Key Facts for 2026
- Futurpreneur: up to $75K ($25K + $50K BDC), age 18–39
- Invest NS Accelerate: $30K growth / $40K development; 2026 call closed July 8
- Mitacs Accelerate: $15K–$500K, requires university partner
- ACOA BDP: repayable contributions, minimum project $50K
- Youth Employment (YESP): up to $25K wage subsidy per youth, through intermediary organizations; between intakes
- Student Work Placement (SWPP): up to $5K per co-op hire
- Futurpreneur Side Hustle: up to $25K, age 18–39
- NS Creative Industries Fund: up to $30K (half of costs), apply by December 1, 2026
Which kind of Nova Scotia startup help do you need first?
Nova Scotia startup help comes in five kinds: an advisor, money you keep, a startup loan, a cohort, or part of a new hire's wage. As of October 22, 2026, the loans, advice and hiring help are open year-round, while the two main startup grants for young founders are between calls.
Business development assistance:
- Futurpreneur Canada: a mentor, ages 18 to 39
- Your local Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC): outside Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford
- Invest Nova Scotia's Regional Business Development Advisors: if you plan to sell outside the province
- Propel: a no-cost program for tech startups
- The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) Business Development Program: for a firm already growing
What do you need first?
All five first doors at a glance
| You need | First door | You hand back | Status, October 22, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Someone to check my idea and plan | Futurpreneur mentor; outside Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford, your local CBDC advisor | Your time | Year-round |
| Money I keep | Spark Nova Scotia (outside metro Halifax) or Invest Nova Scotia Accelerate. Open now: the Creative Industries Fund (creative exporters) and TEAM Work GO-3D (founders living with a disability) | Nothing | Spark and Accelerate between calls; Creative Industries Fund to December 1, 2026 |
| A startup loan | Futurpreneur Canada Startup Program, $5,000 to $75,000 | You repay it | Year-round |
| A desk, a cohort and people who have done it | Propel e-Accelerator, a no-cost program for tech startups | Your time | Rolling |
| Help paying my first hire | Graduate to Opportunity, 25% of year-one salary | The rest of the wage | Year-round; apply before the hire starts |
Your door depends on your business, not only your age. See every Nova Scotia program your business clears on the map →
Futurpreneur funding amounts and eligibility requirements
Futurpreneur Canada is the primary dedicated youth-entrepreneur funding program operating across Nova Scotia, including Halifax, Dartmouth, Truro, New Glasgow, and Sydney. The program pairs financing with two years of business mentorship, making it distinct from pure grants. The $25K Futurpreneur portion is interest-free for the first year; the $50K BDC portion carries commercial rates. Together, the $75K cap is the highest non-dilutive funding amount available to young Nova Scotia entrepreneurs without requiring matching.
Persona — The Halifax Service Entrepreneur
Amara, 27, is launching a digital marketing agency in Halifax's North End. She needs $40K for equipment, first-year salaries, and working capital. Futurpreneur's $75K combined facility covers her full ask — and the two-year mentorship connects her with a senior marketer in the Halifax business community.
| Futurpreneur Stream | Amount | Age | Business Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Startup (full-time) | $25K + $50K BDC = $75K | 18–39 | Pre-revenue or <12 months |
| Side Hustle (part-time) | Up to $25K | 18–39 | Part-time, any stage |
| BDC co-lending only | Up to $50K | 18–39 | After Futurpreneur approval |
Startup loans in Nova Scotia, side by side
Seven lenders make startup loans to young founders in Nova Scotia, from $500 at Rise Asset Development to $150,000 from a Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC), as of October 22, 2026. Every one is repaid. For most founders aged 18 to 39 with a first business, the first call is Futurpreneur Canada: $5,000 to $75,000 with a mentor attached.
