Funding for Business

WD helps to fill the gap between traditional bank lending and the availability of venture capital for small business by working with western financial institutions and not-for-profit organizations.

Community Futures offices offer loan programs (eligibility criteria) for rural entrepreneurs as well as the entrepreneurs with disabilities program (eligibility criteria) in rural communities.

Women's Enterprise Initiative offices provide loan programs (eligibility criteria) to assist women entrepreneurs.

Le Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba manages a risk capital fund for Manitoba businesses owned by Francophones.

Loan and Investment Program

Through the Loan and Investment Program, WD partners with independent western financial institutions to offset a portion of the risk they experience when lending to small business. From the beginning of the program in 1995 until September 2008, WD's loss support contribution of $37 million has leveraged 3,291 loans totalling $250 million. It is estimated that this financing has helped businesses create more than 7,200 jobs and increase revenues by $910 million.

• The Growth Capital loan program is designed for small and medium-sized B.C. businesses in traditional industries (eligibility criteria)

Loan programs have also been designed specifically to meet the needs of very small businesses in Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg:

• VanCity Self-Reliance Loan Program (eligibility criteria)
• Servus Credit Union Micro Loan Program (eligibility criteria)
• Assiniboine Credit Union Micro Loan Program (eligibility criteria)
• Affinity Credit Union Micro Loan Program  (eligibility criteria)
• Coast Capital Savings Micro Loan Program (eligibility criteria)