Guidelines

The main purpose of the Canada Small Business Financing Act (the Act) is to increase the availability of financing for the purpose of the establishment, expansion, modernization and improvement of Canadian small businesses. These Guidelines provide the Canada Small Business Financing Program Directorate’s (CSBFP Directorate) interpretation of the Act’s provisions and those of the Canada Small Business Financing Regulations (the Regulations).

Lenders should always refer to the Act and Regulations, as they constitute the legal authority for the program. They contain the procedures and conditions for making and administering CSBF loans and for submitting and substantiating claims for loan losses.

These Guidelines are divided into four sections:

• A: Eligibility criteria used in making a CSBF loan
• B: Registration, administration and reporting of CSBF loans
• C: Realization on CSBF loans and submission of claims
• D: Annexes and Forms

A lending officer who encounters a situation not clearly covered by the Act, Regulations or these Guidelines should seek clarification and direction from the lender’s head office, regional office or central office. The CSBFP Directorate may issue rulings in response to written requests originating from the regional office, central office or head office of a financial institution.

The most recent version of the Guidelines is also available on our internet site at www.ic.gc.ca/csbfp.

All correspondence concerning CSBF loans should be forwarded to:

Canada Small Business Financing Program
c/o Industry Canada
235 Queen Street
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H5

Telephone:
1-613-954-5540
1-866-959-1699

Fax:
1-613-952-0290

E-mail:
csbfp-pfpec@ic.gc.ca