Financing programs for individuals and families

We track 9 financing programs for individuals and families that are open or ongoing right now (6 federal, 3 Ontario). 1 of the open or ongoing programs publish a figure of $100K or more. They are ranked below by our 0 to 100 score, which weighs how much a program pays against how hard it is to win; last checked Oct 11, 2026.

See which ones fit you, freeTry the 1-minute matcher

Ranked programs

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

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. Ontario Focused Flow-Through Share Tax Credit

    Ontario Ministry of Finance / Canada Revenue Agency

    Refundable personal tax credit for individuals who invest in flow-through shares of Ontario mining exploration companies, improving access to capital for junior...

    OngoingOntarioOther incentives
    41
    Strong

  7. London Additional Residential Unit (ARU) Loan

    City of London

    Loan helping owner-occupying homeowners in London pay for creating an additional residential unit on their property.

    OngoingOntarioLoansLoans up to $45K
    29
    Worth a look

  8. Starter Company Plus

    Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (via Small Business Enterprise Centres)

    Training, mentoring and a grant for people starting, expanding or buying a business.

    OngoingOntarioGrantsUp to $5K
    28
    Worth a look

  9. 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

How we rank

Each program gets a score from 0 to 100 that asks how much money you can realistically get for how little work. It blends the largest published amount (loans count for less because they are repaid), how much effort an application takes, how likely an eligible applicant is to succeed and how many people qualify. Closed programs score zero and programs without a published dollar figure get a neutral value, never a guess. Scores are editorial estimates, not predictions of approval.

Questions

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

Of the 11 financing programs for individuals and families in our database, 9 are open or ongoing and 0 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 11, 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 financing programs for individuals and families rank highest?

Right now the top three by our score are Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (55, Top pick), Home Buyers' Plan (53, Top pick), Canada Education Savings Grant and Canada Learning Bond (45, Strong). 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 9 open or ongoing programs here, 2 are in our Grants category, 2 are loans and 5 are other incentives such as tax credits and rebates.

Are these federal or Ontario programs?

6 of the 9 open or ongoing programs here come from the federal government and 3 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.

Get the short list for your business

Create a free account to save programs, see which ones match your profile and track what you have applied for.

Create a free accountUse the matcher

Estimates; confirm on the official page. Independent research tool, not a government website. Data last checked Oct 11, 2026. Grants & Loans Finder.