Canadian Consumer Protection Initiative Program 2025 (Canada)

It also aims to strengthen capacity building for consumer organizations to help fulfil their mandates, increase their visibility, membership and self-sufficiency in the interest of Canadian consumers.

Objectives

• The objective of the Program is to strengthen the consumer’s role in the marketplace through the development and promotion of sound research and analysis, fostering innovative solutions to issues impacting consumers, and enhancing the overall capacity of ecosystem organizations to support and protect consumer interests.

Topics

• Priority will be given to proposals that align with the following topics of interest:
  • Consumer Protection.
  • Sustainable Consumption and the Circular Economy.
  • Affordability, Systemic Barriers, and Risks to Vulnerable Consumers.
  • Consumers and the Financial Sector.

Types of Projects

• Research:
  • Research Projects are aimed at improving the capacity of consumer organizations to represent the interests of consumers in the marketplace decision-making process through sound research and analysis of consumer protection issues that are national in scope.
• Research “refresher”:
  • Research “refresher” projects are aimed to facilitate an update of past studies through a “then and now” comparison. These projects examine consumer issues that, for example, have been impacted by significant new marketplace or legislative developments since the original research was undertaken (e.g. inflation, etc.), which warrant an update of the existing research rather than an entirely new research project.
• Consumer Movement Development:
  • Development projects aim to strengthen organizations’ capacity to work collaboratively with other organizations with a consumer focus in the interest of Canadian consumers by developing joint plans and initiatives in the areas of policy research, analysis and development by:
    • creating and implementing joint action plans to address issues of national concern
    • making concerted international representations
    • establishing joint representation and communication initiatives with the public, with governments, and with industry.
• Development of communication/awareness activities or products:
  • Development of communication and awareness activities or products projects are aimed at strengthening the capacity of organizations to undertake new projects focusing on communication and awareness-raising activities, or consumer representation projects (e.g. funding of groups responsible for representing consumer interests during forthcoming government consultations, etc.).
• Organizational Development:
  • Organizational Development Projects aim to strengthen an organization’s capacity to diversify revenue sources and increase its level of self-sufficiency. Projects may include the preparation of multi-year business plans, feasibility studies (including online services) and market analysis, or pilot projects for developing and producing products or services with the potential to generate long-term revenues for the organization, or increase its visibility and/or the membership base.

Funding Information

• The maximum total amount that can be awarded per project to a single organization is $500,000.
• Projects can span a period of up to 24 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible applicants must be not-for-profit organizations or associations incorporated in Canada (federally or provincially) and/or may be:
  • Not-for-profit social enterprises or co-operatives
  • A consortia of non-profit organizations
  • Post-secondary academic institutions or research institutes
  • Indigenous organizations
• Eligible organizations must demonstrate that they:
  • Have the structure, governance and funding arrangements which do not expose them to commercial influence on their research and policy positions or outreach activities;
  • Are capable of reaching a wide range of Canadian consumers, including those beyond their organization;
  • Are competent, credible, and accountable in carrying out projects; and,
  • Are guided by objectives which are consistent with the Program goal (i.e. strengthening the consumer’s role in the marketplace through the promotion of sound research and analysis, fostering innovative solutions to issues impacting consumers, and enhancing the overall capacity of ecosystem organizations to support and protect consumer interests.
• Applicants to the organizational development type have to demonstrate that they:
  • Are incorporated as not-for-profit corporation in Canada, with its primary mandate related to the protection of consumer interests.

For more information, visit Government of Canada.