Federal government grants, loans and incentives for individuals and families

Ranked programs

31 open, ongoing or intake-based programs, best score first.

1. Canada Workers Benefit (CWB)

   Canada Revenue Agency

   A refundable tax credit for people who are working and earning a low income. It has a basic amount and a disability supplement and is paid through the tax return.

   OngoingFederalOther incentives
   55

   Top pick

2. Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (qualified small business corporation shares and farm/fishing property)

   Canada Revenue Agency / Finance Canada

   Individuals can shelter capital gains on the sale of qualified small business corporation shares and qualified farm or fishing property up to a lifetime limit.

   OngoingFederalOther incentivesLimit $1.3M
   55

   Top pick

3. Home Buyers' Plan (HBP)

   Canada Revenue Agency

   Lets first-time buyers withdraw from their RRSPs to buy or build a qualifying home without tax on the withdrawal, repaying it over time. It can be combined with a first...

   OngoingFederalOther incentivesLimit $60K
   53

   Top pick

4. First-Time Home Buyers' GST/HST Rebate

   Canada Revenue Agency

   Rebate of the federal GST/HST on a newly built or substantially renovated first home. Ontario adds a provincial first-time buyer HST rebate.

   OpenFederalOther incentives
   46

   Strong

5. Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) and Canada Learning Bond (CLB)

   Employment and Social Development Canada

   Federal grants paid into a child's RESP: the CESG matches contributions, and the Canada Learning Bond adds money for lower-income families.

   OngoingFederalGrantsUp to $7K
   45

   Strong

6. Electric Vehicle Affordability Program (EVAP)

   Transport Canada

   Point-of-sale incentives for Canadians, organizations and businesses buying or leasing an eligible new electric vehicle. It replaces the closed iZEV program.

   OngoingFederalOther incentivesUp to $5K
   45

   Strong

7. First Home Savings Account (FHSA)

   Canada Revenue Agency

   A registered plan that lets first-time home buyers save for a qualifying first home tax-free, with deductible contributions.

   OngoingFederalOther incentivesLimit $8K
   45

   Strong

8. Home Accessibility Tax Credit (HATC)

   Canada Revenue Agency

   A non-refundable federal tax credit that helps homeowners cover the cost of renovations that make a home more accessible and safer for seniors and people eligible for...

   OngoingFederalOther incentivesLimit $20K
   44

   Strong

9. Canada Training Credit

   Canada Revenue Agency

   Refundable tax credit that reimburses part of eligible tuition and fees for workers aged 26 to 65 using a limit that accrues each year they file.

   OngoingFederalOther incentivesLimit $5K
   42

   Strong

10. Canada Student Grants and Loans

    Employment and Social Development Canada / provincial student aid

    Grants and loans for post-secondary students of low and middle incomes, students with dependants and students with disabilities.

    OngoingFederalGrants
    41

    Strong

11. Compensation for Employers of Reservists Program

    Employment and Social Development Canada (Reserve Force employer support)

    One-time financial support to civilian employers and self-employed reservists to offset operational costs when a reservist employee deploys on full-time operational duty.

    OpenFederalGrants
    37

    Worth a look

12. Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) Program

    Employment and Social Development Canada

    Funds Indigenous service delivery organizations that design and deliver job training and employment services to First Nations, Inuit, Metis and urban/non-affiliated...

    OngoingFederalOther incentives
    35

    Worth a look

13. Veterans Emergency Fund

    Veterans Affairs Canada

    Prompt non-taxable financial support for Veterans and their families facing an emergency that threatens their health and well-being, such as food, clothing, uninsured...

    OngoingFederalGrants
    34

    Worth a look

14. Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program (CGHAP)

    Natural Resources Canada (transitioning to Environment and Climate Change Canada); delivered through provincial and territorial programs

    Provides low-to-median-income homeowners and tenants with no-cost home retrofits such as insulation and heat pumps. Selected organizations deliver the work directly, so...

    OngoingFederalOther incentives
    33

    Worth a look

15. Disability Tax Credit (DTC)

    Canada Revenue Agency

    A non-refundable credit that reduces income tax for people with a severe and prolonged impairment or their supporting family member. DTC approval also opens the door to...

    OngoingFederalOther incentives
    32

    Worth a look

16. Canada Disability Benefit (CDB)

    Employment and Social Development Canada / Service Canada

    A monthly federal payment providing direct financial support to working-age people with disabilities.

    OngoingFederalOther incentives
    31

    Worth a look

17. Changing Narratives Fund

    Department of Canadian Heritage

    The Changing Narratives Fund supports diverse communities (Indigenous, Black, racialized, ethno-religious minority, people with disabilities and 2SLGBTQI+) in sharing...

    OngoingFederalGrants
    30

    Worth a look

18. Education and Training Benefit (Veterans)

    Veterans Affairs Canada

    A taxable benefit that helps pay for education and training for former Canadian Armed Forces members, including degrees, certificates and shorter courses such as...

    OngoingFederalOther incentives
    30

    Worth a look

19. Mitacs Globalink Research Award

    Mitacs

    Funds senior undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for 12 to 48 weeks of research with a host supervisor, inbound to Canada or abroad from Canada...

