Updated August 2026 · Verified against Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) guidelines
✨ New Program ✓ First-Timer Friendly Reimbursement Est. 2025
Loan Federal Active

CED RDII — Regional Defence Investment Initiative (Quebec)

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)
Loan Range
Up to 75% of costs
Ongoing — eligible activities April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2028
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
New Program
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Financing share
75%
CED RDII — Regional Defence Investment Initiative (Quebec) provides up to 75% of costs. Supports Quebec SMEs and non-profits looking to enter or expand within domestic and international defence supply chains. The program covers up to 75% of eligible costs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
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Real recipient data

Who actually receives this funding

1 business received this funding in 2025 — 33 awards since 2025. Typical award: $800K. Half of all awards fall between $400K and $2.0M. 61% of recipients are for-profit businesses. Top provinces: Quebec 100%. Covers: CED-Quebec Regional Defence Investment Initiative contributions to Quebec defence SMEs and to sector organizations (industry associations, cégeps, research centres); a new 2025 program. Source: Government of Canada proactive disclosure data · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Data through October 2026.

The typical CED RDII award is $800K — the median of 33 awards since 2025. In 2025, 1 businesses were funded; 61% were for-profit companies.

1funded in 2025
$800Ktypical award
33awards since 2025
61%for-profit

Award size distribution. Half of awards fall between $400K and $2.0M, with a typical award of $800K.

Award sizes middle 50% of awards
$800K typical $2.0M
Top provinces QC 100%

Named recipients

Recent recipients include 10849553 Canada Association - Cybereco (Montréal, QC, 2026), Nüvü caméras inc. (Montréal, QC, 2026) and OSM Atlantique inc. (Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC, 2026).

  1. 202610849553 Canada Association - CyberecoMontréal, QC
  2. 2026Nüvü caméras inc.Montréal, QC
  3. 2026OSM Atlantique inc.Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
  4. 2026Montréal InternationalMontréal, QC
  5. 2026Advanced Microtesting inc.Gatineau, QC
  6. 2026M1 Composites Technology Inc.Laval, QC
  7. 2026SysNergie Inc.Magog, QC
  8. 2026Anyon Systems inc.Dorval, QC
  9. 2026Sous-Traitance Industrielle, QuébecMontréal, QC
  10. 2026Optima Aero inc.Beloeil, QC
Show 23 more recipients
  1. 2026Aéro MontréalMontréal, QC
  2. 2026Mecaer America Inc.Laval, QC
  3. 2026Octasic inc.Montréal, QC
  4. 2026École Polytechnique de MontréalMontréal, QC
  5. 2026SpaceBridge inc.Montréal, QC
  6. 2026Université du Québec en OutaouaisGatineau, QC
  7. 2026Imagine 4D Inc.Dorval, QC
  8. 2026COREMQuébec, QC
  9. 2026Université LavalQuébec, QC
  10. 20269286-7373 Québec inc. - Ewool doublures chauffantesMontréal, QC
  11. 2026Centre de technologie physique et photonique de MontréalLasalle, QC
  12. 20264364546 Canada inc. - Canadian Technology SystemsPointe-Claire, QC
  13. 2026Terminal & Cable GP inc.Carignan, QC
  14. 2026Tékalia Aéronautik (2010) inc.Montréal, QC
  15. 2026C3RiOS Systems Inc.Montréal, QC
  16. 2026Héroux-Devtek Inc.Longueuil, QC
  17. 2026Université de SherbrookeSherbrooke, QC
  18. 2026Kinova inc.Boisbriand, QC
  19. 2026Usinage Préci-Max inc.Saint-Jérôme, QC
  20. 2026Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel de Trois-RivièresTrois-Rivières, QC
  21. 2026Beslogique IA inc.Montréal, QC
  22. 2026INFLO Technique inc.Terrebonne, QC
  23. 2025Cégep de Saint-Jérôme – Centre de développement des composites du QuébecSaint-Jérôme, QC
See how much each recipient received, and how each award compares to the typical one. Included in Premium ↓

Source: Government of Canada proactive disclosure

See all CED RDII winners →

Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

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Program Description

Supports Quebec SMEs and non-profits looking to enter or expand within domestic and international defence supply chains. Funds projects that increase production and innovation capacity to serve the Canadian Armed Forces, NATO, or allied nations. For SMEs, contributions are REPAYABLE and may cover up to 75% of eligible costs; for non-profit organizations, contributions are generally non-repayable and may cover up to 90%. Part of a $64.9M, three-year temporary initiative for Quebec launched December 8, 2025.

