Climate Adaptation Program is now open for submissions.
Deadline to apply is November 2, 2026, at 3:00 pm ADT.
You can download the Guidelines by clicking the link on the sidebar under Related Documents.
The Climate Adaptation Program (CAP) helps Nova Scotia businesses prepare for climate-related risks and keep growing by covering some of the cost of expert advice and pilot testing needed to identify and integrate climate adaptation measures.
Funding:
- Up to $15,000 CAD per business to offset eligible project costs. See guidelines for list of eligible project costs. Projects must be completed by March 31, 2027.
Focus Areas:
- Climate Risk Assessment, Investment Planning & Third-Party Technical Expertise: Projects that establish the technical evidence, independent expertise, and analysis needed to understand physical climate risks, assess adaptation options, and strengthen investment decisions before an applicant makes an irreversible or material capital commitment to the underlying investment.
- Operational & Business Continuity Resilience: Projects that reduce climate-related interruptions to production, services, supply, or revenue.
- Climate-Resilient Supply Chains & Critical Inputs: Projects that assess, strengthen, diversify, and demonstrate climate resilience across critical supply chains, inputs, logistics, and externally supplied utilities or services. Projects should focus on technical assessment, planning, design, and early-stage implementation, rather than routine procurement or ordinary supply-chain management.
- Climate Adaptation Demonstration & Pilot Projects: Projects that test innovative climate adaptation approaches before larger capital commitments are made.
Eligibility
To apply, you must:
- Be a Nova Scotia registered business in good standing (current registration on the Registry of Joint Stock Companies).
- Have a permanent establishment in Nova Scotia.
- Have most of its workforce currently residing in Nova Scotia.
- Have fewer than 150 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs).
- Have no outstanding or pending claims/litigation, injunctions, judgments, orders, legal or administrative actions, or similar proceedings against the business, its principals and/or any related business. (Some exceptions may apply. Contact the Regional Business Development Advisor in your area to discuss.)
- The business, principals and/or any related business shall not be in default of any obligations under any other form of financial assistance and/or incentive program from Invest Nova Scotia, the Province of Nova Scotia, or any agency of the Province of Nova Scotia. For purposes of this criterion, the Credit Union Small Business Loan Guarantee Program is considered a form of financial assistance provided by the Province of Nova Scotia.
- Businesses and their related entities may be limited to funding for one business only.
Evaluation Criteria
Submissions are evaluated on the following criteria:
- Material climate risk: The risk is clearly identified, supported by credible evidence, and materially affects assets, operations, workers, supply chains, critical inputs, revenue, or growth.
- Proactive adaptation: The work is proactive, directly responds to the identified risk, is technically appropriate, and goes beyond routine maintenance, repair, compliance, or general environmental work.
- Business relevance: The project is likely to improve continuity, productivity, competitiveness, asset life, downtime, operating costs, revenue protection, investment performance, or long-term growth.
- Project readiness and feasibility: Scope, activities, deliverables, schedule, budget, responsibilities, and consultant qualifications are clear, realistic, and proportionate.
- Additionality and value for money: Funding will materially improve the timing, scope, quality, or feasibility of the project, and the requested amount represents reasonable value.
- Measurable resilience outcome: Expected outcomes are specific and credible, with indicators, baselines, targets, or a clear method for confirming results where feasible.
Important Dates
The application intake period is from October 7, 2026, to November 2, 2026, at 3:00 PM (ADT).
How to Apply
Applications for the Climate Adaptation Program are now OPEN. Submit your application online.
To apply:
- Complete the APPLICATION FORM, answering all questions in the boxes provided.
- Upload the signed statement of work, including objectives, activities, deliverables, dates, fees, currency, total cost, tax treatment, and both parties’ signatures. [Required upload]
- Upload proof of the provider’s expertise, such as biographies, CVs, work history, or references. [Required upload]
- Upload any supporting climate-risk evidence or other referenced schedules, budgets, drawings, maps, or analyses. [Optional upload]
- If this is your first time applying to a program with Invest Nova Scotia, please contact Amanda Tarr or the Regional Business Development Advisor in your region to request your Customer Number. You will need this number to submit your application online.