Field notes
Canadian business loan and plan guides.
Plain-language guides to Canadian business loan applications. Written for entrepreneurs and SMBs working with Canadian lenders.
2026-07-09
10 min read
Why is a farm business plan different in Canada — and who actually lends to farmers?
Farming is explicitly excluded from the CSBFP. This guide maps the real farm-financing routes in Canada — the CALA program's 95% federal guarantee, Farm Credit Canada, and the banks — and why seasonal cash-flow projections decide the file.
2026-07-07
9 min read
How does CanExport SMEs work — and what plan unlocks it?
CanExport SMEs reimburses up to 50% of new-market export costs (max $50,000, non-repayable) — but only against a credible market-entry plan. How the program works, the tightened 2026-27 eligibility, and how to be ready for the next intake.
2026-07-04
9 min read
What business plan does Futurpreneur (and BDC) want from a young or newcomer entrepreneur?
Futurpreneur pairs up to $75,000 in collateral-free financing (up to $25K from Futurpreneur, up to $50K from BDC) with up to two years of mentorship — but only after a business plan and cash-flow forecast. The required plan, the projections, and the eligibility streams, walked through.
2026-07-02
10 min read
How do I write the business plan for a CSBFP loan?
The CSBFP's 85% government guarantee shares the lender's loss — it does not replace underwriting. This guide covers the program structure and exactly what the bank's underwriter wants in the plan, projections, and use-of-funds schedule.
2026-06-30
9 min read
What do Canadian lenders actually read vs. skim in your business plan?
A section-by-section walk through underwriting — which pages drive the credit decision, which are reference, and how each plan section maps to BDC's 5 Cs of credit (character, capacity, capital, collateral, conditions).
2026-06-27
11 min read
How to build the 3-statement financial model for a Canadian business plan
Why Canadian lenders want the income statement, balance sheet, and cash-flow statement linked — and how to model the assumptions behind them using real CRA T2125 expense categories and ISED industry benchmarks.
2026-06-25
8 min read
How long should a business plan be in Canada?
There's no fixed page count — length should match the reader. A lender-calibrated guide to how long a Canadian business plan should run, by purpose: lean canvas vs. traditional plan, the one-page executive summary, and how length scales with loan size and audience.
2026-06-23
9 min read
Do you actually need a business plan to get a business loan in Canada?
Banks, BDC, and the CSBFP all list a business plan among loan requirements — but how much plan you need scales with the loan size and the lender. What we build versus what the lender underwrites.
2026-06-20
10 min read
What does a BC PNP entrepreneur business plan (business concept) need to show?
With Ontario's OINP entrepreneur stream closed, demand is shifting to BC. The BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration registration is scored on a 200-point grid — here's how the business concept maps to net worth, investment, jobs, and location points, with current WelcomeBC thresholds and the official scoring tables.
2026-06-18
10 min read
What business plan does an intra-company transfer (ICT) new office require?
A foreign company opening its first Canadian office via the ICT 'start-up' stream (code C61) must evidence the venture with a business plan, an HR roadmap, secured premises, and proof of financial capacity. Here is how the plan maps to the new-office evidence IRCC actually weighs.
2026-06-16
9 min read
Is the Start-Up Visa still open? What the December 2025 closure means for your business plan
IRCC stopped accepting new Start-Up Visa applications after December 31, 2025. Only holders of a valid 2025 commitment certificate can still file (by June 30, 2026). What the closure means for your business plan, and where the pivot goes from here.
2026-06-13
10 min read
What business plan do I need for a C11 owner-operator work permit (2026)?
The C11 (LMIA-exempt R205(a)) is the main federal entry route for foreign entrepreneurs in 2026, and IRCC tightened it on May 27, 2025: 51% ownership, an 18-month cap, no Canadian Experience Class credit, and business funds separate from settlement funds. Here's what the plan must prove.
2026-06-11
9 min read
How to write a business plan executive summary
What underwriters read first (and often only) — the one-page structure, words that signal competence, red flags that kill files, and how the summary differs for loan, SUV, PNP, and investor plans.
2026-06-04
11 min read
Business plan for buying a business in Canada
How an acquisition plan differs from a startup plan, what BDC and CSBFP fund, vendor takeback structures, valuation methods Canadian banks accept, and goodwill financing limits.
2026-05-28
9 min read
Canadian business plan templates: free vs. custom
BDC, RBC, and Innovation Canada all publish free templates. Here's what each covers, where templates fall short for real underwriting, and how RMs spot a template plan in 30 seconds.
2026-05-21
10 min read
Business plan for a Canadian franchise loan
Which Canadian lenders fund franchise purchases, which keep pre-approved brand lists, what the FDD adds to your plan, and the cost ranges underwriters expect by sector.
2026-05-14
9 min read
5 reasons Canadian banks reject business plans
Small-business loan approvals dropped two points in 2024 and collateral demands jumped twenty. The five specific things adjudicators flag most often — and how to address each.
2026-05-11
10 min read
How to write a business plan for a BDC loan
What BDC underwriters look for — current programs, ratios, timelines, and the 2024–2026 changes that affect your application.
2026-05-10
10 min read
Cash flow projections for a Canadian business loan
Years of forecasts, monthly vs. quarterly, DSCR targets, scenario analysis, and the Canadian tax line items most projections miss before underwriting.
2026-05-09
11 min read
CSBFP vs. BDC vs. big-bank business loans
A side-by-side of Canada's three main small-business lending paths — CSBFP, BDC, and the big six — with current rules, rates, and a decision framework.
2026-05-08
9 min read
How much does a business plan cost in Canada?
Real CAD pricing for DIY, online tools, freelancers, consultancies, and premium boutique services — plus what actually drives the price.
2026-05-07
12 min read
Canadian entrepreneur immigration pathways in 2026
SUV paused. Owner-Operator LMIA ended 2021. Ontario and Saskatchewan PNP entrepreneur streams closed. What's actually open in 2026 — and what each plan needs.