Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) 2026: Liquidity and Pivot Funding Guide

The Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) is a $3.45 billion federal program, delivered by Canada's seven regional development agencies, for incorporated for-profit businesses hurt by tariffs. It grew by $1.5 billion in the package announced on August 25, 2026, in effect since September 2026. To qualify you need at least $1 million in annual revenue in one of your last two fiscal years, a business that was viable before the tariffs, and evidence of tariff impact. There are two kinds of help. Liquidity assistance is non-repayable, up to $2 million, at 50% of eligible costs, for up to 12 months ending no later than March 31, 2028. Pivot projects get up to $1 million non-repayable at 50% of costs, or interest-free repayable funding over $1 million at 75% of costs, and must be completed by March 31, 2029. A business can receive up to $3 million in combined non-repayable funding and up to $20 million in total. As of November 8, 2026, every agency is accepting applications. Only PrairiesCan publishes a closing date: December 31, 2028, or until funds are committed. Every date and figure in this guide was read from the agencies' official pages on November 8, 2026, and the sources are linked at the end.

This guide explains the national terms once, then shows what changes when you cross a regional boundary: the portal, the forms, the contact, the viability date and the retroactive cost rules. It ends with the document list, the stacking rules the agencies actually publish, and the steps to apply. If you want someone to carry the application, GrantOps builds and files it from your own records.

RTRI at a Glance

The terms below are identical on all seven agencies' pages as of November 8, 2026. Where an agency adds a detail, the regional sections say so.

Three things to read into the table. First, liquidity assistance is a payroll-based cash injection, not a project. Second, the non-repayable pivot tier is for projects "with local or regional economic benefits", and the repayable tier is for "larger scale transformative projects". Third, the caps are per business, not per application, and they count every RTRI agreement you hold.

Where RTRI came from matters for the dates. FedNor's 2026–2027 Departmental Plan says the initiative launched in September 2025. CED's 2026–27 Departmental Plan recorded the original envelope as $1 billion over three years for all agencies. A PacifiCan release of August 10, 2026 described RTRI as a $1.95 billion initiative at that point and listed the 2026 top-ups: $500 million on May 4, 2026, including $200 million carved out for small and medium-sized enterprises hit by steel, aluminum and copper tariffs, $300 million on June 3, 2026 for the forest sector, and $150 million on June 11, 2026 for the food system. The August 25, 2026 package added $1.5 billion and lifted the cap on non-repayable contributions from $1 million to $3 million, which, in the Department of Finance's words, "will now include support for demonstrated liquidity needs in addition to existing support for pivot or capital investment plans."

Who Is Eligible, and Who Is Not

Every agency uses the same core test. Your business must:

• be an incorporated for-profit business located and operating in the agency's region
• have a minimum of $1 million in annual revenue in one or both of your company's last two fiscal years
• have been viable prior to tariffs
• demonstrate that it has been affected by ongoing trade disruptions, including U.S. tariffs, Canadian countermeasures or countervailing duties
• for liquidity assistance, also demonstrate a liquidity need due to tariff impacts

The three ways to show tariff impact

You need to meet at least one of these, in the agencies' wording:

1. Your business operates in a sector impacted by Section 338 or Section 232 tariffs, with direct or indirect exposure, or operates in another tariff-impacted sector.
2. Your business "has at least 25% or more revenue coming from goods that are ultimately exported to the U.S."
3. Your business can demonstrate a negative effect of tariffs or tariff uncertainty, such as cost increases, supply chain disruption, or loss of revenue or customers.

Indirect exposure counts. ACOA and FedDev Ontario spell out two service cases. Transportation businesses are eligible if they are directly tied to the operations or value chain of exporters in the forestry sector. Professional, scientific and technical services, and warehousing and logistics services, are eligible if they play a critical role in a tariff-impacted supply chain of a manufacturing exporter. CanNor's application guide also lets applicants select impacts from "U.S. tariffs, Chinese tariffs and Canadian counter-tariffs, or the uncertainty created by these tariffs."

What "viable prior to tariffs" means

Five agencies write "have been viable prior to tariffs". CED and FedNor write "have been viable prior to March 21, 2025". The FAQ pages at FedDev Ontario, FedNor, CED and PacifiCan explain how viability is judged: through applicant attestation, financial information, and confirmation of the business's operating history. The same FAQs add that businesses established after March 21, 2025 "may be considered on a case-by-case basis where they can show they have been adversely affected by tariffs imposed since the launch of the Regional Tariff Response Initiative."