- Rise Asset Developmentto $10,000
- Black Business Initiativeto $25,000
- Ulnooweg, Women and Youthto $25,000
- Futurpreneur Side Hustleto $25,000
- Futurpreneur Startupto $75,000
- CBDC First-Time Entrepreneurto $150,000
| Lender | Who it is for | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Futurpreneur Canada Startup Program $5,000 to $75,000 | Ages 18 to 39, business full-time for 24 months or less. Black and Indigenous streams lend the same. | The first call for most young founders. Repaid, and a mentor comes with it. |
| Futurpreneur Side Hustle Program Up to $25,000 | Ages 18 to 39 with a full-time income outside the business. | For a business beside a job. Repaid over up to five years at RBC prime plus 3%. |
| CBDC First-Time Entrepreneur Loan Up to $150,000 | First-time owners in rural communities; not Halifax, Dartmouth or Bedford. | The largest first loan here, with a local advisor. Repaid. |
| Ulnooweg, Women and Youth stream Up to $25,000 | First Nations, Métis or Inuit founders who are women or 35 or under. | Repaid, with help building the business plan first. |
| Black Business Initiative Direct Business Loans Up to $25,000 | Black-owned Nova Scotia businesses; you put in 10% yourself. | First year interest-free, then repaid. |
| Rise Asset Development $500 to $10,000 | Founders living with mental health or addiction challenges. No credit score required. | Small, repaid, mentorship included. |
| ACOA Business Development Program No set amount | Incorporated small and medium firms with a growth project. | Interest-free, repayable, built for growing firms. |
Why Futurpreneur first: it serves the whole province year-round, and the mentor comes with the loan. If you live outside Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford and have never owned a business, the CBDC loan goes twice as high.
Business development loans for a company already growing come from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA): see our ACOA funding guide for Atlantic Canada.
Most founders under 40 start here. See the Futurpreneur Startup Program → Weighing a bank loan instead? Bank-backed loan or Futurpreneur, compared →
Invest Nova Scotia Accelerate — provincial grant for high-growth startups
Invest Nova Scotia (formerly Innovacorp) administers the Accelerate grant as the province's primary commercialization funding vehicle. The program targets companies in technology, clean energy, life sciences, and ocean industries — sectors with strong presence in Halifax, Dartmouth Burnside Industrial Park, and Cape Breton's CBU innovation corridor. The development-stage stream ($40K) specifically targets businesses with a working prototype or pilot customers and evidence of market traction. The growth stream ($30K) is for startups already in market and earning revenue.
Persona — The Dartmouth Tech Founder
Jason, 31, is building an IoT platform for marine aquaculture operations in Dartmouth. His company has three pilot customers in the Annapolis Valley and received ACOA feasibility funding last year. Invest NS Accelerate's $40K development grant is his next step before approaching Mitacs for R&D capital.
| Stream | Amount | Stage Required | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth | $30,000 | In market, earning revenue | Scalable business model |
| Development | $40,000 | Working prototype / pilot | Evidence of market traction |
Invest Nova Scotia Accelerate is closed: where a young tech founder goes instead
Invest Nova Scotia Accelerate, the province's $30,000 (Growth) or $40,000 (Development) non-repayable award for tech startups, is closed as of October 22, 2026. Its 2026 call ran June 17 to July 8, and Invest Nova Scotia's page says to check back for the next cohort intake. No date for that intake is published.
- The 2026 call for submissions was open.
- Winners notified, after shortlist pitches on August 18 and 19.
- Scheduled start of the 2026 cohort.
- Not announced as of October 22, 2026.
Growth asks for a product in market and earning revenue; Development is for hardware, regulated or complex-market startups. Both reimburse eligible expenses, up to $15,000 of it founder salaries. Meanwhile, four doors are open:
- Spark Nova Scotia Startup CompetitionUp to $50,000 per company for tech startups headquartered outside Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford. Between intakes: the 2026 deadline was May 15.
- Volta AI ResidencyHalifax cowork space, peer groups and coaching for AI startups. No cash. Applications open year-round.
- Propel e-AcceleratorA no-cost program for Atlantic tech startups, with a Vision track for early ideas. Rolling intake.
- Mitacs Accelerate EntrepreneurFor students, postdocs and graduates of the last two years who own an incorporated startup, working at an approved incubator.
Mitacs Accelerate and Business Strategy Internship — R&D and consulting funding
Mitacs is the largest academic-industry bridge funding program in Canada, with active partnerships at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Cape Breton University in Sydney, Acadia University in Wolfville, and St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish. Nova Scotia companies across sectors — from life sciences and clean tech to social enterprise and agri-food — use Mitacs to fund graduate student or postdoctoral work on specific business problems. The program is open to companies of any age but requires a university partner who agrees to co-supervise the intern.
