Following Canadian Heritage Min. Marc Miller announcement of the renewal of the Creative Export Strategy (CES), the 2026-2027 intake of the Export Development Stream (EDS) of the Creative Export Canada (CEC) program has been launched.
Starting in 2026-27, the federal government will devote $95 million to the strategy over five years, as well as $19 million annually afterward.
EDS offers funding for:
-new or early-stage exporters looking to develop their export capacity and enter international markets;
-more experienced exporters looking to expand their networks abroad.
Funding is available for projects carried out in fiscal year 2026-2027, for activities such as:
-export planning;
-export training and mentorship;
-attending trade shows abroad or bringing buyers, distributors, and arts presenters to Canada;
-international marketing and promotion of creative products.
Applicants can apply for up to $90,000 in funding.
The application package is now available for projects with expenses planned between April 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027; and the deadline to submit an application is July 8, 2026.
The program will host webinars to provide tips on submitting your application to the EDS:
In English: June 16, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. (Eastern Time)
To register for the English webinar, please click here
In French: June 18, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. (Eastern Time)
To register for the French webinar, please click here
If you wish to submit an application, please follow the steps below:
Complete the Eligibility Quiz to assess the eligibility of your organization and your project. If you have answered “yes” to all the questions in the Quiz, we invite you to submit your application package by following the next steps:
Request the application form and eligibility quiz.
Please read the Application Guidelines
Provide all the information requested. Incomplete or late requests will be automatically rejected.
Email your complete application to creativeexportcanada-exportationcreativecanada@pch.gc.ca no later than 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 8, 2026.