BDC LIFT: current terms and a practical starting point
Compare BDC’s digital and equipment financing paths, understand the Canadian supplier requirement, and prepare a project BDC can assess.
Choose the path that matches the investment
| Published term | Digital transformation and AI | Productivity and equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Business revenue | At least $1 million | At least $5 million |
| Loan amount | $25,000–$2 million | $350,000–$5 million |
| Principal postponement | Up to 12 months | Up to two years |
| Amortization | Up to six years, including postponement | Up to 12 years |
| Planning | A BDC Advisory Services Digital Plan is mandatory | A current productivity plan; BDC consulting can help prepare or refine it |
| Projects | Data, ERP/CRM, AI, cybersecurity, training and integration | Digitally enabled equipment, robotics, automation and related installation |
| Industries | All industries, subject to BDC review | Specified sectors only; see below |
These are published ceilings and requirements, not an approval or a loan offer. BDC assesses credit, financial strength, profitability where required, project scope and suppliers. The equipment path does not require every project to include a separate AI build. See the BDC digital transformation and AI terms and BDC productivity and equipment terms for the full conditions.
Rates and Canadian suppliers
BDC advertises preferential pricing subject to conditions. Its current public LIFT pages do not publish a single numerical interest rate. Ask BDC for a written quote that identifies the interest rate, fees, security, amortization and any principal postponement for your business. A postponement of principal is not a promise of interest-free financing.
BDC requires qualified Canadian suppliers or integrators. A Canadian address or a vendor’s marketing statement does not establish that a particular project, product or supplier qualifies. Ask your BDC advisor to confirm the proposed suppliers and the terms attached to them before signing an implementation contract. Creatrixe can provide a scope and supplier information; BDC determines eligibility and financing.
Equipment sectors
The equipment path lists manufacturing; transport and warehousing; wholesale; construction; agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting; architectural, engineering and related services; and mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction. Confirm the classification of your business with BDC.
Start with the operating problem
Write down the process that is costing time or losing revenue, its current volume, the systems involved and the cost of fixing it. Separate software implementation from equipment purchases and any genuine experimental development. Include training, data preparation, recurring operating costs and staff time in the budget; ask BDC which costs are eligible rather than assuming the full budget is financed.
- For a clinic, constrain an intake project to administration and define how staff handle sensitive information.
- For a trade business, measure missed calls, quote follow-up and dispatch handoffs before choosing a tool.
- For a retailer or restaurant, check POS and booking integration, peak demand and the process for correcting mistakes.
- For professional services, agree permissions, review responsibilities and audit trails before allowing automated client-facing actions.
Prepare before borrowing
- Use our application preparation checklist to identify missing information.
- Read the LIFT application walkthrough for a practical sequence.
- Model a quoted or hypothetical rate in the illustrative loan calculator.
- Compare the purpose of other funding in our Canadian funding decision guide.
This is an independent guide. Creatrixe is an implementation supplier, not BDC, a lender or an approval authority. For the authoritative application route, contact BDC through its official LIFT page.