Persona — The Truro AgriFood Startup
Priya, 34, runs a fermentation-based food startup in Truro with a processing facility and two employees. She needs product reformulation research and connects with an Acadia University food science professor. A 4-unit Mitacs Accelerate project delivers $60K of R&D support — Priya pays $30K and Mitacs covers the other $30K.
| Program | Amount | Company Cost | University Partner? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitacs Accelerate (1 unit) | $15,000 | $7,500 (50%) | Required |
| Mitacs Accelerate (multi-unit) | Up to $500K+ | 50% of total | Required |
| Mitacs BSI | Up to $10,000 | $5,000 (50%) | Required |
Decision Tree — Which Program Fits Your Stage?
- Are you aged 18–39 and launching or operating a full-time business? → Yes: Futurpreneur Startup ($75K). Part-time: Futurpreneur Side Hustle ($25K).
- Is your business a scalable tech, clean energy, ocean, or life sciences venture in Nova Scotia? → Yes: Invest NS Accelerate ($30K–$40K), then Mitacs for R&D.
- Do you have a university research partner or a defined analytical problem? → Yes: Mitacs Accelerate ($15K/unit, up to $500K) or Mitacs BSI ($10K).
- Are you hiring youth employees (aged 15–30)? → Yes: Youth Employment (YESP, up to $25K) and/or SWPP (up to $5K per co-op student).
- Are you in the creative sector (screen, music, publishing, the arts)? → Yes: NS Creative Industries Fund (up to $30K, half of costs).
ACOA Business Development Program and federal wage subsidies
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) is the primary federal economic development body for Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, and Newfoundland. ACOA's BDP supports established businesses and non-profits in Halifax, Sydney, Yarmouth, and throughout rural Nova Scotia with repayable, interest-free financing for projects that create jobs or improve productivity. While technically not a grant, BDP contributions are interest-free and have flexible repayment terms — many recipients treat them as near-grant. YESP, administered through Service Canada, is a direct non-repayable subsidy for hiring disadvantaged youth.
Persona — The New Glasgow Manufacturer
Marcus, 38, owns a precision machining shop in New Glasgow with four employees. He needs $120K to add a CNC machining centre and hire two youth apprentices. ACOA BDP covers the capital equipment investment; YESP subsidizes 50% of the two apprentices' wages for their first year — reducing his all-in cost to under $75K.
| Program | Max Amount | Repayable? | Youth Age Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACOA BDP | Varies (typically $50K–$5M) | Yes (interest-free) | None |
| YESP (federal) | $25,000 | No (non-repayable) | 15–30 years old |
| SWPP (co-op) | $5,000 | No (non-repayable) | Post-secondary student |
Nova Scotia regional funding landscape — city-by-city overview
Halifax and Dartmouth hold the densest concentration of youth-entrepreneur programs. The Halifax Partnership runs Cultivate Halifax, a pre-acceleration program for early-stage founders. Dartmouth's Burnside Industrial Park hosts dozens of manufacturers and tech firms accessing ACOA BDP. Invest NS's main office is in Halifax; Accelerate applications are reviewed centrally but accepted from anywhere in the province.
Cape Breton Regional Municipality (Sydney, Glace Bay, Sydney Mines) benefits from CBRM economic development programs and ACOA's Sydney office. Cape Breton University in Sydney is an active Mitacs partner — life sciences, sustainable energy, and tourism research projects are regularly co-funded with CBU researchers. The Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design in Sydney supports creative entrepreneurs eligible for the NS Creative Industries Fund.
Truro and Colchester County are agricultural hubs — Nova Scotia Agriculture's Growing Forward programs and Mitacs Accelerate partnerships with Dalhousie's Faculty of Agriculture in Bible Hill serve agri-food founders. New Glasgow and Pictou County retain strong manufacturing activity supported by ACOA BDP for productivity investments. Antigonish is home to St. Francis Xavier University, an active Mitacs and SWPP partner.
Yarmouth and Southwest Nova Scotia access ACOA BDP for fisheries and tourism projects. Annapolis Valley (Windsor, Kentville, Bridgetown) is a strong area for agri-food Mitacs partnerships and NS Creative Industries Fund applications. Amherst and Cumberland County are within range of both NS and federal programs, with the Colchester-Cumberland Enterprise Network providing application navigation support.
