Guide
How they differ, when each makes sense, and why many owners use both together.
Guide
How they differ, when each makes sense, and why many owners use both together.
| Tariff relief grant | Business loan | |
|---|---|---|
| Repayment | Non repayable portion never repaid | Repaid with interest |
| Speed | Set by the government agency’s review | Often much faster on a complete file |
| Eligibility | Program rules, such as $1M+ revenue and tariff impact | Lender criteria: revenue, time in business, credit |
| Use of funds | Eligible costs defined by the program | Flexible, depending on the loan type |
| Amounts | Up to $3M non repayable through the RTRI | $20K to $2M through our lending partners |
If your business has been hit by tariffs, earns $1 million or more a year and can wait for a government review, a grant is almost always the cheapest money available. Liquidity assistance can cover payroll, rent and other fixed costs, and pivot project funding can pay for up to half the cost of equipment, automation and new market development.
A business loan makes sense when you need money quickly, when your situation is not tariff related, or when the costs you need to cover fall outside a grant program’s rules. Term loans, lines of credit, CSBFP loans and invoice factoring each solve a different problem.
Many of our clients combine the two. A business loan or line of credit keeps operations moving while a grant application is reviewed, and the grant reduces the overall cost of recovery once approved. A term loan or CSBFP loan can also cover the share of a pivot project that a grant does not.
Keep reading
9 min readThe Regional Tariff Response Initiative explained: who qualifies, the $2M liquidity and $1M pivot streams, eligible costs, deadlines and how to apply.
Read the guide
7 min readTariff relief programs need proof that tariffs hurt your business. Here’s the evidence agencies look for and how to present it in your grant application.
Read the guide
5 min readThe $2 billion Canada Strong Diversification Fund offers $5M to $30M in non repayable funding to larger tariff exposed businesses. Here’s who qualifies.
Read the guideReady when you are
Two minutes to check your eligibility. A specialist calls you with the programs that fit.
