4 min read
There’s a lot that government can do for your Canadian business. But with so much support available, it’s easy to miss out if you don’t know where to look.
The Government of Canada’s Business Benefits Finder is your one-stop-shop for everything government can do for your business. The Finder pulls together more than 1,500 supports offered by the federal, provincial and territorial governments and then helps you narrow that down to only the ones that meet your needs. All you have to do is answer a few quick questions about your business to get a tailored list of the right programs and services.
So whether you’re looking for government funding, loans, tax credits, wage subsidies, collaboration and research opportunities or expert advice, you’ll find a tailored list of right-for-you programs and services to help your business grow and scale.
The Business Benefits Finder is simple to use, but here are a few tips and tricks that can help you get even more targeted results:
Be as detailed as possible
The more questions you answer and the more detail you provide, the more your results will be tailored to your business (and only check “not sure” if you’re really unsure).
Think about your goals
Tailor your search based on the type of support you need, and what you plan to do with it (e.g. wage subsidies to help offset the costs of hiring summer students, or partnering with researchers to develop your innovative technology).
Make it relevant
Only want to see programs you can apply to now? When you complete a story, you can choose to see every program that matches your criteria OR you can filter to see only those programs that are currently accepting applications.
Choose how to view your results
Once you’ve completed your story, your program results will automatically appear separated by category, like funding or tax credits. But you can toggle over to list view if that’s more your style.
Take it to go
You can click the “Share” button to email the results of your search to someone else, or to yourself for future reference. Even better, this list will be up-to-date each time you view it.
Self-serve
Want to see it all? You can start by viewing all programs and services, then using the filters – including a keyword search – to zero in on the support you need.
There’s more...
Don’t forget to look through the “More results for you” offerings to see what else might be a good fit for your business situation. There may be other types of support available that you weren’t aware of, such as opportunities to collaborate with other businesses, or research facilities where you can develop your innovative ideas.
#ProTips
Subscribe for notifications. Once you’ve completed a story, make sure to save it and sign up for email notifications. That way when new programs and services that match your needs are added, you’ll get an update straight to your inbox.
Save your favourites. You can ‘favourite’ a specific program and get notified if an application deadline is approaching. Just click the star beside the program you want to save, and you’re done.
Lastly, if your business is already incorporated and generating revenue, you might want to connect with one of our Innovation Advisors (IAs). These business experts are former entrepreneurs who understand what it takes to grow a business, and are familiar with the support government has to offer. An IA in your region can speak with you and get to know your business, then make recommendations of programs and services that would be a good fit.
Questions?
Our Innovation Advisors can help. Get connected through our contact centre at 1‑833‑201‑4358 |TTY: 1‑866‑694‑8389, or send us details about your business. We’re committed to prompt and reliable service standards, and can respond to most inquiries within 24 hours.