Jobs and Growth Fund (JGF) in the Prairie Provinces

Date modified: 2023-09-20 - The intake period for the Jobs and Growth Fund in the Prairie provinces is now closed. Applications received and acknowledged by PrairiesCan prior to the intake period closing will be evaluated subject to remaining funding.

The Jobs and Growth Fund provides funding to businesses and organizations to help create jobs and position local economies for long-term growth. The fund, delivered by Canada’s regional development agencies (RDAs), provides $700 million nationally over 3 years. This includes up to $70 million dedicated to businesses created after January 2020 that meet eligibility criteria.

The intake period for the Jobs and Growth Fund in the Prairie provinces is now closed. Applications received and acknowledged by PrairiesCan prior to the intake period closing will be evaluated subject to remaining funding.

The stronger you are, the better Canada is. Let’s build a stronger Prairies economy together!

Here is what we can do to help:

• We invest in your projects that create a stronger, inclusive economy on the Prairies.
• We connect you with other key players to create mutually beneficial business relationships.
• We can help pathfind your project to other sources of funding and expertise to help to grow your business and get your products or services to market.

Are you a corporation that wants to grow? Are you an organization seeking to build a strong and inclusive Canada? Do you plan to create jobs and support the long-term growth of your community?

PrairiesCan supports economic growth and diversification in the Prairie Provinces and advances the interests of the region in national economic policy, programs and projects through 4 key roles: investor, convenor, advisor and pathfinder.

• Read about PrairiesCan’s 2022-2023 priorities.

The Jobs and Growth Fund provides funding to businesses and organizations to help create jobs and position local economies for long-term growth. The fund, delivered by Canada’s regional development agencies (RDAs), provides $700 million nationally over 3 years. This includes up to $70 million dedicated to businesses created after January 2020 that meet eligibility criteria.

PrairiesCan is investing $122.9 million to help job creators and the organizations that support them to future-proof their businesses, build resiliency and prepare for growth by transitioning to a green economy, fostering an inclusive recovery, enhancing competitiveness and creating jobs across the Prairies.

We strongly encourage you to contact a PrairiesCan office prior to submitting your application to ensure fit with the program and to answer any questions you may have.

Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis until funding is fully allocated, or until March 31, 2024, whichever comes first. Eligible activities

Activities that support the transition to a green economy, including those that:

• support the development and adoption of clean technology
• help communities and businesses plan and drive clean, sustainable economic growth
• partner with organizations to catalyze the development of green regional clusters
• work with organizations supporting businesses to transition to a green economy

Activities that foster an inclusive recovery, including those that:

• support businesses owned or majority-led by underrepresented groups, such as Indigenous peoples, members of racialized communities, women, youth, 2SLGBTQI+, persons with disabilities, newcomers to Canada and members of official language minority communities
• increase the participation of underrepresented groups in the economy by supporting not-for-profit organizations that provide funding, business services, training and access to resources to build a more inclusive and equitable workforce

Activities that advance Canada’s competitiveness and grow small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through digital adoption, including those that:

• support the development or adoption of digital solutions (in other words, Industry 4.0 solutions) to enhance business productivity and growth

Activities that strengthen capacity in sectors critical to Canada’s recovery and growth, including those that:

• support scale-up and market expansion activities that bolster traditional areas of strength or emerging areas of global competitive advantage, including value-added agriculture, advanced manufacturing, health sciences and digital technology
• support supply chain adaptation and diversification opportunities to build Canadian capacity in critical sectors such as food production, medical supplies and biomanufacturing

Eligible applicants

• businesses
  • Sole proprietors are not eligible.
• not-for-profit organizations and community economic development partners, including municipalities, post-secondary institutions, provinces and related entities and Indigenous organizations

Indigenous applicants

Indigenous-led organizations and/or businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.  Contact us for help with the application process.

Assistance available

• The maximum funding available for a project is $10 million.
• Eligible businesses can receive interest-free repayable funding for up to 50% of eligible costs*.
• Eligible not-for-profit organizations can receive non-repayable funding for up to 90% of eligible costs.
• Not-for-profit organizations proposing to undertake commercial projects will be considered businesses for the purpose of the program.
• Stacking of government funding (from all 3 levels of governments) is limited to up to 75% of eligible costs for businesses / commercial projects.
• In exceptional cases, Indigenous clients can receive funding for up to 100% of eligible project costs.

* Other sources of funding (government and non‑government) must be confirmed at the time of application.

Eligible costs

Incremental costs that are essential to the project may be eligible for reimbursement. For example:

• capital costs (equipment, machinery)
• labour (wages, benefits)
• marketing
• costs related to intellectual property
• technology development and commercial demonstrations
• professional, advisory, technical services

Ineligible costs

Costs that are deemed unreasonable, non-incremental and/or not directly related to project activities will not be eligible for reimbursement. For example:

• basic and applied R&D (Technology Readiness Level 1-6)
• land
• salary bonuses and dividend payments
• entertainment expenses
• refinancing of existing debts
• amortization or depreciation of assets
• lobbying activities
• donations, dues and membership fees

Repayment terms (for repayable funding)

• After project completion, there is a 1 year grace period, followed by equal monthly payments over 5 years.
• Repayable contributions are interest-free. No security/collateral will be taken.
• There is no penalty for early repayment.

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