Nova Scotia Creative Industries Fund and Propel e-Accelerator
The NS Creative Industries Fund is administered by the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage. Eligible expenses include production costs, market development, and digital platform development. Applications are accepted until December 1, 2026, in the order received, with assessments typically taking 8–12 weeks. The program has funded Halifax film production companies, Sydney music recording studios, and Yarmouth heritage-tourism operators; digital gaming and animation businesses are not eligible.
Propel ICT's e-Accelerator is an Atlantic Canada accelerator serving Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, and Newfoundland tech startups. It provides structured curriculum and investor connections at no cost to cohort participants. The program is venture-oriented — companies with B2B SaaS or deep-tech models are typical applicants. Dartmouth, Halifax, and Sydney tech founders access Propel as an alternative to Ontario-centric accelerator programs.
Persona — The Sydney Digital Media Creator
Kezia, 29, runs a video production company in Sydney creating documentary content for Cape Breton tourism clients. She needs $60K to upgrade production equipment and enter international distribution. The NS Creative Industries Fund's $30K cap (half of eligible costs) covers half of her project, and the Halifax Partnership's creative-sector network connects her to future clients.
Decision Tree — Stacking Multiple Programs
- Start with Futurpreneur ($75K) if aged 18–39 — this is your low-friction baseline. Confirm your business is full-time and you have a business plan.
- Layer Invest NS Accelerate ($30K–$40K) if your business is scalable tech, clean energy, ocean, or life sciences. Non-repayable. Does not conflict with Futurpreneur.
- Add Mitacs Accelerate ($15K+ per unit) if you have a research problem and a university partner. Can stack with both Futurpreneur and Invest NS.
- Use YESP / SWPP to subsidize any youth hires — entirely separate from the above, covers wage costs not addressed by other programs.
- Apply ACOA BDP for capital projects over $50K — works alongside all four above programs for eligible Atlantic Canada businesses.
Which programs match your Nova Scotia business?
Answer 7 questions and get a ranked list of grants matched to your stage, industry, and province.
Take the free grant quiz →How much money do they actually give you?
A young founder in Nova Scotia can borrow $500 to $150,000 today, but money you keep is scarcer: as of October 22, 2026, the two largest youth startup grants, Spark Nova Scotia (up to $50,000) and Invest Nova Scotia Accelerate ($30,000 or $40,000), are between calls. A youth entrepreneur grant is money a young founder keeps without repaying it; a youth loan is repaid.
Both open grants are for a specific group: creative businesses building sales outside the province, and founders living with a disability. For everyone else, the money on offer this autumn is a loan or help with a hire.
- Nova Scotia Creative Industries Fund: up to $30,000, half of eligible costs, for creative businesses building export sales. Open until December 1, 2026, or until funds run out.
- TEAM Work GO-3D Start Up Stream: individually assessed funding for small start-up costs, for founders living with a disability. Active; no deadline published.
Spark Nova Scotia (up to $50,000) and Invest Nova Scotia Accelerate ($30,000 or $40,000) are between calls: where to go meanwhile.
Rogers Youth Grants ($10,000 or $25,000) go to charities running youth programs, not to a founder's business.
The seven lenders in the startup loans table lend from $500 (Rise) to $150,000 (CBDC). Every loan is repaid; the Black Business Initiative's first year is interest-free.
- Graduate to Opportunity: 25% of a recent graduate's year-one salary, 30% for a master's or PhD hire in an innovation role, plus 10% for an equity-deserving hire. Apply before the hire starts.
- Nova Scotia Co-op Education Incentive: $8 an hour, up to $6,080 per placement, in three windows a year.
- Student Work Placement Program: 50% of a student's wages, up to $5,000 per placement, through a delivery partner.
More on each: Nova Scotia hiring grants.
All 11 programs — eligibility and key details
Futurpreneur Startup Program
Up to $75,000
$25K Futurpreneur loan + $50K BDC co-lending for entrepreneurs aged 18–39 launching a full-time business anywhere in Canada including Nova Scotia.
Invest NS Accelerate
$30,000 – $40,000
Non-repayable grant for high-growth Nova Scotia startups — $30K at growth stage, $40K at development stage. Scalable business model required.
Mitacs Accelerate
$15,000 – $500,000+
$15K per 4-month internship unit (50% company / 50% Mitacs). Requires a Canadian university research partner. Partners include Dal, CBU, Acadia, StFX.
