Costs Covered

Eligible Expenses Explained

  • To develop a new e-commerce website or add functionality to your existing site (e.g. online reservation/booking tools, online ordering systems, electronic payments)
    • Redesign of an existing site is not eligible
  • To install an e-commerce platform (including subscription fees/costs)
  • To hire a consultant to help with digital marketing strategies for your e-commerce store that could include activities such as website search optimization and social media advertising.
    • Your grant cannot be used solely for search engine marketing or social media advertising; such uses must be tied to an overall e-commerce implementation plan and not a standalone item
  • To track and manage inventory and sales, market to customers, offer discounts, maintain a loyalty program, or increase cyber security using e-commerce software
  • To pay up to 20% of the total cost of hardware and software

 

Eligible costs must be directly tied to the sale of goods and services online.

  • Internet connectivity
  • Shipping of goods purchased through the e-commerce platform
  • Purchases made prior to grant approval
  • Renewal of digital services such as domain names or software subscriptions (including existing e-commerce subscriptions)
  • Signage and printing
  • Logo redesign and rebranding
  • Owner’s salary or current employee salary for executing the project
  • Purchase of land, buildings or vehicles
  • Intangible assets such as goodwill, whether capitalized or expensed
  • Depreciation or amortization expenses
  • Interest on invested capital, bonds or debentures
  • Bond discount
  • Monthly mortgage, loan and/or rent payments
  • Refinancing of an existing debt
  • Losses on investments, bad debts and any other debts
  • Fines or penalties
  • Litigation
  • Fees for administrators, including payments to any member or officer of the business’s board of directors
  • Opportunity costs
  • Hospitality and entertainment costs
  • Franchise fees and/or franchise licence costs
  • Lobbyist fees
  • New capital expenditures
  • Consulting fees for submission of CDAP application or any costs not related to the acquisition or set-up of technology solutions