The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is the federal government's main lending response to the trade war, and BDC offers tariff supports through its Pivot to Grow Program.

Where PacifiCan's Regional Tariff Response Initiative provides project funding, BDC provides financing: loans with low or deferred interest, long repayment periods, and terms designed for businesses that were healthy before the tariffs and now need room to adapt.

BDC's main offering for small and medium-sized businesses is the Pivot to Grow Program, which was expanded in August 2026 following the new U.S. tariffs. BDC also runs separate programs for metals and forestry businesses, and offers advisory services for businesses that need help building an adaptation plan.

This is financing, not grant money. Every dollar is repaid with interest. But for the right business at the right moment, it could make a difference.

What the program is meant to do

Pivot to Grow is built around three different problems a tariff-affected business may face:

    · Maintaining operations. Financing to manage cash flow pressure and keep the business running through a period of lost or reduced U.S. sales.

    · Improving productivity. Financing for equipment and investments that lower costs enough to stay competitive despite tariff pressure.

    · Building resilience. Financing to adapt the supply chain, find new markets, and respond to changing trade conditions.

In plain language: one program, three different loans. Which one a business should ask for depends on whether the immediate problem is cash, capacity, or strategy.

The three financing options

Liquidity Support

For businesses experiencing, or about to experience, an operational cash flow shortfall within the next 12 months as a direct result of U.S. tariffs.

    · loans from $250,000 to $5 million;

    · no interest for the first 12 months;

    · interest-only payments for up to 36 months;

    · amortization of up to 96 months;

    · no penalty for early repayment.

Pivot Loan

For businesses looking to strengthen operations, rethink their supply chain, or move into new markets, products or industries.

    · loans up to $5 million;

    · interest-only payments for up to 24 months;

    · amortization over 60 months;

    · no penalty for early repayment;

    · a resilience plan is required.

Equipment Financing

For businesses affected by tariffs that want to boost productivity by investing in equipment.

    · loans up to $5 million;

    · interest-only payments for up to 24 months;

    · amortization over 144 months;

    · no penalty for early repayment.

Who may be eligible

To be considered for any of the three options, a business must:

    · be Canadian-based;

    · have been in operation for at least three years;

    · have annual revenue of $1 million or more;

    · have a history of positive cash flow;

    · have been viable before the tariffs were implemented.

Businesses must also demonstrate that tariffs have had a negative material impact on their operations and profitability.

How the tariff impact test works

The three options measure tariff impact differently, and this is where many businesses will find out quickly whether they qualify.

For Liquidity Support, a business must meet both conditions:

    · at least 15% of revenue comes from exports to the U.S.; and

    · tariffs equal at least 5% of the company's revenue.

For the Pivot Loan and Equipment Financing, a business must meet either condition:

    · at least 15% of revenue comes from exports to the U.S.; or

    · there is a 10% drop in annual revenue, or a 10% increase in total costs, linked to U.S. tariffs.

A business facing a 50% tariff on a meaningful share of its exports will typically clear these thresholds without difficulty. A business affected indirectly, through higher input costs, will need to document the cost increase carefully.

What the funding can do

Pivot to Grow financing can be used to:

    · cover a tariff-driven cash flow gap without requiring a payment in the first year;

    · fund market diversification, including sales staff, certifications, trade development and new channels;

    · pay for re-sourcing inputs affected by Canadian counter-tariffs, including qualifying new suppliers and building inventory;

    · purchase equipment and automation on long amortization terms, where the monthly payment is smaller than the cost it eliminates;

    · finance the cost of BDC advisory work, which can be rolled into the loan.

Businesses that already hold BDC loans may also be eligible for a six-month principal payment deferral. This is usually the fastest relief available and is worth asking about before applying for anything new.

What the funding cannot do

Businesses should be equally clear about the program's limits.

    · It is not a grant. Every dollar is repaid with interest once the interest-free or interest-only period ends. A business facing a permanent structural problem rather than a temporary disruption can make its position worse by borrowing through it.

    · It will not rescue a business that was already in difficulty. The three-year operating history, positive cash flow, and pre-tariff viability requirements are designed to screen this out.

    · It will not reach the smallest businesses. A business under $1 million in annual revenue, or under three years old, does not qualify regardless of how severely tariffs have affected it.

    · Liquidity Support cannot be combined with another BDC liquidity loan. If a business or any of its affiliates already has one, it is not eligible, and the reverse is also true.

    · Indirect exposure is harder to qualify. The eligibility tests are built around U.S. export share and tariff cost. A domestic business squeezed by counter-tariff input costs can qualify, but only with clear documentation of a 10% cost increase.

Who this could help in Langley

Pivot to Grow may be worth exploring for:

    · manufacturers exporting a meaningful share of production to the U.S.;

    · food and beverage processors, particularly dairy and alcohol producers affected by the U.S. tariff list;

    · wood products businesses, which should look at the dedicated forestry program first;

    · metal fabricators and producers, who should look at the metals program if they are large enough;

    · machinery and equipment dealers facing higher costs from Canadian counter-tariffs;

    · exporters that need working capital while they develop domestic, interprovincial or new international markets.

Businesses under $1 million in revenue, or with less than three years of operating history, will not qualify. Those businesses should look at the Regional Tariff Response Initiative and provincial supports instead.

Preparing to apply

There is no online application form. The process begins with a conversation, and businesses that come prepared move considerably faster.

Before calling, a business should be ready to provide:

    · two to three years of financial statements, plus current interim figures;

    · a 12-month cash flow forecast showing the expected shortfall;

    · a quantified tariff impact, including U.S. export share, tariff cost as a percentage of revenue, and changes in orders and input costs;

    · a resilience plan, if applying for the Pivot Loan.

BDC will then discuss the project, request supporting documents, and provide a tailored loan offer if the application is approved.

Current status

Pivot to Grow is accepting applications and is available until March 31, 2028.

One condition is worth noting: if the U.S. tariffs are repealed, cancelled or suspended, the Liquidity Support stream terminates automatically on that date. The Pivot Loan and Equipment Financing streams are not affected by this condition.

Learn more and apply

Recommended next steps:

    1. Review the Pivot to Grow program page at bdc.ca/pivot

    2. Confirm which of the three financing options fits your situation.
    
    3. Quantify your tariff impact and prepare your financial information.

    4. Contact BDC at 1-888-463-6232 or info@bdc.ca. General tariff support enquiries can be directed to 1-877-232-2269. Or contact the Langley Chamber for a more personal connection to one of our BDC representatives.

    5. Steel, aluminium and copper producers should start at bdc.ca/metals.

The Chamber encourages tariff-affected Langley businesses to consider whether BDC financing could provide the cash flow relief or investment capital needed to adapt.

Businesses planning a larger project may also want to review the Regional Tariff Response Initiative, which provides repayable and non-repayable project funding through PacifiCan.

This information is provided for general guidance only and is not financial or legal advice. Program terms, eligibility and availability are set by BDC and may change without notice.