TLDR
Government funding in 2026 is focused on strengthening competitiveness, sovereignty and productivity across the Canadian economy.
Large-scale grants are designed to de-risk transformational investments, not subsidize operating costs.
Success depends on early planning, strong alignment with program objectives and disciplined execution.
The greatest returns come when funding is built into capital planning from the start.
In today’s environment, a well-developed growth strategy remains essential to staying competitive. Finding the support to achieve that growth is a complex, continuously evolving process.
In the face of a challenging business landscape, public funding is increasingly tied to measurable outcomes like productivity gains, emissions reductions, supply chain resilience and export growth.
In fact, the 2025 Canadian Federal Budget included new grants and expanded incentives designed to strengthen Canada’s long-term competitiveness, build domestic capacity and reduce economic vulnerability. For commercial organizations, these programs can meaningfully alter the economics of large-scale projects to improve ROI, lower risk and free up capital for other strategic priorities.
The challenge is not the availability of funding – it’s navigating the complex funding environment. Programs are competitive, eligibility criteria are specific and timelines are firm. And in most cases, funding must be secured before any costs are incurred.
The opportunity for businesses is to understand where their strategies align with government priorities. To unpack how large enterprises can approach government funding strategically, RBC hosted the webinar “Tapping into Large-Scale Grants for Commercial Businesses,” bringing in experts Mike Janke and Gibson Ingram from GrantMatch. GrantMatch works with organizations across North America – from mid-market manufacturers to global enterprises – helping them identify, secure and structure government funding in a way that aligns with long-term business strategies. Notably, GrantMatch was recently acquired by BDO Canada and now operates as part of the firm’s broader professional services network.
The conversation focused not just on what funding exists, but on how commercial businesses can transform funding opportunities into measurable organizational growth.
Watch the full webinar replay (Password: RBCbusiness)
Where the grant opportunities are: Priority themes for 2026
Before diving into specific strategies, it’s important to understand the current funding landscape and where government priorities lie in 2026.
Understanding where funding is available can help commercial leaders prioritize their efforts, as funding can change the dynamics and timeline of a project, leading to more viable growth.
Recent federal signals, including remarks at the World Economic Forum, have clarified a set of overarching priorities shaping government investment, which have crystallized around three core national objectives: energy sovereignty, defence capacity and domestic food production.
These themes, along with broader economic competitiveness, are shaping federal and provincial programs right now.
Key priority areas include:
- Automotive and manufacturing
- Aerospace and defence
- Food processing and agriculture
- Energy, decarbonization and critical minerals
- Housing and infrastructure
- Technology, AI and innovation
- International expansion
For a detailed breakdown of specific programs aligned with these themes, see our article, The 2025 Canadian Budget: An Essential Guide to Grants and Funding for Businesses.
Eligibility to take part in these government priorities extends beyond these core sectors themselves. As Janke explains, funding can be activity-driven. “A grant might not be sector specific, but rather activity specific. So if you’re reducing your footprint or reducing energy consumption, you may be eligible for a sustainability grant.”
In other words, governments are directing capital toward outcomes – productivity gains, emissions reductions, supply chain resilience and export growth. Tremendous opportunity lies in identifying the overlap between individual business plans and larger government objectives.
How to secure a large-scale grant for your business
Knowing where the opportunities exist is only the first step. Securing funding at scale requires structure, timing and internal alignment.
1) Assess timing and fit
A common misconception about grants is that they are designed to offset operating expenses. In reality, they are designed to incentivize investment, particularly investments that carry risk, advance policy goals or accelerate change.
A useful cue to investigate funding possibilities is when an organization is planning something it would not ordinarily undertake as part of its core operating model.
💡 Key Insight
“Think about government funding when you’re doing something you wouldn’t normally do. When you’re making a strategic investment. You’re investing in a new product. You’re purchasing a new production line or bottling line. You’re developing that new product. You’re integrating AI into your business model. You’re hiring some incremental people to transform the way you do business.”
– Mike Janke, GrantMatch
Timing is also critical. Funding must be secured before costs are incurred. Most grants operate on “but for” language, as in “But for this funding, we wouldn’t undertake this project.” If contracts are signed or capital is spent, eligibility may already be lost. This is why funding must be evaluated during the planning phase, not after the fact.
It’s also wise to apply a materiality lens. As organizations scale, so too does their materiality threshold. What once felt significant may no longer meaningfully impact the income statement. Evaluating opportunity size relative to compliance requirements can help protect internal bandwidth.
2) Find the right funding programs for your business
Canada has thousands of funding programs across federal, provincial and municipal levels. For commercial enterprises, manually reviewing them is neither practical nor efficient.
