Investments in Forest Industry Transformation
Also known as: IFIT · IFIT Program
IFIT is NRCan's flagship fund for transforming forest sector facilities, first-in-kind projects in bioproducts, biochemicals, pulp and paper modernization, next-gen biofuels, mass timber, and decarbonization. Reported at up to $10 million per project covering up to 50% of eligible costs. Renewed in 2026 as part of a $500-million federal forest sector package, with new emphasis on housing and mass timber. The February 2026 call closed April 27, 2026; join NRCan's IFIT mailing list for the next window.
Key facts
- Amount
- Up to $10,000,000 Reported: up to $10 million per project covering up to 50% of eligible costs for innovative, first-in-kind forest sector projects; the official program page did not publish amounts when verified, confirm against the next call's applicant guide
Against all tracked amounts, $1,000 to $500,000,000, logarithmic.
grantcompass.ca · Last verified Sep 30, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source
- Instrument
- Conditional contribution
- Status
- Next intake not announced watch this page or subscribe to the calendar
- Who qualifies
- Businesses
- for-profit forest sector companies
- forest sector firms adopting transformational technologies
- Canada-wide federal program, all Northern Ontario districts eligible
- Project categories: advanced wood-based building solutions, biomaterials and biochemicals, pulp and paper modernization, next-generation biofuels, advanced decarbonization
- 2026 renewal adds forest bioproducts, plastics-substituting pulp and paper products, mass timber/prefabrication for housing
natural-resources.canada.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source
- Where
- Algoma District · Cochrane District · Greater Sudbury (single-tier census division) · Kenora District · Manitoulin District · Nipissing District · Parry Sound District · Rainy River District · Sudbury District (excl. Greater Sudbury) · Thunder Bay District · Timiskaming District · District Municipality of Muskoka
11 of 11 Northern Ontario districts are eligible for this program. A filled dot is eligible, an outline is not.
- Built for
- Small business, expansion
Do you have to pay this back?
Historically delivered as contributions for first-in-kind capital projects; repayability terms for the 2026 renewal were not published on the pages verified
natural-resources.canada.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Uncertain: confirm with funder
How do you apply?
- Join the IFIT mailing list (ifit-itif@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca), call windows are announced there
- Submit Expression of Interest during an open call for proposals
- Invited full project proposal
- Contribution agreement with NRCan
natural-resources.canada.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Reported, verification pending
Can you combine this with other funding?
- Forest Biomass Program, Federal funding such as IFIT can be combined within the stream's total-government-funding cap (75% for IBM/MOD, higher for IBP/EBP), confirm the combination with the program office before applying.
Common questions
Can I apply to IFIT right now?
Not as of August 17, 2026, the official page lists the Capital Investment Project Stream as closed, and the February 2026 national call is reported to have closed April 27, 2026. IFIT runs periodic calls; join the mailing list (ifit-itif@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca) to hear when the next window opens.
How much does IFIT contribute?
Secondary sources consistently report up to $10 million per project at up to 50% of eligible costs (reported, the official page did not publish amounts when we verified; confirm in the next call's applicant guide).
What changed with the 2026 renewal?
IFIT was renewed inside a $500-million federal package (announced February 25, 2026) alongside GCWood, the Indigenous Forestry Initiative, and GloFor. It now explicitly funds forest bioproducts, plastics-substituting pulp and paper products, improved fibre usage, and scaling mass timber and prefabrication for housing construction.
Is a Northern Ontario mill eligible?
Yes, IFIT is Canada-wide and targets existing forest sector firms adopting transformational technologies or diversifying product streams, which fits Northern Ontario pulp, paper, and sawmill operations. Projects historically needed to be first-in-kind or early-adoption technology, not routine capital replacement.
Where else could this money come from?
Chosen by what these programs have in common with this one, not by hand. The reason is shown for each, so you can judge whether it holds.
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Indigenous Forestry Initiative
Next intake not announced same funder (NRCan); forestry, federal — Up to $45,000
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Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program
Intake closed both for small business, expansion; forestry, manufacturing — Up to $3,000,000
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Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program: Access to Capital
Open, continuous intake both for small business, expansion; federal — Up to $250,000
Notes on this record
The canada.ca news release for the $500M launch returned HTTP 403 (bot-blocked) during verification; call dates (opened 2026-02-25, closed 2026-04-27) are from consistent secondary sources, hence confidence:reported on process. Amounts are also secondary-sourced. Program category list and 2026-renewal bioproducts focus verified on the official NRCan page. The same February 2026 package includes GCWood (mass timber demonstration), the Indigenous Forestry Initiative, and GloFor, candidates for separate records if the index wants full federal forestry coverage.
Apply
Apply on the funder’s site and confirm current terms there: