Learn about funding to help businesses adapt to trade challenges

This stream of the Trade Resilience Program provides funding to individual businesses. You can apply for funding to help adapt your business operations to reduce the impacts of tariffs. 

An example Expression of Interest is available here.

We encourage you to think strategically about projects that can have long-term and meaningful impacts before applying. 

Available funding

Tier 1

• For requests up to $10,000.
• You can receive funding for up to 90 per cent of the plan’s cost.
• You must provide the remaining 10 per cent in cash or in kind. 

Tier 2

• For requests between $10,001 and $50,000.
• You can receive funding for up to 75 per cent of the plan’s cost.
• You must provide the remaining 25 per cent in cash or in kind. 

Submission deadlines

Submissions are Expression of Interest based.

Tier 1

We’ll accept Expressions of Interest for Tier 1 plans throughout the year.

Tier 2

You must submit your Expressions of Interest for Tier 2 projects by 4:30 pm Yukon Standard Time on:

• September 2, 2025; or
• November 3, 2025.

Eligible organizations

Eligible organizations include:

• Sole proprietorships
• Partnerships that are registered in the Yukon
• Yukon First Nations development entities, including:
  • corporations;
  • partnerships;
  • joint ventures; and
  • trusts.
• Corporations that are:
  • registered in the Yukon or extra-territorially registered in the Yukon under the:
    • Societies Act;
    • Business Corporations Act; or
    • Cooperative Associations Act; or
  • federally registered under the:
    • Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act; or
    • Canada Business Corporations Act.

The organization must:

• have a physical address in the Yukon;
• be actively doing business in and from the Yukon;
• be subject to the Yukon Income Tax Act if it’s a taxable entity; and
• show that it has a substantial presence in the Yukon if it’s:
  • a federal corporation; or
  • extra-territorially registered in the Yukon.

Eligible projects or activities

The program does not provide funding directly to businesses to subsidize the costs of tariffs or to make up for lost sales resulting from trade related disruptions.  

However, eligible projects or activities could include the following: 

• Strategic business and industry development activities
• Researching and addressing barriers to industry and sector development
• Making your operations more sustainable
• Regional economic planning
• Participation in:
  • trade and investment missions;
  • business conventions;
  • marketing events; and
  • exchanges.
• Organization and promotion of:
  • conferences;
  • trade fairs; and
  • other networking or marketing events.
• Preparation for incoming trade missions and familiarization tours
• Branding, web enhancements and e-commerce
• Marketing plans and promotional materials
• Investment attraction
• Construction costs to build or expand to increase your market, footprint or output
• Leasehold improvements where a lease agreement is in place of at least 5 years
• Purchasing or leasing equipment where the equipment supports:
  • developing or distributing goods or services for a market in the Yukon that is not already supplied by an established business;
  • exporting goods or services from the Yukon; or
  • replacing imports with goods or services from the Yukon.
• Product development to improve competitiveness and meet market demand
• Internship and mentoring opportunities
• Capacity development activities, including:
  • needs assessments;
  • training plans, and
  • corporate training.
• Business-related professional development workshops and other learning forums on business topics

Projects or activities in the preliminary stage may be eligible for funding for:

• research to identify emerging opportunities;
• concept development and determining scope of a project;
• preliminary feasibility;
• business plans;
• sustainability and feasibility studies;
• development plans;
• economic impact analyses; or
• business scanning to determine additional benefits.

Projects or activities in the implementation stage may be eligible for funding for:

• implementation support; or
• post-project analysis and support.

How to apply

1. Email [email protected] to discuss your plan.
2. Prepare a written Expression of Interest describing your plan that includes:
   • evidence (such as financial records or trade data) that your imports from the U.S. or exports to the U.S. are affected by tariffs or Canadian countermeasures; and
   • how to address these negative impacts, including:
     • intended outcomes;
     • proposed timelines; and
     • budget.
3. Submit your Expression of Interest.
   Email: [email protected]
   In person:
   Economic Development: Main Office
   303 Alexander Street, 2nd floor, Whitehorse
   Open Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
   Mail:
   Government of Yukon
   Trade Resilience Program (F-1)
   Box 2703
   Whitehorse, Yukon
   Y1A 2C6

This stream provides funding to industry organizations for projects that help multiple businesses at once. 

Funding

Organizations can receive up to 100 per cent of the total eligible project costs, up to $75,000.

Submission deadline

Submissions are Expression of Interest based. We’re accepting Expressions of Interest year-round.

Eligible organizations

Yukon-based chambers of commerce and Yukon-based industry associations are eligible. The organization must: 

• represent a business sector impacted by U.S. tariffs or Canadian countermeasures;
• have current registration with the Yukon Corporate Online Registry (YCOR); and
• be in good standing with Government of Yukon Corporate Affairs.

Eligible projects or activities

• Research to identify and address barriers to industry and sector development
• Regional economic planning
• Participation in:
  • trade and investment missions;
  • business conventions;
  • marketing events; and
  • exchanges.
• Organization and promotion of:
  • conferences;
  • trade fairs; and
  • other networking or marketing events.
• Preparation for incoming trade missions and familiarization tours
• Investment attraction
• Internship and mentoring opportunities
• Activities related to business or organizational capacity development. This includes:
  • needs assessments;
  • training plans; and
  • corporate training.
• Business-related professional development workshops and other learning forums on business topics

Eligible costs

• Costs directly connected to the project
• Incremental costs for employees if:
  • you can show that it’s not economically feasible to complete the project or issue a contract;
  • it’s directly related to providing a mentoring or internship opportunity; and
  • we give written approval in advance.
• Incremental costs of operations and maintenance if:
  • you can show that it’s direct and necessary for the project such as planning, design, engineering, architecture, supervision, administration and management.
  • it’s directly related to providing a mentoring or internship opportunity and;
  • we give written approval in advance.
• Costs of securing an environmental assessment and permits
• Employee wages for a project if you can show the activities are:
  • outside of normal work duties; and
  • necessary to complete the project.

Ineligible projects and costs

The following projects are costs are not eligible:

• Capital costs for equipment that is readily movable and suitable for personal use. This includes computers, power tools, musical instruments, etc., unless it is deemed integral to the success of the project.
• Costs incurred before any project approval decisions, including volunteer time and board time
• Costs incurred for cancelled projects
• Expenditures made prior to the project being approved for funding
• Financing charges, legal fees, and loan interest payments, including those related to easements or surveys
• Land acquisition
• Leasing equipment other than equipment directly related to the project
• Leasing payment on land, buildings and other facilities
• Operation and maintenance costs, except those listed under Eligible costs
• Projects that fall under the normal responsibility of a Government of Yukon department, municipal authority, or First Nations or federal government
• Provincial or territorial sales tax, goods and services tax or harmonized sales tax
• Real estate fees and related costs

How to apply

1. Email [email protected] to discuss your project idea.
2. Prepare a written Expression of Interest describing your project, including:
   • how it will be designed;
   • the goal of the project and how it’s design will help achieve that goal;
   • evidence it will benefit the organization’s members, support resilience and efforts to adapt;
   • proposed timeline; and
   • budget.
3. Send your Expression of Interest to [email protected]. 

This stream supports trade-related projects that are commissioned by the Government of Yukon. These projects support the broader Yukon economy. 

For more information about this stream, review the Trade Resilience Program guidelines.

To discuss a potential trade-related project, email [email protected].

Available funding

Funding is available for up to $100,000 per project. 

Deadlines

We’ll commission projects throughout the year.