    OngoingFederalGrants
    28

    Worth a look

20. Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral program (CGRS D)

    CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC (Canada Research Training Awards Suite)

    A tri-agency doctoral scholarship supporting a high-quality research training experience for students pursuing a doctoral degree in health, natural sciences and...

    OpenFederalGrantsUp to $40K
    27

    Worth a look

21. Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Master's program (CGRS M)

    CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC (Canada Research Training Awards Suite)

    A tri-agency scholarship that supports high-calibre master's students across health, natural sciences and engineering, and social sciences and humanities so they can...

    OpenFederalGrantsUp to $27K
    26

    Worth a look

22. Canada Apprentice Loan

    Employment and Social Development Canada

    Interest-free loans for apprentices in Red Seal trades to cover tuition, tools, equipment and living costs during technical training.

    OngoingFederalLoansLoans up to $4K
    24

    Long shot

23. Red Seal Completion Bonus

    Employment and Social Development Canada

    Part of the Team Canada Strong initiative, this bonus is for journeypersons who complete an apprenticeship and get certified in an eligible Red Seal trade. It pays...

    Intake-basedFederalGrantsUp to $50K
    24

    Long shot

24. Canada Council for the Arts - Creating, Knowing and Sharing (First Nations, Inuit and Metis arts)

    Canada Council for the Arts

    Funds Indigenous individuals, groups and Indigenous-led arts organizations that foster a vital and resilient Indigenous arts ecosystem, via five funding opportunities...

    OngoingFederalGrants
    22

    Long shot

25. Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program

    CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC (Canada Research Training Awards Suite)

    A federal research talent investment for outstanding postdoctoral researchers, in Canada or abroad, at a pivotal point in their careers across health, natural sciences...

    OpenFederalGrantsUp to $70K
    22

    Long shot

26. Canada Council for the Arts - Arts Across Canada and Abroad grants

    Canada Council for the Arts

    Ten funding opportunities supporting artists, arts workers, groups and organizations: micro-grants, touring and circulation, public outreach, translation, residencies...

    Intake-basedFederalGrants
    21

    Long shot

27. Canada Council for the Arts - Explore and Create (Artistic Creation, Artist-driven Organizations)

    Canada Council for the Arts

    Supports research, development, creation, production and sharing of artistic work and professional development by artists, groups and organizations.

    OngoingFederalGrants
    19

    Long shot

28. Canada Council for the Arts - Supporting Artistic Practice

    Canada Council for the Arts

    Funds Canadian arts professionals, groups and organizations that champion the arts sector and advance conditions of creation, through six funding opportunities including...

    OngoingFederalGrants
    19

    Long shot

29. NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)

    NSERC (jointly administered with CIHR and SSHRC)

    Awards that give undergraduates paid research experience in an academic setting to nurture an interest in research careers and encourage graduate studies. The program...

    Intake-basedFederalGrants
    19

    Long shot

30. Canada Music Fund

    Canadian Heritage (delivered by FACTOR and Musicaction)

    Supports Canadian music artists and industry through Individual Initiatives (artist development, promotion, audience growth) and Collective Initiatives (profile, skills...

    Intake-basedFederalGrants
    17

    Long shot

31. Assistance Fund (Veterans Affairs Canada)

    Veterans Affairs Canada

    Emergency cash grants for War Veterans Allowance recipients who face a threat to their health or safety, such as fire or flood damage, lost clothing, essential health...

    OngoingFederalGrantsUp to $1K
    15

    Long shot

Questions

How many federal programs for individuals and families are open right now?

Of the 39 federal programs for individuals and families in our database, 27 are open or ongoing and 4 take applications only in intake windows. The rest are closed, paused or of unknown status, so they are not ranked on this page. Counts reflect our last check on Oct 31, 2026; programs can change without notice.

What is the largest published amount among these programs?

Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (qualified small business corporation shares and farm/fishing property) publishes the largest figure on this page, shown as "Limit $1.3M". Published figures are program maximums, caps or limits, not what an applicant should expect to receive; many programs pay a share of eligible costs and amounts depend on your project and eligibility.

Which federal programs for individuals and families rank highest?

Right now the top three by our score are Canada Workers Benefit (55, Top pick), Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (55, Top pick), Home Buyers' Plan (53, Top pick). The score combines the size of the published amount, how much work an application takes, how likely an eligible applicant is to succeed and how many people qualify.

Do I have to pay this money back?

It depends on the program. Grants and incentives are generally not repaid, loans always are, and some contribution agreements are partly or fully repayable, so read the terms of each program. Among the 27 open or ongoing programs here, 13 are in our Grants category, 1 are loans and 13 are other incentives such as tax credits and rebates.

Are these federal or Ontario programs?

27 of the 27 open or ongoing programs here come from the federal government and 0 from the Ontario government. Both levels can usually be combined, but many programs have stacking rules that cap total government funding for the same costs, so check them before you apply.

Is this an official government website?

No. Grants & Loans Finder is an independent research tool. Each program page links to the official source, and applications are always made with the government agency or lender that runs the program.