Regional Defence Investment Initiative in British Columbia-Who can apply

2. Who can apply

Eligible recipients

You may be eligible for the RDII if your organization is:

• A for-profit business that:
  • is incorporated in Canada;
  • has been operating in Canada for at least two years;
  • operates staffed facilities in British Columbia; and
  • is currently in, or is positioning to be in, defence industry supply chains
• An Indigenous-owned (First Nations, Inuit, or Métis) business or organization

In exceptional cases, other entities providing support to defence and dual-use small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may be considered for funding. Such organizations should contact PacifiCan.

Eligible project activities

Applicants are encouraged to consult the Defence Industrial Strategy and Key Industrial Capabilities for information on Canadian military priorities and the sovereign capabilities that the Government of Canada seeks to secure.

Dual-use technologies are items, services, or software that can be employed for civilian purposes and are critical to providing operational advantage to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Allied military operations (e.g., artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, quantum computing, high assurance communications, satellites and space launch, position/navigation/timing technology, microreactor research, uncrewed systems, medical counter measures such as vaccines). While there are many dual-use items that the CAF may use (e.g., light duty trucks, clothing, tools), RDII funding will prioritize those that provide a strategic technical advantage.

You will be asked to show how your proposed project produces a defence capability in a priority area for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and/or Canada’s partners and allies, including North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members. This could include:

• any engagement with the Department of National Defence, prime contractors, subcontractors, and/or the equivalents of partner and allied countries; and/or
• any actions you have taken to position yourself as a potential supplier to the defence industry (e.g., certifications, efforts to build relationships with primes/original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and tier 1 defence companies)

Eligible activities can include:

• Technology development, adoption, and productivity improvement:
  • Digitization, automation, or technology integration investments that enhance productivity and competitiveness
  • Acquisition of equipment, as well as expansion and modernization of facilities
  • Adaption, adoption, development, or improvement of dual-use technologies with both civilian and clear military applications
  • Research and development (R&D)
  • Establishment of research centres and centres of expertise
  • Costs related to IP-protection for defence capabilities
• Commercialization and market development
  • Market diagnostics, development, and expansion activities
  • Commercialization strategies and activities, including participation in technology showcases
  • Integration in global value chains
• Capacity building
  • Business advisory services to help small- and medium-sized enterprises integrate into defence supply chains
  • Certification required to integrate domestic and international defence supply chains for specialized applications

PacifiCan aims to support projects from businesses where technologies are assessed as Technology readiness level (TRL) 5 or greater, with priority given to projects with higher TRLs.

All project activities must begin after April 1, 2026, and be completed by March 31, 2028.