What is Strategic Response Fund (SRF) — Tariff Relief?
Strategic Response Fund (SRF) — Tariff Relief is delivered by ISED as a contribution. Funding is typically contributions $10M+ (projects $20M+). This page covers eligibility, intake status, and what an application actually requires.
At a glance
| Funding amount | Contributions $10M+ (projects $20M+) |
|---|---|
| Cost share | 50% |
| Level | Federal |
| Program type | Contribution |
| Delivered by | ISED |
| Available in | All provinces |
| Intake status | Open - new Canada Strong Diversification Fund stream effective immediately (Aug 25, 2026) |
| Last verified | 2026-08-26 |
Who qualifies
- Eligible industries: Manufacturing, export-reliant sectors
- Employee count: min 50, max 500
- Eligible activities: Diversifying markets, reshoring, supply chain pivots due to US tariffs
Watch out for
Project size under $20M; contribution ask under $10M; SMBs under 50 employees or under $5M revenue (wrong program tier — use RTRI or BDC Pivot to Grow instead)
Deadlines & how to apply
Aug 25, 2026: Canada Strong Diversification Fund created as a new $2B stream of the SRF, effective immediately. Expanded flexibility for tariff-impacted companies with shovel-ready capital and capital-maintenance projects, explicitly including medium-sized firms. Fast-track one-step review; intake and triage coordinated with the Regional Development Agencies.
How NorthGrants helps with Strategic Response Fund (SRF) — Tariff Relief
Most business owners read about Strategic Response Fund (SRF) — Tariff Relief, see the funding amount, and stop. The hard part isn't finding the grant. It's building an application that actually wins.
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.