ACOA Business Development Program
Varies ($50K–$5M typical)
Repayable, interest-free contributions for Atlantic Canada businesses undertaking capital investments, market development, or productivity projects. Non-grant.
Youth Employment and Skills Program
Up to $25,000
Wage subsidy for employers hiring youth aged 15–30 facing barriers to employment. Covers up to 100% of wages for 26 weeks. Employers do not apply directly: intermediary organizations hold the funding and place youth with employers.
Student Work Placement Program
Up to $5,000
Co-op/internship wage subsidy: 50% of the student's wages, up to $5K per placement. Employers partner with a participating post-secondary institution.
Futurpreneur Side Hustle Program
Up to $25,000
For part-time young entrepreneurs aged 18–39 running a side business in Canada. Includes mentorship. Business does not need to be full-time.
Rogers Youth Grants
$10,000 or $25,000
Grants to registered charities and community organizations running education or employment programs for youth aged 12 to 29, not to a founder's business. Organizations serving equity-deserving communities come first. Check Rogers annual intake for NS-specific opportunities.
Nova Scotia Creative Industries Fund
Up to $30,000
Non-repayable grant for NS businesses in film, television, music, publishing, design and the arts (not digital gaming or animation). Covers production, market development, and digital platform costs.
Propel ICT e-Accelerator
No-cost program
Atlantic Canada accelerator providing mentorship and investor access at no cost to early-stage tech startups. Cohort-based. Halifax, Dartmouth, and Sydney founders regularly participate.
Mitacs Business Strategy Internship
Up to $10,000
Short consulting engagement — a business school or MBA student works on a specific strategic challenge. 50% company / 50% Mitacs. Dalhousie, SMU, and CBU are frequent partners.
Application Process — Where to Start
- Step 1 — Identify your top 2 programs from the list above. Use the stage (startup / growth / established) and sector as filters.
- Step 2 — Register your business in Nova Scotia if you haven't already. Most programs require active NS incorporation or sole proprietorship registration. ACOA BDP and federal programs accept registered Atlantic Canada businesses.
- Step 3 — Prepare your business plan. Futurpreneur has a free template. Invest NS Accelerate and ACOA BDP require financial projections and a clear value proposition.
- Step 4 — Apply in parallel where possible. Futurpreneur, YESP, and NS Creative Industries Fund have independent application portals with no exclusivity clauses. Mitacs requires university partner confirmation first.
- Step 5 — Contact ACOA's Sydney or Halifax office for BDP feasibility conversation before applying — ACOA officers will tell you directly whether your project is a fit.
Complete answers — eligibility, process, amounts, deadlines, stacking
Eligibility
Most programs require Canadian residency and Nova Scotia business registration. Futurpreneur requires age 18–39 and a full-time business commitment. Invest NS requires a scalable model. Mitacs requires a university partner. YESP requires hiring a youth aged 15–30.
Application Process
Futurpreneur: online application at futurpreneur.ca with business plan and mentor agreement. Invest NS: application portal at investns.ca. Mitacs: faculty supervisor initiates the partnership application. ACOA BDP: intake call with ACOA officer, then formal application. YESP: through an intermediary organization; employers do not apply directly.
Funding Amounts
Futurpreneur: $75K max ($25K + $50K BDC). Invest NS: $30K–$40K. Mitacs: $15K per unit to $500K+. ACOA BDP: $50K–$5M (repayable). YESP: $25K. SWPP: up to $5K per student. NS Creative Industries: $30K (half of costs). Mitacs BSI: $10K.
Deadlines
Futurpreneur: rolling (no fixed deadline). Invest NS Accelerate: one call a year; the 2026 call closed July 8, 2026. Mitacs: applications submitted year-round with ~8-week review. ACOA BDP: rolling. YESP: between calls for proposals, through intermediary organizations. Rogers Youth Grants: for charities and community organizations, between intakes, no deadline published (check Rogers.com for cohort dates). NS Creative Industries: apply by December 1, 2026.
Stacking Eligibility
Futurpreneur and Invest NS Accelerate are stackable — there is no federal/provincial exclusivity rule. Mitacs stacks with both. YESP and SWPP cover wage costs not addressed by business capital programs. ACOA BDP may require disclosure of other public contributions but does not automatically prohibit stacking.