Who should not apply

The agencies list the same exclusions. Retail businesses, businesses providing local consumer services such as hotels, restaurants, utilities, healthcare and recreation, and oil and gas extraction and construction services "generally are not eligible". Not-for-profit organizations and governments seeking liquidity support for their own operating expenses are not eligible. Businesses that cannot demonstrate direct or indirect tariff exposure are not eligible. PrairiesCan adds that RTRI "does not support projects that move company operations outside of Canada."

If your revenue is under $1 million, the door is not fully closed, but it is narrow. ACOA, FedDev Ontario and PacifiCan use the same sentence: the agency "will continue to work with businesses to understand their circumstances and needs, and to explore potential support options through RTRI focusing on those critical to the relevant value chain, sector or local economy." Read that as a conversation with a program officer, not an application you can file on your own terms.

Not-for-profits that support businesses

Every agency says support "is also available for not-for-profit organizations ... whose primary focus is to support businesses", for projects that help tariff-impacted businesses adapt, grow and expand trade opportunities. Only PrairiesCan publishes the terms on the pages we read: not-for-profit funding is normally non-repayable and normally covers up to 90% of eligible project costs, or 75% for commercial projects, and not-for-profits apply in two steps, an expression of interest followed by an invited full application. PrairiesCan also lists Indigenous-owned businesses and organizations as eligible applicants, with up to 80% of costs for commercial projects and up to 100% for non-commercial projects. PacifiCan runs a separate not-for-profit stream in its portal with its own applicant guide and email. The FedDev Ontario pages we read give not-for-profit eligibility but not amounts.

The dividend rule

If you take liquidity assistance, you are "restricted from declaring or paying dividends during the period of their funding assistance". The FAQs at FedDev Ontario, FedNor, CED and PacifiCan allow one exception: pre-established dividend payments to an employee in lieu of salary, at an acceptable market rate, may be considered. Payments to a parent company, subsidiary, affiliate or other non-arm's-length entity may also be restricted. You must also use the money to maintain operations and employment in Canada, attest to that, and report on employment and payroll levels during and after the funding period. If your circumstances change, the funding may be reduced, terminated or repaid.

How the Money Works

The liquidity formula

Liquidity assistance is sized to your payroll, capped by your need. FedNor, CED and PrairiesCan put it this way: "The amount is based mainly on 50% of your average monthly payroll for up to 12 months." FedDev Ontario and PacifiCan state the same rule as a ceiling: the maximum equals the lesser of your projected 12-month cash flow need, or 50% of payroll, up to a maximum of $2 million. All of them add: "Funding will not exceed your demonstrated need or $2 million, whichever is less, and may be reduced to account for other government assistance."

The application guides at CanNor and FedDev Ontario give the mechanics. Eligible businesses may receive liquidity assistance "equal to 50% of their average eligible monthly payroll, for a period of up to 12 months but no later than March 31, 2028, to a maximum non-repayable contribution of $2 million." To calculate average monthly payroll, add your eligible payroll for the most recent 12 completed months and divide by 12, using amounts you can support with payroll records and CRA payroll remittance reports. Eligible payroll generally includes only salaries and wages paid to employees working in the region you are applying to. It excludes payments to contractors, dividends or shareholder distributions, owner withdrawals, and employee bonuses including retention bonuses. If the payroll-based amount does not meet your demonstrated need because of high essential operating expenses, up to 50% of eligible operating costs may also be considered, "on an exceptional basis".

Eligible liquidity costs are employee salary and wages, and essential recurring operating expenses related to rent or commercial lease payments, utilities, business insurance and property taxes. Raw materials, inventory, capital purchases, debt principal, interest and dividends are not liquidity costs. Where the start date is stated, liquidity assistance runs from no earlier than August 22, 2026: PrairiesCan writes "starting no earlier than August 22, 2026", and PacifiCan's business applicant guide says that if you are only requesting liquidity assistance, "your proposed start date must be on or after August 22, 2026", with retroactive costs eligible up to 12 months before the application but no earlier than that date. The FAQs at FedDev Ontario, FedNor, CED and PacifiCan say businesses that already hold an RTRI agreement may be eligible for liquidity support beginning no earlier than August 22, 2026, for up to 12 months, "provided there is no duplication of funding for costs that are already being supported through an existing contribution agreement."

FedNor answers the obvious question directly: you do not need a pivot project to receive liquidity support. You must show a material liquidity need related to tariff impact and commit to maintaining operations and employment in Canada. FedDev Ontario and PacifiCan add that businesses "do not need to wait until financial pressures become acute before seeking support."

