manufacturing, productivity, technology adoption, workforce and tariff-response programs across:

British Columbia · Alberta · Saskatchewan · Manitoba · Ontario · Quebec · New Brunswick · Nova Scotia · Prince Edward Island · Newfoundland and Labrador · Yukon · Northwest Territories · Nunavut

New programs and material changes to existing programs will be added as they are announced.

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What Should Businesses Be Doing Now?

DON’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT.

Businesses considering diversification should begin preparing now.

1. How exposed are you to the U.S. market?

Calculate the percentage of your revenue, customers, suppliers and critical inputs tied to the United States.

2. Which Canadian or international markets could replace that exposure?

Identify realistic alternative markets before deciding which funding program best fits the project.

3. What investment would make diversification possible?

Consider:

Technology · Automation · Equipment · Digital transformation · New product development · Market research · E-commerce · Localization · Sales and distribution

4. Which costs could potentially be supported?

Many programs require businesses to apply before incurring project costs.

Prepare the project, budget, financial information and market-diversification rationale before submitting an application.

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We’re Watching the Changes

Canada’s trade-diversification response is evolving quickly.

We update this page as new programs, eligibility requirements, application openings, funding opportunities and deadlines are announced.

Bookmark this page and check back for updates.

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Don’t See a Program That Fits Your Business?

Not every diversification project fits neatly into a program labelled “tariff relief.”

Businesses should also investigate existing federal and provincial programs supporting:

Productivity · Technology adoption · Digital transformation · Manufacturing · Commercialization · Export development · Workforce training · Interprovincial trade

A combination of programs and conventional financing may sometimes be more appropriate than a single funding source.

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Important

Picturethis3D provides this information as a service to Canadian businesses.

We are an independent Canadian technology company and are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Canada or any provincial or territorial government.

Program availability, eligibility, funding, deadlines and terms may change.

Always confirm current information directly with the responsible government department, agency or program administrator before making financial or business decisions.

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Why Picturethis3D Is Watching These Programs

Trade diversification is not simply about shipping Canadian products to another country.

Manufacturers entering new markets also need new ways to present, demonstrate, configure and sell their products without establishing expensive physical distribution or showroom infrastructure in every market.

Picturethis3D’s Spatial Commerce platform is designed to help manufacturers place products directly inside an accurate digital version of the customer’s actual property.

That creates a different route to market:

Digitize once. Reach customers across Canada and beyond.

For manufacturers of furniture, cabinetry, lighting, appliances, flooring, building products and other property-related goods, Spatial Commerce can potentially complement investments in:

Market diversification · Digital transformation · Export development · Commercialization · Product catalogues · E-commerce · New-market entry

The objective is straightforward:

Canadian businesses are investing in production and market diversification. Picturethis3D can help build the digital route to the customers those investments are intended to reach.

Program information is provided for general informational purposes and is subject to change. Eligibility and funding decisions are determined solely by the applicable government agency or program administrator.funding decisions are determined solely by the applicable government agency or program administrator.

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News Updates

PROGRAMS WE’RE TRACKING ▲