What is Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII)?
Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII) is delivered by Federal Regional Development Agencies (FedDev, PrairiesCan, PacifiCan, ACOA) as a contribution. Funding is typically varies by RDA (PrairiesCan $250,000 to $5,000,000 per project); businesses up to 50% of eligible costs as interest-free repayable contributions. This page covers eligibility, intake status, and what an application actually requires.
At a glance
| Funding amount | Varies by RDA (PrairiesCan $250,000 to $5,000,000 per project); businesses up to 50% of eligible costs as interest-free repayable contributions |
|---|---|
| Cost share | SMEs: interest-free REPAYABLE contribution up to 50% of costs; NPOs: non-repayable up to 90% |
| Level | Federal |
| Program type | Contribution |
| Delivered by | Federal Regional Development Agencies (FedDev, PrairiesCan, PacifiCan, ACOA) |
| Available in | ALL (REGIONALLY DELIVERED) |
| Intake status | Open - varies by region |
| Last verified | 2026-10-05 |
Who qualifies
- Eligible industries: All sectors (health, environment, manufacturing, transportation)
- Employee count: min 1, max 500
- Eligible activities: AI solution development; AI adoption; proof of concept to commercial deployment
Watch out for
Non-incorporated; no AI component; outside Canada
Deadlines & how to apply
Budget 2024 $200M initiative delivered by the regional development agencies; Canada's AI for All strategy (2026) adds a $500M national expansion, details pending. Status differs by region: PrairiesCan accepts applications continuously until Dec 31, 2028 (projects complete by Mar 31, 2029); CED Quebec accepting applications, initiative in effect to Mar 31, 2031; FedDev Ontario not accepting applications. SME support is interest-free repayable, up to 50% of costs. Check your RDA before planning around it.
How NorthGrants helps with Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII)
Most business owners read about Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII), see the funding amount, and stop. The hard part isn't finding the grant. It's building a complete application that answers what the program asks for.
NorthGrants builds the full application framework for you: a tailored project narrative aligned to this program's evaluation criteria, a budget structure that maps to eligible costs, and the supporting documentation checklist. You review it, refine the parts only you can write, and submit.