Small business grants in BC: what can still pay for your marketing and website

If you searched for a BC grant to pay for a new website or your marketing, you have probably found pages promising thousands of dollars. Most of them are out of date.

The short version

The program most of those pages describe, the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP), is closed. Its $15,000 Boost Your Business Technology grant stopped taking applications in February 2024, the $2,400 Grow Your Business Online grant closed in September 2024, and the program ended in March 2025.¹⁸ As of October 2026, there is no open BC or federal grant that simply pays for a typical small business’s website or advertising.

That doesn’t mean there is no help. There are still ways to fund parts of your marketing: a training grant that pays most of the cost of upskilling your team, export funding if you are selling outside Canada, a wage subsidy for a summer hire, start-up loans, and the tax deductions every business can use. Here is what each one actually covers.

B.C. Employer Training Grant: pay for your team to learn marketing

This is the most useful program for most BC small businesses right now. The B.C. Employer Training Grant covers 80% of the cost of third-party training, up to $10,000 per employee and $300,000 per employer each year, and it is open for training that starts in the 2026/27 fiscal year.² Self-employed people can apply too, and small businesses and first-time applicants get priority.

It won’t pay an agency to run your ads, but it can pay most of the cost of a course that teaches your staff Google Ads, social media, analytics or content writing, as long as the training meets the program’s criteria. Apply before the training starts; the grant does not cover courses you have already taken.

CanExport SMEs: marketing for a new foreign market

If you plan to sell outside Canada, CanExport SMEs can cover up to 50% of eligible export marketing costs, to a maximum of $50,000 in funding.³ Eligible costs include promotional materials made for the target market (brochures, pitch decks, translation), trade shows and market research. General advertising that isn’t tied to an eligible export activity is not covered, and you must fund your half in cash.

The 2026-27 intake for non-US markets ran from February 4 to August 31, 2026. If an international push is on your list for next year, now is the time to plan the project so you are ready when the next intake opens.

Canada Summer Jobs: hire a student to help with marketing

Private businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees can get a wage subsidy of 50% of the provincial minimum wage to hire a young person aged 15 to 30 for the summer.⁴ A marketing or communications student can take on social media, photography, review requests and website updates while you focus on the business.

Timing matters. Applications for summer jobs usually open in November and close in December, so a BC business planning for summer 2027 should watch the Canada Summer Jobs page from November 2026.

Loans that can fund a launch

Loans aren’t grants, but for a new business they can cover the website and launch marketing that would otherwise wait. Futurpreneur lends up to $75,000 to entrepreneurs aged 18 to 39, in partnership with BDC, and pairs every borrower with a volunteer mentor for up to two years.⁵ The federal Canada Small Business Financing Program backs loans through your own bank or credit union for equipment, leasehold improvements and some other start-up costs.

For established companies that are growing fast, PacifiCan’s Business Scale-up and Productivity program offers interest-free, repayable funding of $200,000 to $5 million for up to 50% of a scale-up project, which can include entering new markets. It is aimed at incorporated businesses that have operated in BC for at least two years and are growing quickly.⁶

The help every business already has: tax deductions

Advertising and marketing costs are business expenses, so they reduce your taxable income. The CRA lets you deduct advertising, including Canadian newspapers, TV and radio, with rules on Canadian content and ownership for some media. Those Canadian-media rules don’t apply to advertising on foreign websites, so platforms like Google and Meta are treated differently.⁷ Keep every invoice and ask your accountant how to record website builds, which may be treated differently from monthly marketing.

How to spot a grant scam

Because “small business grants BC” is a popular search, it attracts people selling false hope. Be careful with anyone who:

• says a closed program such as CDAP is still open, or that they can still get you a CDAP grant;
• charges an upfront fee to “guarantee” a grant;
• sells a list of grants you could find free on government websites;
• offers a “free website funded by the government” with a long contract attached.

