PacifiCan · REGIONAL TARIFF RESPONSE INITIATIVE

PacifiCan tariff relief funding in B.C.

RTRI for businesses in British Columbia.

Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) delivers the Regional Tariff Response Initiative in British Columbia through an online portal. PacifiCan treats applications without every required document as incomplete, so preparation decides how quickly your file moves.

How to apply in British Columbia

Free one-on-one consultation. Practical guidance for your business. No obligation to hire us.

Checked against PacifiCan's RTRI pages on October 29, 2026 • Official sources linked below

Read the Canada-wide tariff relief guide

FUNDING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Liquidity assistance
and pivot projects.

Liquidity assistance covers tariff-related cash-flow shortfalls in your existing labour and overhead. Pivot projects fund net-new investment on top of the business you already run. You can apply for either, or both. PacifiCan applies the national terms below in British Columbia.

You do not need a pivot project to request liquidity assistance. Not-for-profits that support businesses can apply for project funding but not for liquidity.

01 / EXISTING LABOUR AND OVERHEAD

Liquidity assistance

Non-repayable support for a tariff-related cash-flow shortfall in the business you already run. It is based on your average payroll over the last 12 months, with overhead such as rent, utilities, insurance and property taxes considered where needed.

Funding
Up to $2M, non-repayable
Basis
50% of average monthly payroll, capped at your demonstrated 12-month need
Period
Up to 12 months, ending by March 31, 2028

In British Columbia

PacifiCan sizes liquidity at the lesser of your projected 12-month cash-flow need and 50% of payroll, up to $2M. It gives priority to businesses seeking liquidity for immediate tariff impacts, and provides its own cash-flow template.

Tariffs, customs duties, raw materials, inventory and debt payments are not eligible liquidity costs. Dividends are restricted while liquidity support is in place.

02 / NET-NEW INVESTMENT

Pivot projects

Funding for net-new investment on top of your existing labour, overhead and operations: equipment, automation, expansion, new markets and reinvestment in the business.

Non-repayable
Up to $1M; up to 50% of eligible costs
Repayable
Over $1M; up to 75% of eligible costs, interest-free
Completion
By March 31, 2029

In British Columbia

PacifiCan's information session describes repayable pivot funding as interest-free with no collateral and no early-repayment penalty, a one-year grace period after completion, then 60 equal monthly payments. Most projects need at least 10% from non-government sources.

Land and building purchases, entertainment, vehicles and refinancing are not eligible. Projects need measurable, incremental results.

How the limits fit together

Up to $3M in combined non-repayable support: $2M for liquidity plus $1M for a non-repayable pivot. Total RTRI support, including repayable funding, is capped at $20M per business. The same costs cannot be funded twice.

WHO CAN APPLY

Who qualifies in
British Columbia.

PacifiCan funds incorporated, for-profit businesses located and operating in British Columbia.

Retail, local consumer services (such as hotels, restaurants, utilities, healthcare and recreation), oil and gas extraction and construction services are generally not eligible.

$1M+ in annual revenue

In at least one of your last two fiscal years. This is a revenue threshold, not a minimum project size. Smaller firms can still ask the agency about other options.

Viable before tariffs

Assessed through your attestation, financial statements and operating history. Businesses founded after March 21, 2025 are considered case by case.

Manufacturers, suppliers and value-added firms

PacifiCan says applicants will normally be a manufacturer, supplier or value-added business in a tariff-impacted sector.

Forestry and supply chains

Transportation companies tied to forestry exporters, and professional, technical, warehousing and logistics firms critical to a manufacturing exporter's supply chain, may qualify.

THE CORE OF THE APPLICATION

Tariff impact is
what gets assessed.

Every RTRI application has to show how tariffs, Canadian counter-tariffs or the uncertainty around them affected your business. You need to meet at least one of these tests, and liquidity requests must also show a cash-flow need caused by tariffs.

PacifiCan lists the evidence it expects: higher input or supplier costs, import or export taxes, reduced purchase orders or export volumes, lost customers or contracts, and employment effects such as layoffs, hiring freezes or Work-Sharing.

  1. 01

    Operates in a sector hit by Section 232 or Section 338 tariffs, including indirect exposure as a supplier to an affected exporter, or in another tariff-impacted sector.

  2. 02

    Earns at least 25% of revenue from goods that are ultimately exported to the U.S.

  3. 03

    Can show harm from tariffs or the uncertainty they created: higher input costs, supply chain disruption, or lost revenue and customers.

A general slowdown on its own does not establish tariff impact. The connection has to be documented.

HOW TO APPLY WITH PACIFICAN

The PacifiCan process,
step by step.

PacifiCan online portal, stream “BC (PacifiCan) - RTRI-Business”. Here is how the process runs in British Columbia, based on PacifiCan's published guidance.

  1. 01

    Review eligibility and the applicant guide

    Confirm the criteria and read PacifiCan's business applicant guide before starting.

