Fund Your Project
Have a great tourism project in mind, but need the funding to get it started?
On this page, you will find information about financial assistance and grant programs that aim to help Cree entrepreneurs, organizations and communities turn their dreams into a reality.
We’re here to help! If you would like help navigating the many funding opportunities available, or want support completing your application, please reach out to Rob Imrie at rimrie@creetourism.ca or call (418) 745 2220 ext. 4231.
Entente de partenariat régional et de tranformations numérique en tourisme 2022-2025 (EPRTNT 2022-2025)
Tourism funding program from Eeyou Istchee Tourism, Tourisme Québec, and Société de développement de la Baie-James (SDBJ)
Are you a Cree individual, business, organization or community with a tourism project in mind?
If your project falls into one of the below categories and is eligible for EPRTNT Funding, up to 90% of your costs could be covered!
- Accommodation
- Attraction, Activities and Equipment
- Digital Development
- Festivals and Events
- Studies and Consulting
- Structuration of the Regional Offer
To apply, please submit the EPRTNT 2022-2025 Application Form.
The current call for applications ends October 18, 2024.
For more information, contact Philippe Bilodeau, Product Development Officer at pbilodeau@creetourism.ca / 418-745-2220 ext. 4230.
Other Funding Opportunities
For support and information on funding options, contact Rob Imrie, Director of Development, at rimrie@creetourism.ca or call (418) 745 2220 ext. 4230.
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Société du Plan Nord
Société du Plan Nord offers several funding programs specifically targeting the northern territory.
- Financial Support for Northern Initiatives (Fonds d’initiatives nordiques): Supports projects in the northern territory that promote community development, the development of the northern territory, and/or solutions derived from applied research.
- Financial Support for Training Northern Workers (Aide financière pour la formation de la main-d’œuvre en milieu nordique): Supports training projects of interest to northern communities.
- Financial Support to Promote Food Security in Northern Communities (Programme de sécurité alimentaire nordique): Supports community projects to produce fruit or vegetables for local or regional consumption and/or projects aimed at preserving or processing locally produced or harvested foods.
- Opportunity budget
Cree Nation Government - Department of Commerence and Industry
Through the Department of Commerce and Industry, the Cree Nation Government offers several programs which may support development in the tourism sector, including:
- Cree Social Economy Round Table Fund – Grants up to 75% of project costs (max. $25k) for not-for-profit businesses with a social or cultural component.
- Cree Entrepreneurship Assistance Fund – Grants up to 25% of project costs (max. $100k) for eligible startups, expansions, and acquisitions.
- Regional Development Fund – Grants up to $1M for large-scale projects that benefit multiple communities.
- Cree Real Estate Development Fund (CREED) – Grants up to 25% of project costs (max. $100k) for Cree entrepreneurs with businesses in construction, real estate, and related products and services
- Rurality Regions Fund (formerly FARR) – Funding for projects aligned with priorities set by CNG.
For more information and to apply for CNG funding programs, contact your Community Economic Development Officer.
Watch: COTA workshop on CNG Funding Opportunities, January 2024
Apatisiiwin Skills Development
- Youth Programs – Organizations can apply for subsidies to hire and train Cree youth through programs like the Youth Initiative, Summer Work Experience, and Mentored Work Placements. This is a great way to build your organizational capacity while providing Cree youth with valuable skills and experience!
- Capacity Building Programs – Organizations can apply for funding to cover professional development and training.
- Workforce Development Programs – Organizations can apply for funding in a variety of areas, including entrepreneurship, employing persons with disabilities, and research & development.
