BDC's own page for the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) states the program is closed. If someone offers to help you with a CDAP application, remember that the program no longer accepts new applications.
No single national grant replaced it. The programs that do this work now are regional, and several pay 50% to 85% of eligible costs.
Ontario: up to $15,000 for a plan, up to $50,000 for the project
Ontario has the strongest pair of digital programs we track, and they are meant to be used one after the other. Both programs serve B2B product companies. They do not fund shops that sell to the public. If you run a consumer retail business, start with the financing section below or our funding fit check.
The Digital Modernization and Adoption Plan covers 50% of eligible costs, up to $15,000, to build the plan itself with a Digital Adoption Consultant from the DCC roster, on a minimum 1:1 match. It pays for the planning: a technology needs assessment and a digital transformation plan that decides which technologies you adopt and in what order. It does not pay for the project itself.
The project itself is covered by the Technology Demonstration Program, which reimburses 50% of eligible project costs, up to $50,000, on completion. Eligible costs include installing a technology platform including subscription fees, software for inventory, fulfillment and shipping, product databases, sales tracking, customer loyalty and discounts, cybersecurity software or certifications, improving an existing technology site for added functionality, and one-time salaries for the technical staff doing the integration. Hardware and its accompanying software can make up to 20% of the grant.
Two limits matter most. Website search optimization and social media advertising qualify only when tied to the overall technology implementation plan, never as a standalone project. And a redesign of an existing site is not eligible, only added functionality is.
Another Ontario program, Digital Main Street's Digital Transformation Grant of up to $2,500, is closed right now. We re-check closed programs every week. See Ontario's programs for what is open now.
Atlantic Canada pays the highest share, if you sell beyond your province
If you sell beyond your own province, the East Coast has the best percentages we track.
E-tools for Exporting and the Export Market Access Program, both delivered in PEI by LearnSphere, each reimburse up to 65% of eligible costs to a maximum of $15,000, on a minimum project cost of $5,000. On a $5,000 project, the most you can claim is $3,250. Eligible costs include integration of e-commerce functionality, SEO and paid online advertising campaigns, social media strategy and video production, market research and export plan development, and translation. EMAP asks you to carry at least 35% of the project yourself.
Export Funding NB matches those terms for New Brunswick: up to 65% of eligible costs capped at $15,000, minimum project $5,000, applicant contributing at least 35%. It names export-focused website additions, integration of e-commerce functionality and AI tools, SEO, paid online advertising, social media strategy and videos. It excludes retail, wholesale and personal services businesses.
PEI also funds a basic online store. Its older Web Presence Assistance grant has been withdrawn. The open program is Small Business Assistance, which pays 50% of professional fees up to a maximum grant of $2,500 and names website creation or adding e-commerce for the first time as eligible. A separate one-time grant of up to $2,500 covers first-year marketing, for a maximum of $5,000 in your first year. Funds are limited and awarded first come, first served.
Some funding is only for one sector. New Brunswick's Agri-Food Market Development and Access covers up to 50% to a maximum of $15,000 per project and $45,000 a year, including design and enhancement of websites and e-commerce platforms, for the agriculture, agri-food and seafood sector only. Nova Scotia's farm-sector equivalent is closed right now; we re-check it weekly.
Northern BC pays back up to 85% of consulting costs
Northern Development Initiative Trust's Small Business Recovery Consulting Rebate returns up to 85% of eligible consulting costs, to a yearly maximum of $30,000, on a minimum project budget of $1,000. Market development and e-commerce development, transition to digital platforms, and web development as part of consulting are all listed as eligible. It is restricted to businesses in central and northern British Columbia, the NDIT region, and you pay the consultant first, then claim.
Money tied to who owns the business
Some programs depend on who owns the business, and each one sets its own ownership rules.
For women-owned businesses, the WEOC National Loan Fund lends up to $50,000 at a maximum interest rate of Prime plus 4%, with a loan administration fee of 1% or up to $500. It is delivered in Manitoba by WeMB and in British Columbia by WeBC, which serves women and non-binary owners. Digital development, specifically website and e-commerce work, is eligible in both.
For Indigenous women entrepreneurs in North-Eastern Ontario, Waubetek has three offers. Its Micro-Loan Fund offers up to $20,000 in assistance: 50% is a repayable loan, 45% is a non-repayable contribution and 5% is your own cash equity. Its Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund lends up to $50,000 as a loan with no grant portion, within a financing package of up to $100,000. A mentorship grant pays up to $3,000 over six months. Digital development including website and e-commerce is on the eligible list.
For entrepreneurs with disabilities in rural Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program pays up to $750 toward website design, e-commerce setup, social media content, photography or mentorship, with free coaching alongside it in Manitoba. The money goes directly to your service provider, not to you.
When the answer is financing, not a grant
Sometimes no grant fits, and a loan is the faster path. Borrowed money is repaid with interest, so it is never a grant, but there is usually no intake window or fixed budget: the lender decides on your file.
BDC's Technology Equipment Loan is a term loan to buy technology and equipment, with interest-only payments for the first 24 months and amortization up to 8 years. Creating or updating a website or e-commerce site is listed as eligible, alongside servers and cloud computing, cybersecurity improvements, and expert advice on online sales. BDC start-up financing lends up to $150,000, and the Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan lends up to $350,000 with no application or annual fees to businesses at least 51% owned and led by women, Indigenous or Black entrepreneurs.
Three rules before you spend
- Approval comes before purchase. If you start the work before you are approved, most of these programs will not pay for any of it.
- Cost-share means reimbursement. You pay the invoice first and claim it back, so plan the cash for the full amount, not your share.
- Check the limits first. Each program has its own rules on region, sector and ownership, and a strong application to the wrong program will still be turned down.
Almost every one of these applications wants a written quote for the work before anything is approved. BBN Labs explains the rules and sends deadline alerts so you do not miss a closing date. You apply on the official program site.
Browse the rest of the website, e-commerce and digital programs we track, or, if you are just starting out, see the province-by-province guide for a new business.