Pivot projects: activities and costs

A pivot project, in the agencies' definition, supports businesses undertaking initiatives that "improve productivity, increase competitiveness, and reduce exposure to future trade disruptions." Eligible activities are:

• productivity improvements and process modernization
• equipment and technology adoption, including automation and digitization
• market diversification and export development
• supply chain resilience
• activities that increase competitiveness and reduce trade-related risks

PrairiesCan lists the cost categories: labour such as wages and benefits, materials, capital, consultancy and advisory fees, and market expansion costs. FedDev Ontario's FAQ lists the usual exclusions: land and building acquisition, entertainment expenses, motor vehicle costs, refinancing existing debt, "and more". PrairiesCan excludes salary bonuses and dividend payments.

The two tiers differ in purpose and share. A business can normally request a non-repayable contribution of up to $1 million representing up to 50% of total project costs where the project demonstrates broader economic benefits, or a repayable contribution over $1 million for larger commercial projects representing up to 75% of total project costs. Repayable contributions are interest-free at CED, CanNor, FedDev Ontario, FedNor, PrairiesCan and PacifiCan. ACOA's RTRI page does not state interest terms, so ask ACOA before you assume. Where an agency says anything about the repayment schedule, it is that the schedule "will be set out in your contribution agreement."

Retroactive costs

Pivot project start dates "may be up to 12 months prior to application submission" at every agency that addresses the point. Two agencies set a floor. PrairiesCan allows costs "for up to 12 months prior to the receipt of a signed funding request, but no earlier than March 21, 2025." PacifiCan's guide requires a pivot start date on or after April 1, 2026, with costs retroactive up to 12 months but no earlier than that date. All pivot costs must be incurred and the project completed by March 31, 2029.

Stacking and disclosure

The agencies publish three kinds of stacking rule. First, the FAQs at FedDev Ontario, FedNor, CED and PacifiCan say businesses may receive support from other federal, provincial, territorial or municipal programs "provided there is no duplication of funding for the same costs", and that applicants must disclose all sources of government assistance received or requested. For liquidity assistance, costs already reimbursed through another government wage or operating support program cannot also be claimed under RTRI. Second, PrairiesCan caps total government funding at 90% of project costs for businesses or commercial, revenue-generating projects, and 100% for non-commercial projects. Third, the application guides at CanNor and FedDev Ontario say that for pivot projects "combined government assistance from all sources (municipal, provincial, and federal, including the RDA contribution) will normally not exceed 90% of total eligible project costs, but may be up to 100% for projects led by Indigenous applicants."

Two housekeeping points. PrairiesCan states that it "provides contributions under RTRI, not grants", which matters for how your accountant treats the money. And ACOA and CED both note that applications may be shared with other government departments, including Employment and Social Development Canada, the Business Development Bank of Canada and other regional development agencies. ACOA, PrairiesCan and PacifiCan also disclose that automated systems or artificial intelligence may be used to assist in the review and assessment of applications.

RTRI by Region as of November 8, 2026

The national terms do not change at a provincial border. The delivery does. The table gives each agency's status wording verbatim, whether an intake end is published, how you file, and whom to call.

"None stated" means the official RTRI page carried no application closing date when we read it on November 8, 2026. It does not mean the intake is open-ended. FedNor says approval "will also depend upon funding availability", and PrairiesCan ties its intake to the funds being committed.

ACOA

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency delivers RTRI in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Its programs index badges the initiative "Open", and the homepage banner reads: "ACOA is now delivering expanded Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) help for more businesses operating in Atlantic Canada impacted by tariffs, including those facing liquidity pressures." The official ACOA RTRI page was last updated October 19, 2026.

You apply online through the MyACOA Client Portal, signing in with a sign-in partner or GCKey, and you upload "required documentation, including proof of tariff impact" with the application. After filing you receive an acknowledgement with a project number and the name of the program officer assigned to your file. Businesses may apply for liquidity support and a pivot project at the same time. Previous RTRI recipients may also be eligible for the new liquidity support and should contact their project officer. ACOA's page does not state whether repayable pivot funding is interest-free, which is the one gap against the other six agencies.