Common Mistakes
1) Applying for Futurpreneur with a part-time business (use Side Hustle stream). 2) Targeting Invest NS with a non-scalable retail concept. 3) Starting Mitacs paperwork without confirming university supervisor availability. 4) Missing ACOA BDP pre-consultation — ACOA officers prefer to vet fit before you invest in the application.
Is there help for an 18-year-old, or outside Halifax?
Yes to both. As of October 22, 2026, Futurpreneur Canada lends to founders from age 18 anywhere in Nova Scotia, and the CBDC First-Time Entrepreneur Loan and Spark Nova Scotia serve only founders outside Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford.
Is there anything for an 18-year-old?Yes, from 18
What if I'm under 18?Wait for 18
Do I need to be in Halifax?No, province-wide
Where do I go for free startup help?One door per region
Nova Scotia funding closing in the next six weeks
6 programs open to Nova Scotia businesses close between October 29 and December 10, 2026. 2 are specific to Nova Scotia; the rest are Canada-wide. Each date is the funder’s published deadline as our catalogue records it; confirm on the funder’s page before you plan around it.
| Program | Closes | Amount | Open to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offshore Wind Indigenous and Coastal Communities Grant: Round 2: Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) | Up to $10K per year | Nova Scotia · Grant · for Indigenous entrepreneurs | |
| Invest Nova Scotia Climate Adaptation Program | Up to $15,000 | Nova Scotia · Grant | |
| Access to Business Opportunities (Indigenous Entrepreneurship) | Up to $500K/yr | Canada-wide · Program · for Indigenous entrepreneurs | |
| ICTC: WIL Digital Program (Tech Sector Student Work Placement) | Up to 50% of salary, max $5,000 | Canada-wide · Grant | |
| Pizza Hut Canada: Equal Slice Grant Program | Canada-wide · Award | ||
| Canada Summer Jobs | 50% to 100% of minimum wage | Canada-wide · Grant |
Deadlines as of October 29, 2026, from the GrantCompass catalogue. This list is rebuilt from the catalogue; a program whose date has passed drops off.
What changed in Nova Scotia youth funding in 2026
- Invest Nova Scotia rebranding complete: Innovacorp was formally rebranded as Invest Nova Scotia in late 2025. The Accelerate grant structure ($30K / $40K) is unchanged, but the application portal URL updated to investns.ca.
- CDAP is wound down: The Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP), which provided $15K digital advisory grants to small businesses, closed intake in 2025. Nova Scotia businesses previously using CDAP should evaluate Invest NS Accelerate or Mitacs BSI as alternatives for digital transformation support.
- Futurpreneur age ceiling confirmed at 39: Futurpreneur Canada confirmed the upper age limit remains 39 for the Startup program (no change from 2025). The Side Hustle stream upper limit is also 39. Entrepreneurs who turn 40 during an active Futurpreneur file retain their existing funding.
- ACOA BDP processing times: ACOA Atlantic reported median review times of 4–6 months for BDP applications in 2025–26 — slightly faster than prior years. Pre-consultation with your ACOA regional office is now formally recommended on the program page.
- NS Creative Industries Fund budget maintained: The Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage confirmed the Creative Industries Fund envelope is maintained at 2025 levels for 2026–27. Businesses working on digital gaming and animation are not eligible.
- Youth Employment deadlines: YESP's federal budget allocation for 2026–27 was confirmed in Budget 2026. No changes to the $25K per youth maximum or 26-week wage subsidy duration.
Federal business funding on record for Nova Scotia companies
894 companies in 6 Nova Scotia cities are named in federal business-funding records, fiscal 2005 to 2026; 168 of them were funded in fiscal 2025 or later. In Halifax the typical company on the record received $247K in total across those years. The record is federal: territorial and provincial programs are not in it.
| City | Companies on record | Typical total per company | Funded since fiscal 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halifax | 452 | $247K | 80 |
| Dartmouth | 235 | $409K | 61 |
| Sydney | 93 | $228K | 5 |
| Bedford | 70 | $291K | 15 |
| Antigonish | 24 | $121K | 4 |
| New Glasgow | 20 | $276K | 3 |
Data as of July 2026. Covers published federal agreements over $25,000 for the programs we track, in cities with 20 or more named companies; loans and most tax credits are not in it. Each city links to its full list. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Not sure which programs you qualify for?
Find my matched grants — free →