  2. 02

    Prepare every required document

    For liquidity: 12-month forecast income statement and cash flows (PacifiCan's template), 12 months of payroll records, two years of financial statements plus interim, incorporation documents and proof of other funding.

  3. 03

    Apply in the portal

    Submit through PacifiCan's online portal and choose the stream “BC (PacifiCan) - RTRI-Business”. One application can cover liquidity, a pivot, or both.

  4. 04

    Assessment, agreement and claims

    Applications are assessed as received. Repayable and non-repayable support use separate agreements, and PacifiCan processes a complete claim package within 15 business days.

Documents to prepare

  • Forecast income statements and cash flows for the 12-month assistance period
  • Payroll records for the last 12 months
  • Two years of financial statements and current interim statements
  • Supporting documents for the liquidity need and the tariff impact
  • Incorporation documents and confirmation of funding from other sources
  • Pivot: a project plan with major activities and milestones, plus staff bios and letters of support

What is different in British Columbia

Incomplete means not processed

Applications submitted without all required documents are considered incomplete and cannot be processed.

Published repayment terms

Repayable pivot funding is interest-free with no collateral, a one-year grace period, then 60 equal monthly payments over five years.

Claims within 15 business days

PacifiCan states it processes a complete claim package within 15 business days, with quarterly claims and possible advances.

Businesses
PacifiCan.RTRI-SME_IRRT-PME@pacifican.gc.ca
Toll free
1-888-338-9378
Existing recipients
Contact your PacifiCan officer

HOW FUNDSPOKE HELPS

You run the business.
We build the funding case.

PacifiCan's checklist is strict, and a missing schedule can stall a file. We assemble the full package with you, including the forecast in PacifiCan's own template, so the application is complete on day one.

01

Find the fit

Review your operations, revenue history and tariff exposure against PacifiCan's criteria. Decide on liquidity, a pivot project, or both.

02

Prepare the application

Build the tariff impact evidence, payroll and cash-flow forecasts, project budget and narrative. You review and approve everything before you submit.

03

Stay through delivery

Support due diligence, the contribution agreement, claims and reporting after approval. You speak with the agency; we prepare you for each conversation.

A useful starting point

Your location, revenue for the last two fiscal years and a short description of how tariffs have affected you. We will work through the rest together.

PacifiCan RTRI QUESTIONS

Tariff relief in
British Columbia, answered.

Answers drawn from PacifiCan's published RTRI guidance.

PacifiCan's official RTRI page
How do I apply for PacifiCan tariff relief funding?

Review PacifiCan's eligibility requirements and business applicant guide, then apply through PacifiCan's online application portal and select the stream “BC (PacifiCan) - RTRI-Business”. A single application can request liquidity, a pivot project, or both.

What documents does PacifiCan require for liquidity assistance?

Forecast income statements and cash flows for the 12-month assistance period (PacifiCan provides a template), payroll records for the last 12 months, two years of financial statements plus current interim statements, supporting documents for the liquidity need and tariff impact, incorporation documents and confirmation of other funding. Applications without all of these are considered incomplete.

What are PacifiCan's repayment terms for larger pivot projects?

PacifiCan's information session describes repayable funding as interest-free, with no collateral and no early-repayment penalty. There is a one-year grace period after the project ends, then 60 equal monthly payments, with the principal repaid within six years. Your contribution agreement sets the final schedule.

Does PacifiCan prioritize some applications?

Yes. PacifiCan assesses applications as they are received and gives priority to businesses seeking liquidity support to address immediate tariff-related impacts.

Can a B.C. not-for-profit apply?

Not-for-profits whose primary focus is supporting businesses can apply for non-repayable project funding through the stream “BC (PacifiCan) - RTRI-Not-for-profit-NFP”. They are not eligible for liquidity support for their own operating costs.

ONE NATIONAL INITIATIVE. SEVEN AGENCIES.

Operating in more
than one region?

Each regional development agency funds its own region. If you have employees in more than one agency's area, separate requests are needed for each. See how RTRI works elsewhere in Canada.

FedDev Ontario

Southern Ontario

Fillable PDF form, submitted from Adobe Acrobat Reader

FedNor

Northern Ontario

FedNor self-service portal, after a call with a FedNor officer

CED

Quebec

Contact CED first; CED assesses eligibility, then sends the form

ACOA

Atlantic Canada

MyACOA Client Portal, after talking to your nearest ACOA office

PrairiesCan

Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba

Detailed application in the PrairiesCan online portal

CanNor

Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut

PDF application form, submitted from the form or by email to CanNor

CANADA-WIDE

Tariff relief guide

How RTRI works, indirect impacts and common questions

LET'S FIND YOUR NEXT STEP

Tariffs changed the plan.
Let's work on the response.

Tell us what has changed for your business. In a free, one-on-one consultation, we will help you understand your PacifiCan funding options and next steps, whether or not you work with us.

Independent advisory by Fundspoke. We are not a government agency. Your business remains the applicant and speaks with PacifiCan directly. Program terms and intake availability may change; PacifiCan's current rules and your contribution agreement govern funding.