Applicants guide and access to application portal: http://www.international.gc.ca/canexport/applicant-guide-requerant.aspx?lang=eng
FAQs: http://www.international.gc.ca/canexport/faq.aspx?lang=eng
What is CanExport?
- Announced on January 5, 2016, CanExport will provide up to $50 million over five years in direct financial support to Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking to develop new export opportunities
- Expected to assist up to 1,000 exporters per year across the country
The CanExport program:
- Reimburses up to 50 percent of eligible expenses
- Requires that the applicant match funds on a one-to-one basis;
- Provides a minimum contribution of $10,000 (requires that the total cost of eligible activities be at least $20,000) and a maximum contribution of $99,999 (which requires that the total cost of eligible activities be at least $199,998);
Basic eligibility requirements:
- All sectors are eligible, except for agriculture, food and beverage, fish and seafood and wine, beer and spirit sectors. (Ineligible because they can apply for export support through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriMarketing Program.)
- Be a for-profit company;
- Be an incorporated legal entity OR a limited liability partnership (LLP);
- Have a Canada Revenue Agency business identifier number;
- Have a minimum of one full-time equivalent (FTE) employee and a maximum of 250 FTE employees; and
- Have no less than $200,000 and no more than $50 million in annual revenue declared in Canada.
Eligible activities include:
- Activities in all countries are eligible, provided Canada has not imposed trade or economic sanctions that apply to the proposed activities in a given country.
- A wide variety of activities that support the export of goods and services into new markets are eligible, including, but not limited to:
- Business travel to target markets;
- Participation at trade fairs and trade missions;
- Adaptation of marketing tools for a new market; and
- Market research;
Ineligible activities include:
- Ongoing core/operational activities;
- Activities in a market where you have been actively exporting over the last 24 months;
- Promotional efforts that are considered to be “normal business activities,” as opposed to the long-term development of export markets;
- Promotion of language training or other educational services where the funding for the training is from Canadian federal or provincial/territorial government sources
- Investment promotion or the seeking of entrepreneurial immigrants; and
- Activities involving used equipment, unless the equipment is reconditioned or rebuilt, and the benefit to Canada would be close to or equal to benefits obtained from the sale of new equipment.
Eligible expenses include:
- Travel costs
- Contractor fees
- Consultant fees
*For specific details please visit: http://www.international.gc.ca/canexport/applicant-guide-requerant.aspx?lang=eng
Ineligible expenses include:
- Expenses incurred prior to the approval of the application;
- Applicant's ongoing or core activities (i.e., fundamental operational activities);
- Corporate overhead expenses (e.g., office space, human resources, supplies, equipment purchase, office accommodation, warehousing, long term legal services);
- Salaries and commissions;
- Entertainment and hospitality;
- Telephone, fax, data roaming and photocopying charges;
- Event sponsorship and membership fees;
- Expenses relating to lobbying, policy development and influence;
- Capital costs;
- Product development;
- Costs related to the preparation of a marketing plan or CanExport application documentation;
- Shipping/mailing costs for material not directly related to a CanExport funded activity;
- Website application fees, maintenance and hosting fees;
- Value-added taxes, goods and services taxes or harmonized sales tax or any refundable portion of taxes or other items for which a refund or rebate is available;
- Carbon taxes/credits;
- Bonus points earned from various programs, or other barter arrangements;
- Expenses incurred directly or indirectly by Canadian public sector employees (including employees of federal, provincial/territorial, municipal governments, or Crown corporations) or expenses paid to or through Canadian government organizations (including federal, provincial/territorial, or municipal governments, or Crown corporations);
- Any other cost that could be interpreted as subsidizing a product's selling price and, therefore, contravening Canada’s international trade obligations.
To apply:
- Ensure your firm meets eligibility (sector, proposed activities and proposed expenses)
- You must include an “export business case” which provides the program with information about your company’s products/services as well as the opportunities the activity will provide
- The export business case is an important consideration in your eligibility—other factors include going beyond ongoing core/operational activities; benefits to Canada; whether the product or service and target markets are aligned with Government of Canada trade strategies; market potential; and, if applicable, any past interaction between a participating company and TCS or its partner organizations, including the NRC
- Applicants will need to demonstrate that the activity for which they are seeking funding will create benefits to Canada. This could include: the number of jobs in Canada that the activity is expected to create; the profits the activity is expected to generate in Canada; the expenditures in Canada associated with the activity; and whether the activity supports a new product or technology developed in Canada.
Applications will be accepted any time during the year and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to the availability of funding. The Applicant’s Guide and access to the online application portal are available at http://www.international.gc.ca/canexport/applicant-guide-requerant.aspx?lang=eng
- Applicants are encouraged to discuss their international business development plans with their Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) regional office, which can assist them in preparing for international markets and support them throughout the implementation. The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service can also help in developing your business internationally by identifying market opportunities, barriers and trends or by making introductions to qualified foreign contacts.
- For more information on the TCS services offered and to find the trade commissioner nearest to you, who is responsible for your sector of activity, please visit the TCS website at http://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/eng/find-trade-contacts.jsp.
- The program will endeavor to make a decision on your application within 25 working days. You will be notified of the decision by email.
If you require additional information, please contact: CanExport@international.gc.ca.
FAQs: http://www.international.gc.ca/canexport/faq.aspx?lang=eng