Contact your local ASD Office
Watch: COTA workshop on ASD Funding Opportunities, January 2024
Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada oversees the Indigenous Tourism Fund: Micro and Small Business Stream. Up to $25,000 per business may be allocated for projects across six categories:
- Effective Community Engagement and Support
- Excellence in Visitor Experience
- Ensuring Health, Safety, and Comfort
- Practicing Sustainable Indigenous Tourism
- Excellence in Marketing and Visitor Services
- Demonstrating Business Acumen/Practices
For more information on this fund, you may reach out to Michelle Brown, ITAC Business Support Coordinator at Michelle@IndigenousTourism.ca. Indigenous Tourism Quebec can also answer questions about this fund; please contact Marie-Pierre Laine at mplaine@tourismeautochtone.com to connect with them.
ITAC also offers a special accreditation, “the Original Original,” that can help to market your business as a verified, high-quality, authentic Indigenous experience in Canada. For more information, visit The Original Original Accreditation Program – Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada.
Indigeous Tourism Quebec
Indigenous Tourism Quebec is the province’s official representative of the Indigenous tourism industry.
They offer funding program(s) that aim to propel the success of Indigenous tourism entrepeneurs. For example, the Expert Support Services program can help Indigenous tourism enterprises purchase a bank of 15 hours with an expert to support them with human resources, legal services, financial management, or general consulting.
For more information, visit their funding opportunities page here.
Indigenous Services Canada
There are several funding programs through Indigenous Services Canada which may be of interest to tourism entrepeneurs and communities in Eeyou Istchee. These include:
- Community Opportunity Readiness – Provides start-up funds to undertake pre-development activities (consolidation of the former community economic opportunities program, the major projects investment fund, and the community-based components of the Indigenous business development program).
- Aboriginal Entrepeneurship Program (AEP) – Provides access to capital and business opportunities to Indigneous entrepeneurs and business owners in Canada.
- Strategic Partnerships Initiative – Helps Indigenous communities participate in complex economic opportunities.
You can find a full list of programs online here.
Heritage Canada
The Government of Canada provides a variety funding programs that support culture, history and sport initiatives. Programs that may be of interest to organizations in the Eeyou Istchee tourism sector include:
- Celebrate Canada Program – Provides funding for activities organized on National Indigenous Peoples Day.
- Commemorate Canada Program – Provides funding to initiatives that commemorate and celebrate historical figures, places, events, and accomplishments.
- Building Communities through Arts and Heritage – Supports local festivals, community anniversaries, and commemorative community capital projects.
- Listen, Hear our Voices – Supports First Nations governments and non-profit organizations in digitizing documentary heritage and/or building the skills, knowledge, and resources to do this work in their communities.
- Indigenous Heritage – Museums Assistance Program – Provides funding for projects related to the preservation, management and presentation of Indigenous cultural heritage in Canada
You can find a full list of programs online here.
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (DEC)
CED supports projects targeting entrepreneurial growth, innovation, diversification and local economic development. Their funding programs include:
- Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI)
- Quebec Economic Development Program (QEDP)
- Community Futures Program (CFP)
If you have a question about the CED funding program, you can contact them here or reach out to us for more information.
Northern Incubator-Accelerator
The Northern Incubator-Accelerator (IANord) provides professional, sectoral and financial support to promote responsible and sustainable nature-culture-adventure tourism projects in regions located north of the 49th parallel.
Applications open approximately once a year, on a rotating basis (exact dates TBD). You can follow the Northern Incubator-Accelerator on Facebook to stay up-to-date on their calls for application. We will also share this information in our COTA community newsletter, so be sure to sign up for our updates!
Ministère de la Culture et des Communications (funding for Digital Creativity Projects)
The Ministère de la Culture et des Communications (MCC) has announced a for projects in the digital creativity sector.
More information can be found here.
This call for projects will run from August 19 to October 3, 2024.
Boat Cleaning Station Program 2023-2028
The Government of Québec is offering financial assistance to non-profit organizations and Indigenous communities who wish to invest in boat cleaning stations, in an effort to control the spread of invasive species in bodies of water. The new program will cover up to 80% of costs for eligible projects up to a maximum of $30,000.
More information can be found here.
Note: This webpage is currently only available in French; English readers can translate it using their browser’s built-in translation tool.