Questions go to the ACOA Contact Network at acn-rca@acoa-apeca.gc.ca or 1-833-514-3568, Monday to Thursday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm and Friday 8:30 am to 12:00 pm, Atlantic time. ACOA's 2026 news feed shows provincial tariff-response rounds by title: $14 million for Nova Scotia businesses on September 2, 2026, $6.9 million for Prince Edward Island businesses on October 1, 2026, and $2.3 million for New Brunswick businesses on October 23, 2026, plus a $3.5 million tariff-response investment announced on November 3, 2026. GrantOps lists the program at RTRI in Atlantic Canada, and the provincial hubs for Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island collect the other programs open to you.

CED

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions delivers RTRI in all regions of Quebec as part of its Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program. The official CED RTRI page, dated October 19, 2026, shows "Ongoing program" and "Accepting applications" and says: "CED is now accepting funding applications under the RTRI."

CED is the agency where you do not start with a form. Businesses that already work with CED contact their advisor directly. Everyone else calls 1-800-561-0633 (TTY 1-844-805-8727) or uses the CED funding programs online form, and CED says: "we will contact you within one business day to assess your organization's eligibility under the RTRI, answer your questions and send you the required form to submit a funding application." The form arrives in your Client Space. CED's eligibility wording is "have been viable prior to March 21, 2025", and its page confirms that "Repayable contributions are interest-free" and that current RTRI recipients may be eligible for liquidity support beginning no earlier than August 22, 2026.

CED has run RTRI at scale in 2026. Its releases announced close to $64 million for small and medium-sized enterprises in the steel sector on April 7, 2026, over $20 million for aluminum processors on May 21, 2026, and a run of regional SME batches through May 2026 in Montérégie, Lanaudière, Centre-du-Québec, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Québec and Montréal's East End. GrantOps lists the two CED entries at RTRI requests up to $1 million and RTRI requests over $1 million. The Quebec grants hub covers the rest of CED's programs.

CanNor

The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency delivers RTRI in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. The official CanNor RTRI page, dated October 19, 2026, carries an "Apply now" button, and the homepage says CanNor "is now delivering expanded Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) help for businesses operating in the North impacted by tariffs, including those facing liquidity pressures."

CanNor, like FedDev Ontario, uses a PDF form rather than a portal. You download the application form, fill it in with the RTRI application guide open (the guide is dated September 8, 2026), and either submit from the button inside the PDF or email the form with your attachments to operations@cannor.gc.ca. The guide, which shares its wording with FedDev Ontario's, is explicit on the payroll calculation, the exclusions from eligible payroll, and the 90% stacking rule for pivot projects, which rises to 100% for projects led by Indigenous applicants. It also lists the mandatory attachments: financial statements, evidence supporting tariff impacts, payroll documentation for liquidity requests, and project schedules for pivot requests.

Regional offices take questions: Iqaluit at 1-855-897-2667 or 867-975-3757, Yellowknife at 867-669-2608, and Whitehorse at 867-667-3346, all at operations@cannor.gc.ca. CanNor's agency-wide service standard is an acknowledgement within 10 business days of a signed application and a funding decision within 90 net business days of a complete one, met 90% of the time. On September 15, 2026, CanNor announced up to $1,903,869 in RTRI contributions to four Yukon businesses. GrantOps lists the program at CanNor RTRI. There is no territorial grants hub on this site, so the CanNor guide linked in the table is the place to compare CanNor's other programs.

FedDev Ontario

The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario delivers RTRI in the 37 census divisions "from Cornwall in the east to Windsor in the west". The official FedDev Ontario RTRI page, dated October 19, 2026, shows a green "Accepting applications" box. The homepage says: "FedDev Ontario is now delivering the expanded Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI), providing support to more southern Ontario businesses affected by tariffs, including those facing liquidity pressures. Apply now." The Building Southern Ontario Strong page, dated November 6, 2026, lists "Regional Tariff Response Initiative Expanded Intake Now Open". No pausing or closing notice is visible on any FedDev RTRI page as of November 8, 2026.

FedDev uses a fillable PDF. You download "Application For Funding - RTRI", open it in Acrobat Reader 10 or later on a computer (tablets and phones cannot be used), attach the mandatory documents and click Submit from inside the form. The mandatory list is two years of financial statements plus the most recent interim statements, articles of incorporation, and then last month's payroll records and a cash-flow forecast for liquidity, or management biographies and a project schedule for a pivot project. FedDev's FAQ sets out the "lesser of" liquidity formula, the dividend restriction, and the rule that stacking is allowed "provided there is no duplication of funding for the same costs."

