Regional Innovation Ecosystems in British Columbia - Funding overview
Open
Accepting applications from June 24 at 12:00 pm to September 11, 2026 at 12:00 pm PT.
1. Funding overview
The Regional Innovation Ecosystems (RIE) program offers non-repayable contributions. Recipients may use PacifiCan funds to provide services or undertake activities to support small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Funding:
- Non-repayable contributions normally up to $3 million per project
- Project duration is normally three years
- Projects are normally non-commercial in nature
Repayment terms:
- Non-repayable
Funding source:
- At least 50% of project funding should come from the private sector, provincial and/or municipal governments, and/or other non-government sources. In exceptional circumstances, PacifiCan may fund a higher proportion of project costs.
- While non-government contributions to projects are preferred, PacifiCan may accept government assistance (federal, provincial and municipal) up to 100% of eligible project costs.
- Priority may be given to proposals that:
- Leverage higher amounts of funding from sources other than PacifiCan and governments (i.e., more than 50% non-PacifiCan funding and more than 10% non-government funding)
- Demonstrate a high use of Canadian materials and/or content (for projects where PacifiCan’s contribution is $5 million or greater)
Prospective applicants must contact PacifiCan before completing an application, if they:
- propose to further distribute funding to SMEs or other third parties, which may only be considered in exceptional circumstances; and/or
- request more than $3 million in funding
At time of application, all confirmed non-PacifiCan sources of project funding should be supported with evidence of confirmed funding. Projects that are expecting funding from other sources but are unable to confirm at the time of application may be considered for conditional funding based on future confirmation of other funding sources.
Generally, PacifiCan provides funding by reimbursing a defined proportion of eligible costs after they are incurred by recipients, subject to a claim submission and document review.
Eligible costs
All costs must be reasonable, incremental and essential to the implementation of the project.
Funding can cover essential project costs including:
- wages and benefits
- purchase of machinery and equipment
- operating costs directly related to the project (e.g. management fees or working capital)
- travel costs (e.g. trade missions to support commercial demonstrations or export sales, subject to applicable policies and guidance)
- consultancy fees (e.g. professional, advisory and technical services)
- costs related to intellectual property
- preproduction (e.g. technological development and commercial demonstrations)
- subcontracting costs
- production and distribution of promotional materials and management tools
- anticipated cost of maintaining the useful life of an asset for a reasonable period
- specialized services such as testing services, research and development services, technical or innovation services
- sector development strategies in markets and business networking
- event-related costs and honoraria (subject to applicable policies and guidance)
- consultant fees (may be sole-sourced only in exceptional circumstances when supported by strong rationale and where necessary to achieve project outcomes; subject to applicable policies and guidance)
Ineligible costs
Funding does not cover unreasonable, non-incremental or unrelated costs including:
- land and building acquisition
- allowance for interest on debts
- entertainment
- refinancing of an existing debt
- purchase of any asset for more than its fair market value
- amortization or depreciation of assets
- taxes
- lobbying and advocacy activities
- donations and goodwill
- costs incurred before the project funding start date
Costs incurred before a funding agreement is signed are at the sole risk of the applicant.
