Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) in the North
What we support
The Government of Canada is helping Canadian businesses and industries respond to global trade pressures.
The national Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI), delivered by Canada's regional development agencies (RDAs), is part of the broader Government of Canada tariff response plan to protect Canadian businesses and workers. In Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon, the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) delivers the RTRI.
Together, RDAs are delivering $3.45 billion to help businesses affected by tariffs address liquidity pressures, strengthen competitiveness, diversify markets, and build resilience in the face of global trade disruptions. Support is also available for not-for-profit organizations that help businesses adapt, grow, and expand trade opportunities.
Types of RTRI support available for businesses
RTRI offers different types of support to help tariff-impacted businesses maintain operations, strengthen competitiveness, and build long-term resilience.
Liquidity assistance – day-to-day operations
Funding for businesses experiencing tariff-related financial pressures for their day-to-day operations. This support is intended to help companies maintain Canadian operations and retain employees while responding to trade disruptions and planning for longer-term resilience.
Non-repayable funding:
- up to $2 million, subject to the business’ demonstrated liquidity need
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
Funding period: Up to 12 months, ending no later than March 31, 2028.
Pivot projects
Investments for businesses undertaking activities that improve productivity, increase competitiveness, and reduce exposure to future trade disruptions.
Non-repayable funding:
- Up to $1 million for projects with local or regional economic benefits
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
Repayable funding:
- Over $1 million for larger scale transformative projects
- Up to 75% of eligible costs
Funding period: Start and end dates can vary by project, but all projects must be completed by no later than March 31, 2029.
Combining RTRI support
Eligible businesses may apply for up to 12 months of liquidity assistance, pivot project funding, or both.
- A business may receive up to a maximum of $3 million in combined non-repayable funding, consisting of up to $2 million in liquidity assistance and up to $1 million for a non-repayable pivot project.
- A business may receive up to a maximum of $20 million in total RTRI funding.
Supporting tariff-impacted businesses
The initiative will focus on businesses facing tariff pressures with minimum annual revenue of $1 million. Regional development agencies will assess applications based on program criteria, demonstrated need, and the business’s proposed response to tariff impacts.
Eligible applicants
To be eligible, your business must:
- be an incorporated for-profit business located and operating in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories or the Yukon;
- have a minimum of $1 million in annual revenue in one or both of your company's last two fiscal years
- have been viable prior to tariffs
In addition, your business must demonstrate that it has been affected by ongoing trade disruptions, including U.S. tariffs, Canadian countermeasures or countervailing duties. This could be demonstrated if your business meets at least one of the following:
- operates in a sector impacted by Section 338 or Section 232 tariffs (including direct exporters and also indirect exposure, for example as a supply chain partner to an affected exporter), or operates in another tariff impacted sector
- has at least 25% or more revenue coming from goods that are ultimately exported to the U.S.
- demonstrates being negatively affected by the tariffs or the uncertainty they have created (e.g., through operating in a sector impacted by tariffs or experiencing cost increases where tariffs have raised the price of goods and materials needed for production; supply chain disruption; or loss of revenue or customers)
- for liquidity assistance, your business must also demonstrate a liquidity need due to tariff impacts
Transportation businesses may be eligible if they can demonstrate that their core business activities are directly tied to the operations or value chain of exporters in the forestry sector.
Professional, scientific, and technical services and warehousing and logistics services businesses may be eligible if they can demonstrate that their business plays a critical role in a tariff-impacted supply chain of a manufacturing exporter.
Support is also available for not-for-profit organizations in the North whose primary focus is to support businesses.
Ineligible applicants are:
- retail businesses, businesses providing local consumer services (e.g., hotels, restaurants, utilities, healthcare, recreation), and oil and gas extraction and construction services generally are not eligible
- not-for-profit organizations seeking liquidity support for their own operating expenses
- businesses that are unable to demonstrate direct or indirect tariff exposure
Types of projects and eligible activities:
- Liquidity assistance (for businesses): Short-term support, where necessary, to maintain operations and employment. Eligible costs include:
- employee salary and wages
- essential recurring operating expenses related to rent or commercial lease payments, utilities, business insurance and property taxes
- Pivot projects (for businesses): Designed to help businesses become more competitive and resilient over the longer term. Eligible activities may include:
- productivity improvements and process modernization
- equipment and technology adoption, including automation and digitization
- market diversification and export development
- supply chain resilience
- activities that increase competitiveness and reduce trade-related risks
- NFP projects: For organizations in the North that support businesses impacted by tariffs
Businesses may apply for both liquidity support and a pivot project at the same time if they require immediate financial support while undertaking activities to strengthen their long-term competitiveness and resilience. Previous RTRI recipients may also be eligible for this liquidity support. Existing RTRI recipients should contact their project officer for more information.
Need other support?
Businesses with annual revenues under $1 million are an important part of the Canadian economy and can be integral parts of value-chains in regional economies. CanNor will continue to work with businesses to understand their circumstances and needs, and to explore potential support options through RTRI focusing on those critical to the relevant value chain, sector or local economy.
Businesses whose needs are not addressed through RTRI are also encouraged to contact CanNor at operations@cannor.gc.ca to help them navigate other supports that may be available.
How to apply
- Contact operations@cannor.gc.ca or reach out to your CanNor Regional Office for more information on this program and how to apply.
- Consult the RTRI application guide for details on how to fill out the PDF application form.
- Submit using the submit button in the PDF, or download the form and email it with your attachments to operations@cannor.gc.ca.
Applications may be shared with other government departments as appropriate. This may include but is not limited to Employment and Social Development Canada, the Business Development Bank of Canada and other Regional Development Agencies.