FedDev's own figures show how much of the national program has flowed through southern Ontario. Building Southern Ontario Strong reports 419 RTRI projects supported and $445 million in support, including 94 auto projects with $116 million invested and 155 steel projects with $145 million invested. The September 8, 2026 release announced that expanded applications, including liquidity support, were open. Contact is info@feddevontario.gc.ca or 1-866-593-5505, 9 am to 5 pm Eastern Time, Monday to Friday. GrantOps lists two FedDev RTRI entries, southern Ontario RTRI and a second southern Ontario entry. FedDev is also running the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative in parallel, with a November 24, 2026 priority date, and the Ontario grants hub lists both.

FedNor

The Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario delivers RTRI in Northern Ontario's 12 census divisions, from Muskoka, Parry Sound and Nipissing north and west to Kenora. The official FedNor RTRI page, dated October 19, 2026, has an "Apply now" link to the FedNor portal and says: "All applications will be assessed as they are received." The homepage banner, dated November 5, 2026, reads: "FedNor is now delivering expanded Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) help for more businesses operating in Northern Ontario impacted by tariffs, including those facing liquidity pressures."

FedNor's application is "one phase and is submitted through the FedNor self-service portal", where credentials are created through the MyISED account process and you sign in with GCKey or a sign-in partner. Questions go to FedNor's toll-free line, 1-877-333-6673. Like CED, FedNor writes the viability test as "have been viable prior to March 21, 2025". Its FAQ confirms the payroll-based liquidity formula, that repayable contributions are interest-free, that you do not need a pivot project to receive liquidity support, and that FedNor will contact existing RTRI recipients with more information about liquidity support from August 22, 2026. Documents are corporate information, two years of financial statements, evidence of tariff impacts, payroll records for liquidity, and details of other government funding.

FedNor's 2026–2027 Departmental Plan, dated March 13, 2026, reported: "Since the launch of the RTRI in September 2025, FedNor has approved 18 projects representing $11.8 million in financial assistance." That is the only agency-level take-up figure FedNor publishes. GrantOps lists the program at FedNor RTRI.

PrairiesCan

Prairies Economic Development Canada delivers RTRI in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It is the only agency with a published intake close. The official PrairiesCan RTRI page, dated October 22, 2026, says: "Intake is open until December 31, 2028 or until all available funding is committed." The funding hub badge reads "Currently accepting applications". No clock time or time zone is stated for December 31, 2028, which is 784 days from November 8, 2026.

Businesses complete a detailed application through the PrairiesCan portal. The document list is the longest of the seven: incorporation documents, a business plan or pitch deck covering the management team and board, financial statements for the past two years, interim statements for at least the last six months, confirmation of non-PrairiesCan project funding, and, for liquidity, payroll records and a quantified demonstration of liquidity need such as cash-flow forecasts, employment retention targets and operational obligations. PrairiesCan accepts bank statements, unused lines of credit, letters of intent, funding agreements and signed term sheets as confirmed funding. It does not accept forecast revenues, accounts receivable, commitments to raise equity, or SR&ED credit receivables. Not-for-profits file an expression of interest first. PrairiesCan "will not assess incomplete applications or saved applications that have not been submitted."

PrairiesCan's dates differ slightly from the others. Liquidity assistance runs "up to a maximum of 12 months starting no earlier than August 22, 2026 and ending no later than March 31, 2028." Pivot and not-for-profit costs can be retroactive for up to 12 months before a signed request, "but no earlier than March 21, 2025." Total government funding is capped at 90% for businesses and commercial projects and 100% for non-commercial projects. The September 8, 2026 release said eligible businesses "may now receive up to $3 million in non-repayable support". PrairiesCan's 2026 feed also carries tariff-response titles for Alberta businesses (March 17 and March 31, 2026, and the forest sector on August 26, 2026), Saskatchewan businesses (September 8 and October 9, 2026) and Winnipeg's advanced manufacturing sector (September 3, 2026). We did not read those bodies, so no figures are quoted here. Contact is 1-888-338-9378 or info@prairiescan.gc.ca. GrantOps lists two Prairie entries, RTRI in the Prairie provinces and a second Prairie entry, and the Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba hubs cover the rest.

PacifiCan

Pacific Economic Development Canada delivers RTRI in British Columbia. The official PacifiCan RTRI page, dated October 16, 2026, says "Accepting applications." The funding page labels it "Open", and the homepage says: "PacifiCan is now accepting applications for the expanded Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) to help more businesses operating in British Columbia impacted by tariffs, including those facing liquidity pressures."