Real programs are listed on canada.ca, gov.bc.ca, workbc.ca or the funding agency’s own site. If you can’t find the program there, assume it doesn’t exist. Small Business BC also offers free and low-cost advice if you want someone neutral to check an offer.

No grant? Spend the budget where it pays back

For most BC small businesses the honest answer is that marketing will come out of revenue, so the job is to spend it where it returns fastest. Start with the free foundations: a complete Google Business Profile, a steady flow of reviews, and a simple website that loads fast and makes it easy to call. Then add paid channels one at a time and measure each one.

Our guides to small business marketing budgets, what a website costs and small business marketing ideas show how to plan it. If you are in Metro Vancouver and want a plan built around what you can spend, our Vancouver web design and digital marketing teams can help.

Sources

1. MNP: What's next for businesses now that CDAP has ended
2. WorkBC: B.C. Employer Training Grant
3. Trade Commissioner Service: CanExport SMEs 2026-27 applicant's guide
4. Government of Canada: Canada Summer Jobs wage subsidy
5. Futurpreneur: Loan amounts for young entrepreneurs raised to up to $75,000
6. PacifiCan: Business Scale-up and Productivity program applicant guide
7. Canada Revenue Agency: Business expenses (advertising)
8. Small Business BC: Canada Digital Adoption Program

We checked each program in October 2026. Funding programs open, close and change their rules often, so confirm the details on the official page before you apply. This is general information, not financial or tax advice; talk to your accountant about deductions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there small business grants in BC for marketing?

Not for general marketing. As of October 2026 there is no open BC or federal grant that simply pays for a typical small business's advertising or website. You can still use the B.C. Employer Training Grant for marketing training, CanExport SMEs for export marketing, Canada Summer Jobs for a summer marketing hire, and tax deductions for your advertising costs.

Is the Canada Digital Adoption Program still open?

No. The Boost Your Business Technology grant closed to new applications in February 2024, the Grow Your Business Online grant closed in September 2024, and the Canada Digital Adoption Program ended in March 2025. Be wary of anyone offering to get you a CDAP grant now.

Is there a grant to build a website in BC?

Not currently for most small businesses. The website grants many pages still mention came from the Canada Digital Adoption Program, which has ended. A website is a deductible business expense, and start-up loans such as Futurpreneur can help fund one for a new business.

What is the B.C. Employer Training Grant?

It is a provincial grant that covers 80% of the cost of third-party training for employees, up to $10,000 per employee and $300,000 per employer each year. Self-employed people can apply, small businesses get priority, and it can pay for marketing courses that meet the program's criteria. Apply before the training starts.

Can CanExport pay for marketing?

Yes, for marketing tied to entering a new foreign market. CanExport SMEs can cover up to 50% of eligible costs, up to $50,000, including promotional materials for the target market, translation, trade shows and market research. General advertising is not covered, and you must fund your share in cash.

Can I get funding to hire someone for marketing?

Canada Summer Jobs can pay 50% of the provincial minimum wage for a summer hire aged 15 to 30 at private businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees. A marketing or communications student is a common choice. Applications usually open in November and close in December for the following summer.

Are marketing costs tax deductible in Canada?

Yes. Advertising and marketing are business expenses that reduce your taxable income. The CRA has Canadian content and ownership rules for some Canadian media, which don't apply to advertising on foreign websites. Ask your accountant how to treat larger costs like a website build.

What loans can help a new BC business with marketing?

Futurpreneur lends up to $75,000 to entrepreneurs aged 18 to 39, with BDC, and includes a mentor. The Canada Small Business Financing Program backs loans through your bank for equipment and other start-up costs, and PacifiCan offers interest-free repayable funding for high-growth BC companies.

How do I avoid small business grant scams?

Check that the program is listed on an official site such as canada.ca, gov.bc.ca or workbc.ca. Be wary of anyone charging upfront to guarantee a grant, selling lists of grants, claiming closed programs like CDAP are still open, or offering a government-funded free website with a long contract.