The Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada describes the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative as part of Canada’s national AI strategy. An additional $500 million over five years brings total federal funding for the initiative to $700 million. Regional development agencies deliver it. The work they fund includes adoption by small and mid-sized organizations, commercialization of Canadian AI, and support from regional organizations.
Intake dates are not the same in every region. Start with the ISED page for the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative, then open the site for the agency that covers where you operate.
Southern Ontario: FedDev
FedDev Ontario is accepting applications for businesses. There are two streams on the business page. Both are published as $125,000 to $5 million, repayable, covering up to 50 percent of costs.
Who FedDev says can apply
This is a summary of FedDev’s published criteria, not a finding that your business qualifies. FedDev says an applicant must meet every requirement. For businesses, that includes being incorporated and registered to do business in Canada or Ontario, owning or holding rights to the project intellectual property, and showing a commitment to the responsible development and use of AI. A for-profit business must be located and operating in southern Ontario at the time of application. First Nations, Métis, and Inuit businesses are also named on the page.
The AI Adoption stream is the one aimed at established businesses putting AI into their operations. FedDev adds, for that stream:
- At least 3 years of business operations, shown in your financial statements.
- At least 5 full-time equivalent employees, and fewer than 500 overall.
Examples of adoption work on the FedDev page include readiness assessments, integrating AI into operations, training, change management, data governance, and cybersecurity. The separate AI Commercialization and Scale-Up stream uses the same published funding range and a different operating test, including at least one year of operations. If you are bringing a Canadian AI product to market rather than adopting AI inside an operating business, read that stream on the same page.
Sources: who can apply and the southern Ontario overview.
Atlantic Canada: ACOA
The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is accepting expressions of interest under the same national initiative. ACOA says the funding contribution requested must be at least $1 million, that the contribution is repayable, and that applicants are Atlantic Canadian small and mid-sized businesses that meet the existing eligibility requirements of the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program. The call for proposals closes on November 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Atlantic Daylight Time.
Confirm the current call on the ACOA Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative page. This site will not guess whether an Atlantic business qualifies.
What we do with you
- We look at the work you want to change, and at whether a regional program is the right conversation.
- We help prepare the description of the work, the plan, and the costs. We check the current eligibility, cost share, and deadline with you before anything is submitted.
- We do the work the application describes: the assessment, the build, and the follow-through.
Other regions, including Quebec, Northern Ontario, the Prairies, British Columbia, and the territories, are delivered by their own agencies. Their dates are not copied here. Use the ISED page and the agency that covers you.
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