FAQs
1. How is liquidity support determined?
The amount is based mainly on 50% of your average monthly payroll for up to 12 months. If necessary, certain essential operating costs may also be considered.
Funding will not exceed your demonstrated need or $2 million, whichever is less, and may be reduced to account for other government assistance.
See the application guide for details on the calculation and required documents.
2. What are pivot projects?
Pivot projects support businesses undertaking projects that improve productivity, increase competitiveness and reduce exposure to future trade disruptions.
A business can normally request non-repayable contributions (up to $1 million) representing up to 50% of total project costs where the project demonstrates broader economic benefits OR repayable contributions (over $1 million) for larger commercial projects, representing up to 75% of total project costs.
- A business can receive a maximum of $20 million under RTRI, including liquidity support.
- Funding is project-based and must result in incremental and measurable outcomes and add value to the existing activities already undertaken by the applicant.
- Project start dates may be up to 12 months prior to application submission.
- Projects must be completed by no later than March 31, 2029.
- Repayable contributions are interest-free. If approved, the schedule of payments will be set out in your contribution agreement.
3. Can I receive liquidity support and support for a pivot project?
Yes, eligible businesses may be eligible for liquidity support and a pivot project. For greater clarity, a business may be eligible to receive funding for one of the following combinations of projects:
- liquidity assistance only, capped at $2 million
- liquidity assistance plus a non-repayable pivot project up to $1 million for a maximum aggregate contribution of up to $3 million
- liquidity assistance plus a pivot project over $1 million, for a maximum aggregate contribution up to $20 million
- non-repayable pivot project up to $1 million
- repayable pivot project over $1 million
The above may involve multiple contribution agreements.
4. Who is eligible?
Your business must be an incorporated for-profit business located and operating in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories or the Yukon, and have a minimum of $1 million in annual revenue in at least one of the last two fiscal years.
Support is also available for not-for-profit organizations in the North whose primary focus is to support businesses. Not-for-profit organizations are not eligible for liquidity support.
5. What is viability?
Viability will be assessed through applicant attestation, financial information, and confirmation of the business' operating history. Businesses established after March 21, 2025 may be considered on a case-by-case basis where they can show they have been adversely affected by tariffs imposed since the launch of the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI).
6. Is an existing RTRI recipient eligible for liquidity support?
Yes, current RTRI recipients may be eligible for liquidity support beginning no earlier than August 22, 2025 and for up to 12 months, provided there is no duplication of funding for costs that are already being supported through an existing contribution agreement. Existing clients should contact their CanNor project officer for more information.
7. Do I need a pivot project to receive liquidity support?
No, businesses seeking liquidity assistance are not required to submit a pivot project. However, they must demonstrate a material liquidity need related to tariff impact and commit to maintaining operations and employment in Canada.
8. What documents will I need to apply?
Applicants will be required to provide:
- corporate information and a business profile
- financial statements for the past two years
- evidence of tariff impacts, such as export sales information
- payroll records and a quantified demonstration of liquidity needs, employment retention targets and operational obligations (if applying for liquidity assistance)
- information regarding other government funding received
- for liquidity assistance: payroll records and a quantified demonstration of liquidity needs (e.g., cash flow forecasts), employment retention targets and operational obligations
9. What costs are eligible under RTRI?
Eligible costs depend on the type of support being requested. For businesses seeking liquidity support, funding is intended to help maintain operations and employment in Canada during periods of tariff-related disruption.
Liquidity support is based on the business's demonstrated and quantified liquidity needs. The amount of support is determined with reference to eligible payroll costs, although other operating costs are eligible and may be taken into consideration.
This type of assistance is provided for a limited period to help address short-term tariff-related pressures, up to a maximum of 12 months ending no later than March 31, 2028.
For businesses undertaking pivot projects, eligible costs are new, additional costs directly related to activities that improve productivity, competitiveness, supply chain resilience, market diversification, or long-term growth.
For all types of support, costs are ineligible if they are deemed unreasonable, non-incremental and/or not directly related to project activities. Examples include land and building acquisition, entertainment expenses, motor vehicle costs, refinancing existing debt, and more.
10. Can my project receive support from other government programs at the same time?
Yes, businesses may receive support from other federal, provincial, territorial, or municipal programs, provided there is no duplication of funding for the same costs.
Applicants must disclose all sources of government assistance received or requested. For liquidity assistance, costs already reimbursed through another government wage or operating support program cannot also be claimed under RTRI.
11. Do I need to maintain employment in Canada to receive liquidity support?
Yes, the objective of liquidity assistance is to help businesses maintain operations and employment in the region in which they operate while responding to tariff-related disruptions. Applicants will be required to attest that liquidity support will be used to help maintain Canadian operations and retain employees. Recipients will also be required to report on employment and payroll levels during and after the project period. Adjustments will be made should other government supports be received.
12. What documents will I need to apply?
Applicants will be required to provide:
- corporate information and a business profile
- financial statements for the past two years
- evidence of tariff impacts, such as export sales information
- information regarding other government funding received
- for liquidity assistance: payroll records and a quantified demonstration of liquidity needs (e.g., cash flow forecasts), employment retention targets and operational obligations
13. Can I pay dividends, shareholder loans or similar non-arms length payments while receiving liquidity assistance?
Liquidity recipients are restricted from declaring or paying dividends during the period of their funding assistance. In exceptional circumstances, pre-established dividend payments to an employee in lieu of any salary costs at an acceptable market rate may be considered during the period of liquidity support. Payments to a parent company, subsidiary, affiliate or other non-arm’s-length entity may be restricted, depending on the circumstances of the payments and pre-established practices.