Eligibility Requirements

  • SMEs active in or seeking to enter the defence sector supply chain, incorporated and operating in Quebec
  • Not-for-profit organizations (industry associations, accelerators, incubators) supporting defence-sector SMEs in Quebec
  • Indigenous recipients and provincial/municipal authorities with a defence-related mandate
  • Projects must demonstrate alignment with current or future needs of the Canadian Armed Forces, NATO, or an allied country
Provinces
Quebec
Industries
Manufacturing Aerospace Engineering Technology Digital
Business Stage
Growth Established Expansion

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly

Funding Details

Amount
Up to 75% of costsUp to 75% of eligible costs for SMEs (repayable contribution); up to 90% for non-profits (generally non-repayable)
Type
Loan
Level
Federal
Financing share
Up to 75% of eligible costs
Deadline
Ongoing — eligible activities April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2028

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Mar 31, 2028
Approval
Moderate
Accessibility
3/5

Moderate — standard application process

Competition
3/5

Moderate competition — prepare a strong application

Difficulty
3/5

Moderate — standard requirements

Approval Rate
Processing Time
Budget Trend
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How to qualify

Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like

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Insider Tip

The RDII explicitly covers defence certification costs (AS9100, ITAR, CCPSA, NATO CAGE code registration) — this is one of the few federal programs where certification prep is directly eligible.

Premium See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.

Success Profile

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Evaluation Criteria

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What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to secure CED RDII — Regional Defence Investment Initiative

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Application Playbook

Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses

Premium 5 steps 9 docs

Application Steps

1 Contact your regional CED office Call 1-800-561-0633 or visit a CED regional office to discuss your project's alignment with RDII priorities. Officers can confirm eligibility and advise on project framing before you invest time in the EOI.

Required Documents 9

✓ Application form via CED online portal
✓ Detailed project description with defence market connection (Canadian Armed Forces, NATO, or allied country needs)

Eligible Expenses 8

Ineligible Expenses 8

Deadline Notes

Ineligible Organizations

Premium The full guide for this program also covers:
  • 4 more application steps
  • 7 more required documents
  • 8 eligible expenses
  • 8 ineligible expenses
  • Deadline notes
  • Ineligible organizations

Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

Premium 3 partners

Compatible Programs

SR&ED Tax Credits NRC-IRAP Développement économique régional (DER) — CED
Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

Medium Risk

Premium See which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get.

How CED RDII — Regional Defence Investment Initiative Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

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Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
CED RDII — Regional Defence Investmen... Up to 75% of eligible costs for SMEs Moderate Reimbursement Ongoing — eligible...
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CanExport SMEs Up to $50,000 Moderate Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Between intakes — the...
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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about CED RDII — Regional Defence Investment Initiative

Free
Can sole proprietors apply for RDII?
No — must be incorporated. Sole proprietors must incorporate to apply. Non-profits and Indigenous groups are eligible as organizations.
What's the typical award for a certification project?
$100K–$500K for ITAR/AS9100 certification. This is a common use case for small firms entering defence supply chains.
How long does CED take to process applications?
4–6 months after submission. Apply well before the 2028 deadline to ensure multi-year project eligibility.
Do I need matching funds for RDII?
Yes — 25% matching required. For example, a $200K project requires $50K in non-federal cash or in-kind contributions.
Can I combine RDII with SR&ED?
Yes — SR&ED covers R&D costs, RDII covers certification and production costs. They use separate expense pools.

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