You apply in the PacifiCan portal and select "BC (PacifiCan) - RTRI-Business" or "BC (PacifiCan) - RTRI-Not-for-profit-NFP". A liquidity request needs a 12-month forecast income statement and cash flows on PacifiCan's template, payroll records for the last 12 months, two years of financial statements plus interim statements, evidence of the liquidity need and the tariff impact, incorporation documents, and confirmation of other funding. PacifiCan warns that applications "submitted without all required documents will be considered incomplete and cannot be processed." Its business applicant guide, updated November 4, 2026, sets the pivot start date on or after April 1, 2026 and the liquidity start date on or after August 22, 2026. PacifiCan's agency-wide service standard is a funding decision within 90 business days of a complete proposal, 90% of the time, and it hosted an RTRI information session on September 21, 2026.

PacifiCan's 2026 announcements show both tiers in use. On August 10, 2026, it announced over $30.5 million in RTRI funding for 24 businesses and organizations across B.C. On October 28, 2026, it announced an $11 million RTRI investment for Conifex Timber Inc., made up of a repayable investment of $10 million and a non-repayable investment of $1 million, which is a worked example of the two pivot tiers in one file. Program emails are PacifiCan.RTRI-SME_IRRT-PME@pacifican.gc.ca for businesses and PacifiCan.RTRI-NFP_IRRT-OSBL@pacifican.gc.ca for not-for-profits, and the general line is 1-888-338-9378. GrantOps lists two B.C. entries, RTRI in British Columbia and a second B.C. entry, and the British Columbia grants hub covers the rest.

Documents You Will Need

The lists vary a little by agency, but a file that satisfies the strictest one will satisfy all seven. Assemble:

• Financial statements for the past two fiscal years, plus the most recent interim statements. PrairiesCan wants at least the last six months of interims.
• Incorporation documents or articles of incorporation, and a corporate profile with the management team and, at PrairiesCan, the board of directors.
• For liquidity assistance: payroll records (FedDev asks for last month's, PacifiCan for the last 12 months) and CRA payroll remittance reports, plus a 12-month cash-flow forecast that quantifies the shortfall against a pre-tariff baseline. PacifiCan supplies a template. CanNor asks for the number of jobs you expect to maintain.
• For a pivot project: management biographies, a project schedule with start and end dates inside the funding window, and the project costs by the categories the agency lists, such as labour, materials, capital, consultancy and advisory, and market expansion.
• Evidence of tariff impact: which tariffs, which products, customers, suppliers or markets, what changed and when, and the financial or operational effect. CanNor's guide asks you to "describe what changed and when" and to connect the amount requested to specific payroll periods, jobs and cash-flow evidence.
• A list of other government funding received or requested, including any wage or operating support, since duplicated costs are excluded and liquidity amounts may be reduced for other assistance.
• Confirmation of your own share of project costs, where the agency asks for it. PrairiesCan accepts bank statements, unused lines of credit, letters of intent, funding agreements and signed term sheets.

Keep the numbers consistent across documents. CanNor's guide says the revenue you enter "must match the financial statements you attach", and the jobs figure must be consistent with the payroll information. PrairiesCan says incomplete applications are not assessed, and PacifiCan says they cannot be processed.

Stacking RTRI with SR&ED and IRAP

No RTRI page states a rule specific to SR&ED or IRAP. What the agencies do publish is the general rule: you may receive support from other federal, provincial, territorial or municipal programs "provided there is no duplication of funding for the same costs", you must disclose all government assistance received or requested, and liquidity costs already reimbursed through another government wage or operating support program cannot be claimed again. For pivot projects, PrairiesCan, CanNor and FedDev Ontario cap combined government assistance at 90% of eligible costs, or 100% for non-commercial or Indigenous-led projects. The liquidity FAQs add that your amount "may be reduced to account for other government assistance."

Two practical consequences follow. First, an IRAP contribution or a provincial grant for the same pivot project is government assistance that you must disclose, and it counts toward the 90% combined cap where that cap applies. Second, the RTRI pages do not say how an SR&ED claim interacts with RTRI funding, and PrairiesCan does not accept SR&ED credit receivables as confirmed funding for your share of a project. PrairiesCan tells applicants to "talk to your accountant and/or the Canada Revenue Agency to understand how RTRI funding could affect your taxes or other current or future funding agreements." Take that advice literally: ask the program officer how they treat your other funding before you sign, and ask your SR&ED preparer how a non-repayable contribution toward salaries affects the claim.

