CanExport is a new government funding program announced on January 5, 2016 that will provide $50 million over the next five years in direct funding to Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to support new export market development.
Through the CanExport program, companies can receive financial support of 50% up to $99,999 for export marketing activities. Eligible activities need to exceed the company’s core activities and focus on promoting international business development. These may include business travel costs, exhibitions at trade shows, market research, adaptation of marketing materials for new markets, and legal fees associated with a distribution/representation agreement.
In order to be eligible for funding through the CanExport program companies must have 1-250 full time employees and $200,000-$50 million in annual revenue declared in Canada. The CanExport program is open to companies in all sectors with the exception of agriculture and food processing, since companies in these industries are already eligible for export funding through the AgriMarketing program. Export activities to existing markets are not covered by the CanExport program, but still remain eligible for funding from the Export Market Access (EMA) program.
