Community Futures Saskatchewan: start-up loans
Community Futures Saskatchewan lends to start-ups, expansions and business purchases through community offices across the province, with advice and training attached. Like every Community Futures network, it is meant for borrowers that banks decline. Each office sets its own terms, so ask your local office what it offers.
Funding for women and Métis entrepreneurs
- Women founders: WESK (Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan) lends up to $150,000 per loan, and its partnership with Women's Enterprise Organizations of Canada can add up to $50,000 more. The costs are a non-refundable application fee of 1% of the loan amount to a maximum of $500, plus search fees, plus a $50-a-year membership for the life of the loan.
- Métis entrepreneurs: the Clarence Campeau Development Fund covers up to 75% of business-plan costs to a maximum of $10,000, the same rate for management-skills training, and caps marketing support at $8,000.
City storefront grants: Saskatoon and Prince Albert
Saskatoon runs a facade conservation and enhancement grant for storefront work, and Prince Albert has its own downtown program. These programs have small budgets and are open only to businesses in each city. They are cost-share grants: get approval first, send receipts after, and include written quotes with your application.
National programs open in Saskatchewan
Four national programs are open wherever you are in Canada. The Canada Small Business Financing Program backs loans up to $1,150,000 through your own bank, with a 2% registration fee and term-loan interest capped at prime plus 3%. Futurpreneur Canada Side Hustle lends up to $25,000 to owners aged 18 to 39 who keep a full-time income for the first year, and the Futurpreneur Canada Core Start-Up Program combines up to $25,000 from Futurpreneur with up to $50,000 from BDC for up to $75,000 total, with two years of mentorship. BDC's Start-up financing lends up to $150,000 once you have 12 months of operating history, so plan it for your second year.
Three rules to follow before you spend
- Get approval before you buy anything.
- Cost-share means reimbursement: you pay first and claim it back with invoices, so plan the cash.
- Grants are generally taxable income; borrowed money is not. Ask your accountant before you spend.
Most applications also want written quotes for the work before anything is approved.
Want the whole country on one page? See the startup funding map, province by province.
Official sources