The Art of Stacking: How to Combine Provincial, Federal, and Private Funding Without Penalty

Getting a grant is good. Getting three for the same project is better. This is called "stacking". But beware: governments talk to each other, and strict caps exist.

The 75% Golden Rule (sometimes 90%)

The general rule in Canada is that the combination of government assistance (federal + provincial + municipal) must not exceed 75% of eligible project costs. However, some programs for green innovation or tech startups push this cap to 90%.

The Danger of "Double-Dipping"

Double-dipping is claiming the exact same expense twice. That is illegal. Stacking is financing complementary parts of a project.

Even with the adjustment, you get $75,000 on $100,000. That's exceptional. But to maximize this, you must strategically choose which program to reduce.

Advanced Strategy: Isolating Expenses

To legally bypass certain caps, the strategy is to slice the project.

• Project A (R&D): Funded by IRAP and SR&ED. (Salaries)
• Project B (Commercialization): Funded by CanExport. (Travel, Ads)
• Project C (Equipment): Funded by CED. (Servers, Machines)

By separating invoices and "Scope of Work", you prevent one program's caps from affecting the others.