How to Apply: Step by Step

1. Confirm you qualify and find your agency. You need to be an incorporated for-profit business with at least $1 million in revenue in one of your last two fiscal years, viable before the tariffs, with evidence of tariff impact. Your agency is set by where you are located and operating: ACOA, CED, CanNor, FedDev Ontario, FedNor, PrairiesCan or PacifiCan.
2. Choose liquidity assistance, a pivot project, or both. Liquidity covers payroll and essential operating costs for up to 12 months ending by March 31, 2028. A pivot project funds productivity, equipment, market diversification or supply chain work completed by March 31, 2029. One application can carry both.
3. Quantify the tariff impact and the liquidity need. Build a 12-month cash-flow forecast against a pre-tariff baseline, calculate 50% of your average monthly payroll from the last 12 completed months, and gather evidence of lost revenue, cost increases or supply chain disruption. Decide which of the three impact tests you meet.
4. Gather the documents. Two years of financial statements plus interims, incorporation documents, payroll records and the cash-flow forecast for liquidity, management biographies and a project schedule for a pivot project, and a list of every other government program you have received or requested funding from.
5. Submit through your agency's channel. ACOA uses the MyACOA portal, CED sends you a form after a call, CanNor and FedDev Ontario use a PDF application form, FedNor uses its self-service portal, and PrairiesCan and PacifiCan use their online portals. PrairiesCan and PacifiCan do not process incomplete applications.
6. Keep the acknowledgement and prepare for the conditions. Note your file number and project officer. If approved for liquidity assistance, you must maintain Canadian operations and employment, report on payroll and employment during and after the period, and not declare or pay dividends while the funding runs.

How GrantOps Handles an RTRI Application

An RTRI file is a finance file first. The liquidity formula depends on 12 months of payroll that reconciles to your CRA remittances, a cash-flow forecast that shows a shortfall caused by tariffs rather than by something else, and financial statements whose revenue line matches what you type into the form. GrantOps connects to the company's existing finance, payroll and project tools, pulls those records, and assembles the payroll average, the forecast and the tariff-impact evidence from them, so the numbers in the application are the numbers in your books.

For a pivot project, the same connections produce the budget tables by cost category, the project schedule against the March 31, 2029 completion date, and a narrative that ties each activity to one of the eligible categories: productivity, equipment and technology, market diversification or supply chain resilience. Every figure stays traceable to a source document, which is what the program officer asks for during assessment and what you will need again when the contribution agreement requires payroll and employment reporting.

GrantOps also tracks the dates that matter across all seven agencies: the March 31, 2028 end of liquidity periods, the March 31, 2029 pivot completion date, PrairiesCan's December 31, 2028 intake close, and any change in an agency's status wording. Start free, or book 30 minutes and we will map your project to the right stream.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Regional Tariff Response Initiative?

The Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) is a federal program that helps Canadian businesses affected by tariffs. It is delivered by the seven regional development agencies: ACOA, CED, CanNor, FedDev Ontario, FedNor, PrairiesCan and PacifiCan. After the $1.5 billion expansion announced on August 25, 2026, the agencies are delivering $3.45 billion over four years. It offers two kinds of help. Liquidity assistance is non-repayable funding of up to $2 million to cover payroll and essential operating costs for up to 12 months. Pivot projects fund productivity, equipment, market diversification and supply chain work, with up to $1 million non-repayable or interest-free repayable funding above that.

Who is eligible for RTRI funding?

An incorporated for-profit business located and operating in the agency's region, with at least $1 million in annual revenue in one or both of its last two fiscal years, that was viable before the tariffs. The business must show tariff impact in one of three ways: it operates in a sector hit by Section 338 or Section 232 tariffs, including indirect exposure, or it earns at least 25% of revenue from goods ultimately exported to the United States, or it can show a negative effect such as cost increases, supply chain disruption or lost customers. Retail, local consumer services, oil and gas extraction and construction services are generally not eligible. Not-for-profits that support businesses can also apply.

How much liquidity assistance can a business get under RTRI?

Up to $2 million, non-repayable, covering up to 50% of eligible costs for up to 12 months ending no later than March 31, 2028. The amount is based on 50% of your average monthly payroll for up to 12 months. FedDev Ontario and PacifiCan state it as the lesser of your projected 12-month cash flow need or 50% of payroll, up to $2 million. Essential operating costs such as rent, utilities, business insurance and property taxes may also be considered. Funding will not exceed your demonstrated need and may be reduced to account for other government assistance. You cannot declare or pay dividends while receiving liquidity assistance.

What is an RTRI pivot project and is the funding repayable?

