AI Compute Access Fund: Up to $5M for Cloud AI Compute (Closed)
The AI Compute Access Fund is currently closed. Its initial call closed July 31, 2025, and no new call has been announced yet. It is not accepting applications.
The fund is a federal grant for Canadian AI SMEs that addresses the cost of cloud compute for AI work. It covers two-thirds of Canadian cloud AI compute costs and half of non-Canadian cloud costs, with grants of $100K–$5M to reduce the cost of AI model training, fine-tuning and inference.
What is AI Compute Access Fund?
The AI Compute Access Fund is a federal grant program and part of Canada's $300M Sovereign AI Compute Strategy. It is aimed at Canadian AI SMEs that rely on cloud-based compute.
The fund pays for cloud AI compute used to develop, train, fine-tune or run inference on AI models. The share it covers depends on whether the cloud provider is Canadian.
AI Compute Access Fund at a glance
| Detail | AI Compute Access Fund |
|---|---|
| Funding amount | $100K – $5M |
| Program type | Grant |
| Level | Federal |
| Where it applies | Canada-wide |
| Status | Closed |
| Deadline | July 31, 2025 — Initial call closed July 31, 2025 — not currently accepting applications and no new call announced. Sign up for ISED updates; significant capacity remains in the $300M fund. |
| What it funds | R&D / Proof of Concept, AI Adoption / Integration, Prototype / Product Development |
| Industries | Software & IT, Medical Devices, Advanced Manufacturing, Biotech & Agriculture, Life Sciences |
| Company stage | Growth, Expansion |
| Payment model | Reimbursement |
| Matching funds required | No |
| Competition level | High |
How much funding is available?
Grants range from $100,000 to $5,000,000. The fund covers a larger share of costs when your company uses Canadian cloud compute than when it uses non-Canadian cloud.
Funding is paid on a reimbursement basis. No matching funds are required.
- Canadian cloud AI compute: two-thirds of costs covered
- Non-Canadian cloud AI compute: half of costs covered
- Grant size: $100,000 minimum, up to $5,000,000
Who is eligible?
The company
- A Canadian-registered for-profit company or consortium with fewer than 500 FTE employees
- Developing AI products or services, with R&D teams based in Canada
- Revenue-generating and/or able to show investor interest through minimum Series A financing
The project
- Involves the development, training, fine-tuning or inference of AI models using cloud-based compute
The application
- A Statement of Interest must be submitted at least 10 days before applications close
- The process is competitive, and proposals are ranked against program objectives
When and how to apply
The AI Compute Access Fund is closed. The initial call closed July 31, 2025, the program is not currently accepting applications, and no new call has been announced. ISED offers program updates by sign-up, which is how notice of any new call will be given. Significant capacity remains in the $300M fund.
In the initial call, companies had to submit a Statement of Interest at least 10 days before applications closed. Applications were then assessed competitively, with proposals ranked against program objectives.
The status of AI Compute Access Fund in EVAMAX Grant AI™ is currently Closed. Open the program there and choose “Remind me” to be told when it changes.
Is AI Compute Access Fund right for you?
The fund suits Canadian AI companies with fewer than 500 FTE employees, R&D teams in Canada, and either revenue or at least Series A financing, whose work depends on cloud compute for training, fine-tuning or inference. Competition is high, so your proposal needs to fit the program objectives closely. Keep in mind that the fund covers a smaller share of costs on non-Canadian cloud, that funding is paid by reimbursement, and that the Statement of Interest deadline falls at least 10 days before the application deadline if a new call opens.
Next steps: look up AI Compute Access Fund in EVAMAX Grant AI™ to see its live status and other programs that fit your company, or talk to EVAMAX about building your application.
Program details are from the EVAMAX Grant AI™ record as of October 8, 2026. Programs change — confirm current terms on the official program page before you apply.