What is Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI)?
Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) is delivered by Canada's Regional Development Agencies (PacifiCan, PrairiesCan, FedDev Ontario, CED-Q, ACOA, FedNor, CanNor) as a grant/contribution. Funding reaches $3.45B national envelope over 4 years. Expanded Aug 25, 2026: +$1.5B effective September 2026. Cap on non-repayable contributions raised from $1M to $3M; liquidity support up to $2M now included.. This page covers eligibility, intake status, and what an application actually requires.
At a glance
| Funding amount | $3.45B national envelope over 4 years. Expanded Aug 25, 2026: +$1.5B effective September 2026. Cap on non-repayable contributions raised from $1M to $3M; liquidity support up to $2M now included. |
|---|---|
| Cost share | Typically up to 50% of eligible project costs (varies by RDA) |
| Level | Federal (regionally delivered) |
| Program type | Grant/Contribution |
| Delivered by | Canada's Regional Development Agencies (PacifiCan, PrairiesCan, FedDev Ontario, CED-Q, ACOA, FedNor, CanNor) |
| Available in | All provinces |
| Intake status | Open - expanded intake reopened Sept 2026; continuous, varies by RDA |
| Last verified | 2026-10-26 |
Who qualifies
- Eligible industries: Tariff-impacted SMEs across all sectors — priority for manufacturing, agri-food, metals, forestry
- Employee count: min 1, max 499
- Eligible activities: Projects that boost productivity, diversify markets, strengthen supply chains and trade resilience for tariff-impacted SMEs; liquidity pressures now eligible alongside pivot and capital investment plans. Targeted stream for SME steel-sector projects.
Watch out for
Over 499 employees; not tariff-impacted; no demonstrable productivity, supply chain, liquidity or market diversification angle
Deadlines & how to apply
Expanded Sept 2026 to $3.45B nationally. Up to $3M non-repayable per business: up to $2M for demonstrated liquidity needs plus up to $1M for pivot projects; larger pivot projects can receive repayable support. Tariff impact and $1M minimum revenue required. PrairiesCan began accepting expanded-RTRI applications Sept 8, 2026 (continuous to Dec 31, 2028 or until funds are committed); ACOA and FedDev pages updated Sept 2026. Each RDA runs its own intake; check your regional RDA page. CanNor stream (page modified Oct 19, 2026): liquidity up to $2M non-repayable (50% of costs, up to 12 months, ending by Mar 31, 2028); pivot projects up to $1M non-repayable or repayable above $1M; non-repayable cap $3M; needs $1M+ annual revenue; apply by PDF form to operations@cannor.gc.ca.
How NorthGrants helps with Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI)
Most business owners read about Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI), 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.