A pivot project improves productivity, increases competitiveness and reduces exposure to future trade disruptions. Eligible activities include productivity improvements and process modernization, equipment and technology adoption including automation and digitization, market diversification and export development, and supply chain resilience. Projects with local or regional economic benefits can get up to $1 million non-repayable at up to 50% of eligible costs. Larger transformative projects can get repayable funding over $1 million at up to 75% of eligible costs, and six of the seven agencies state that repayable contributions are interest-free. All pivot projects must be completed by March 31, 2029.

Is there an RTRI application deadline?

Only PrairiesCan publishes a closing date: intake is open until December 31, 2028 or until all available funding is committed, with no clock time or time zone stated. The other six agencies state no application deadline as of November 8, 2026. Every agency does set funding-period limits. Liquidity assistance runs for up to 12 months and must end no later than March 31, 2028, and pivot projects must be completed by March 31, 2029. FedNor says approval also depends on funding availability, and PrairiesCan ties its intake to the funds being committed, so the practical deadline is when the regional envelope runs out.

Which agency do I apply to for RTRI in Alberta, Ontario or British Columbia?

You apply to the regional development agency for the place where your business is located and operating. Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba apply to PrairiesCan. British Columbia applies to PacifiCan. Southern Ontario, from Cornwall to Windsor, applies to FedDev Ontario, and Northern Ontario applies to FedNor. Quebec applies to CED, the four Atlantic provinces apply to ACOA, and Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut apply to CanNor. The national terms are the same everywhere. The portal, forms, contacts and a few details such as the viability date and retroactive cost rules differ by agency.

Can RTRI be combined with SR&ED, IRAP or other government funding?

The RTRI pages say businesses may receive support from other federal, provincial, territorial or municipal programs, provided there is no duplication of funding for the same costs, and you must disclose all government assistance received or requested. For pivot projects, PrairiesCan, CanNor and FedDev Ontario cap combined government assistance at 90% of eligible costs, or 100% for non-commercial or Indigenous-led projects. Liquidity costs already reimbursed by another government wage or operating support program cannot be claimed. No RTRI page states a rule specific to SR&ED or IRAP, so ask your program officer and your tax advisor before you combine them.

Can a business receive both liquidity assistance and a pivot project?

Yes. The agencies say eligible businesses may apply for up to 12 months of liquidity assistance, pivot project funding, or both. A business may receive up to $3 million in combined non-repayable funding, made up of up to $2 million in liquidity assistance and up to $1 million for a non-repayable pivot project, and up to $20 million in total RTRI funding including repayable pivot funding. You do not need a pivot project to get liquidity assistance. Businesses that already hold an RTRI agreement may be eligible for liquidity support beginning no earlier than August 22, 2026, and should contact their project officer.

Sources

All program facts above were read on November 8, 2026 from the agencies' official pages.

• ACOA: Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Atlantic Canada
• CED: Regional Tariff Response Initiative
• CanNor: Regional Tariff Response Initiative in the North
• CanNor: RTRI application guide
• FedDev Ontario: RTRI in southern Ontario
• FedDev Ontario: RTRI who can apply
• FedDev Ontario: RTRI how to apply
• FedDev Ontario: RTRI application guide
• FedDev Ontario: RTRI frequently asked questions
• FedDev Ontario: Building Southern Ontario Strong
• FedNor: Regional Tariff Response Initiative
• FedNor: RTRI frequently asked questions
• FedNor: 2026–2027 Departmental Plan
• PrairiesCan: RTRI in the Prairie provinces
• PrairiesCan: RTRI eligibility
• PrairiesCan: RTRI program information
• PrairiesCan: RTRI application process
• PacifiCan: RTRI in British Columbia
• PacifiCan: RTRI types of support
• PacifiCan: RTRI how to apply
• PacifiCan: RTRI frequently asked questions
• PacifiCan: RTRI business applicant guide
• Department of Finance: Support for Canadian workers and businesses affected by U.S. tariffs
• FedDev Ontario release, September 8, 2026: enhanced RTRI open
• PrairiesCan release, September 8, 2026: enhanced RTRI open
• PacifiCan release, September 8, 2026: expanded RTRI open
• CanNor release, September 15, 2026: Yukon RTRI investments
• PacifiCan release, August 10, 2026: $30 million for B.C. businesses
• PacifiCan release, October 28, 2026: forest sector investment
• CED release, April 7, 2026: steel sector SMEs
• CED release, May 21, 2026: aluminum processors
• ACOA release, September 2, 2026: Nova Scotia tariff response