Why "dead" grants like CDAP still show up as available in 2026
CDAP closed to new applicants in February 2024, yet sites still present it as an open 2026 grant. Here's why it happens, how to spot it, and what's actually open instead.
◆ Checked with official government sourcesThe Canada Digital Adoption Program stopped accepting new applications on February 19, 2024 (run by ISED; BDC handled the financing). Only businesses that signed an agreement before then remain eligible. Yet in 2026 you can still find pages with "apply today" buttons and status lines that appear on no government page. The reason is mostly how search works, not malice — but the cost to you is the same: a week spent applying for money that isn't there.
Why a closed program still looks open
- Nobody takes the old page down. When a program ends, the page that ranked for it just stays up — same headline, same deadline, same ‘apply’ button. The government posts a closure notice on its own page, but the old third-party page already has age and links, so it often outranks the official update.
- The traffic is worth money to them. A closed program that still pulls searches is valuable. Some pages funnel that traffic to a paid ‘grant expert’ or a lead form, so there’s an incentive to keep the page looking live.
- Some add fake freshness. To look maintained, a page may carry a current-year date or a ‘paused’ status line that appears on no government page. It reads as authoritative. It isn’t.
The four tells
- Stale page. The old page ranks on, deadline and ‘apply’ button intact, long after the program ended.
- Unsourced status line. A ‘paused’ or ‘rolling intake’ note that doesn’t appear on any government page and doesn’t match the real closure.
- Full how-to-apply walkthrough. A step-by-step current-year guide with an application button, for a program that stopped taking applicants years ago.
- Recycled relief grant. A one-time pandemic measure, closed years ago, framed as ‘reopening’ with dates that don’t line up.
Dead programs still circulating in 2026
How to check before you apply
- Go to the official government page. A real, open program states its current status on a government or Crown-corporation site. That page settles it — nothing else does.
- Distrust any status line with no source. A ‘paused’ date or ‘rolling intake’ note that isn’t on the government’s own page is unverified. Treat it as marketing.
- A citation to a dead page isn’t proof. A link that lands on a funder’s homepage, or an old deadline page, is not confirmation the program is open.
- Check the real date, not the page’s date. A guide ‘updated’ this year can still describe a program that ended two years ago. Read the program’s status, not the byline.
- No official page, no exact program name — walk away. And remember: a real government program never charges you to find out whether you qualify.
What's actually open instead
Financing options like BDC LIFT exist too, plus programs in other provinces. See the whole picture in our CDAP replacement guide.
Not sure if a program is still open?
Tell us about your business and we'll show you what's actually open for you right now — every program checked, dated, and free.
CDAP: closed to new applicants since Feb 19, 2024 — still marketed as open
Only businesses that signed a grant agreement before February 19, 2024 remain eligible to continue; BDC handled the financing. Everything below is logged the way we log any program's status — why the closed program still ranks, the tells, the dead programs still circulating, and how to verify one yourself.
Why a closed program keeps ranking
The tells — logged
Dead programs still circulating (2026)
| Program | Status | The record |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Digital Adoption Program — Boost Your Business Technology | Closed to new applicants Feb 19, 2024 | Run by ISED; closed as ‘fully subscribed.’ Only businesses with a signed agreement before that date remain eligible. BDC still processes those loans. |
| Canada Digital Adoption Program — Grow Your Business Online | Wound down end of 2023 | The earlier e-commerce micro-grant stream stopped taking new applicants before the main program closed. |
| Ontario Small Business Support Grant | Applications closed Apr 7, 2021 | A one-time COVID-19 relief measure tied to the December 2020 shutdown. It has not reopened, despite pages that say it ‘will.’ |
Verification checklist
- ✓Go to the official government page. A real, open program states its current status on a government or Crown-corporation site. That page settles it — nothing else does.
- ✓Distrust any status line with no source. A ‘paused’ date or ‘rolling intake’ note that isn’t on the government’s own page is unverified. Treat it as marketing.
- ✓A citation to a dead page isn’t proof. A link that lands on a funder’s homepage, or an old deadline page, is not confirmation the program is open.
- ✓Check the real date, not the page’s date. A guide ‘updated’ this year can still describe a program that ended two years ago. Read the program’s status, not the byline.
- ✓No official page, no exact program name — walk away. And remember: a real government program never charges you to find out whether you qualify.
On the record: what's open
Financing options like BDC LIFT exist too, plus programs in other provinces. See the whole picture in our CDAP replacement guide.
Not sure if a program is still open?
Tell us about your business and we'll show you what's actually open for you right now — every program checked, dated, and free.
That "open" CDAP grant closed in 2024.
It's still all over the web with "apply now" buttons. Here's how to tell a dead grant from a live one — and what you can actually get instead.
Why it still looks open
When a program ends, the page that ranked for it just stays up — same headline, same deadline, same ‘apply’ button. The government posts a closure notice on its own page, but the old third-party page already has age and links, so it often outranks the official update.
A closed program that still pulls searches is valuable. Some pages funnel that traffic to a paid ‘grant expert’ or a lead form, so there’s an incentive to keep the page looking live.
To look maintained, a page may carry a current-year date or a ‘paused’ status line that appears on no government page. It reads as authoritative. It isn’t.
4 ways a dead grant looks alive
The old page ranks on, deadline and ‘apply’ button intact, long after the program ended.
A ‘paused’ or ‘rolling intake’ note that doesn’t appear on any government page and doesn’t match the real closure.
A step-by-step current-year guide with an application button, for a program that stopped taking applicants years ago.
A one-time pandemic measure, closed years ago, framed as ‘reopening’ with dates that don’t line up.
Dead programs still doing the rounds
Your 60-second check
- Go to the official government page. A real, open program states its current status on a government or Crown-corporation site. That page settles it — nothing else does.
- Distrust any status line with no source. A ‘paused’ date or ‘rolling intake’ note that isn’t on the government’s own page is unverified. Treat it as marketing.
- A citation to a dead page isn’t proof. A link that lands on a funder’s homepage, or an old deadline page, is not confirmation the program is open.
- Check the real date, not the page’s date. A guide ‘updated’ this year can still describe a program that ended two years ago. Read the program’s status, not the byline.
- No official page, no exact program name — walk away. And remember: a real government program never charges you to find out whether you qualify.
So what can you actually get?
Financing options like BDC LIFT exist too, plus programs in other provinces. See the whole picture in our CDAP replacement guide.
Not sure if a program is still open?
Tell us about your business and we'll show you what's actually open for you right now — every program checked, dated, and free.
Frequently asked questions
Is CDAP still available in 2026?
No. CDAP's Boost Your Business Technology stream stopped accepting new applications on February 19, 2024. It was run by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), with BDC handling the financing for approved businesses. Only businesses that signed a grant agreement before that date remain eligible to continue. Any site presenting it as open for new applicants in 2026 is out of date.
Why do so many sites still say I can apply for CDAP?
Mostly because program pages rarely get updated when a program ends: the old page keeps ranking with its 'apply' button intact. Some sites go further and add a current-status line that isn't on any government page. The fix is to check the program's official government page for its current status.
How can I tell if a grant listing is out of date?
Find the official government page and check its stated status and deadline; distrust any status claim that isn't on that official page; don't treat a citation to a dead or homepage link as proof; and check the real program status, not the page's 'updated' date. No official page or exact program name means walk away.
What replaced CDAP for small businesses?
No single federal program did. The practical successor for most small businesses is Ontario's Retail Modernization Project Grant (50% up to $5,000, open), which funds store technology. The Technology Demonstration Program (50% up to $50,000) is larger but requires a completed Digital Adoption Plan first, so it fits fewer businesses.
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