Technology-enabled discovery tools, such as the RBC Funding Assessment Strategy Tool (F.A.S.T.), help narrow the field by matching business characteristics and planned investments to relevant programs. Powered by GrantMatch, F.A.S.T. pulls from a database of over 12,000 funding programs to match businesses with opportunities, then generates an instant report outlining applicable incentives, objectives, deadlines and costs.
For organizations managing multi-year capital plans, continuous monitoring becomes equally important, as funding windows can open and close quickly. For commercial clients requiring ongoing awareness, the GrantMatch Hub provides continuous program monitoring.
For larger commercial clients, GrantMatch offers full-service grant strategy and application support. “We work on a performance contingent arrangement,” Ingram explained. “It reduces a lot of the risk involved with paying a consultant large hourly fees or fixed costs. We take on that risk.”
💡 Starting Point
The most effective starting point is not a database search. It’s a strategic conversation: Where is the organization headed over the next 12 to 24 months? What capital projects are under consideration? Which investments carry the greatest risk or require the largest outlay?
Talking through these questions with an RBC Relationship Manager is a great place to start exploring different approaches and paths forward.
From there, funding can be layered into the plan in a way that strengthens, rather than complicates, execution.
3) Build a competitive grant application for your business
Large-scale grants are often competitive, meaning projects are evaluated and ranked against one another. Strong applications are built through three deliberate steps.
First: Be prepared, and be early
Preparation is one of the simplest and most overlooked differentiators. “Give yourself as much time as possible,” says Janke. “Start by being shovel ready. Get your documentation in order.”
That includes incorporation documents, financial statements and clearly defined project plans.
Second: Align tightly with program priorities
Every funding stream exists to advance specific public policy objectives. As such, it’s best to clearly map project outcomes to scoring criteria and support them with credible data.
“Study program guidelines in depth and read them cover to cover to understand what the key priorities are,” Janke urges.
Ingram suggests going a step further – think like a reviewer. “How am I, as a reviewer, going to shorten that list to the top applicants and allocate that money?”
Third: Manage the grant application like a structured project
For large enterprises, grant applications often require cross-functional coordination across finance, operations, engineering, HR and sustainability teams.
It’s therefore recommended to treat the process like any other strategic initiative. Assign a single internal lead – someone empowered to quarterback the process – to maintain momentum, gather input and ensure accountability.
⚠️ Important
Reporting requirements and milestone tracking are part of the agreement. For well-aligned projects, these obligations are manageable, but should be factored into the decision from the outset.
Strategic considerations for applying for Canadian government grants
Beyond the mechanics of applying, several broader considerations can significantly influence success.
Think long-term about funding
For many commercial enterprises – particularly those investing in innovation – funding isn’t a one-time event. It often aligns with stages of growth, from early development to commercialization and expansion.
Viewing funding as part of a longer-term capital strategy allows organizations to reduce risk across multiple phases of investment rather than relying on a single application.
When approached this way, grants become part of the financing mix, layered alongside internal capital and debt.
Stay in your lane
Not every grant is a fit, and not every opportunity is worth pursuing. As organizations grow, it can be tempting to chase larger or high-profile programs, especially if competitors appear to be accessing funding.
As Ingram cautions, “You have to stay in your lane and understand which grants are designed for your type and size of business.”
Trying to force alignment can waste valuable time and internal resources.
Know when to walk away
Some programs may appear attractive on the surface but offer limited financial impact relative to their compliance burden. Others may not align clearly with project objectives, increasing the risk of rejection.
Trying to force-fit a project into a misaligned program often leads to frustration and wasted effort. A strategic funding approach prioritizes high-impact opportunities and avoids distractions.
Align timelines with government cycles
Approval timelines vary widely. Larger federal programs may take several months to review, while provincial streams may move more quickly. Fiscal year-end dynamics can also influence decision-making.
Building funding considerations into annual capital planning increases the likelihood of alignment between business timelines and program windows.
Putting grants to work in your business
Government funding in 2026 reflects a broader economic strategy: strengthen domestic capacity, improve productivity, accelerate innovation and build long-term resilience. For commercial enterprises, this presents a meaningful opportunity.
When integrated into early capital planning, grants can be a strategic lever to reduce risk, improve returns and accelerate projects. The greatest advantage comes not from chasing every available grant, but from identifying the right opportunities early and building them into capital planning processes from the start.
Ready to see what grants your business may be eligible for?
Try the Funding Assessment Strategy Tool (F.A.S.T.), available to RBC business clients through RBC Beyond Banking. For businesses that want to stay informed as programs open throughout the year, ongoing grant monitoring options are also available through the GrantMatch Hub.
Talk to your RBC Relationship Manager about how to leverage grants for business growth.
This article is intended as general information only and is not to be relied upon as constituting legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or any of its affiliates.
