CEBA Loan FAQs (Updated for 2026)

To be eligible for the Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA), applicants must adhere to one of two pathways:

• Payroll Stream: This is applicable for applicants who had employment income in the calendar year of 2019 between CAD $20,000 and CAD $1,500,000.
• Non-Deferrable Expense Stream: This pathway is for applicants who had CAD $20,000 or less in total employment income paid in the calendar year of 2019.

In addition to following one of these streams, all applicants must satisfy the following eligibility requirements:

• Possession of an active Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Business Number (BN) registered on or before March 1, 2020.
• Maintenance of an active business checking/operating account with their lender at the time of application. Note: If the applicant does not currently have a business checking/operating account, they must establish one with their primary financial institution prior to submitting a CEBA application.
• The applicant should not have availed themselves of the CEBA program previously and should not seek support from the program via any other financial institution.
• The applicant must intend to continue operating their business or resume operations.

For applicants aligning with the Non-Deferrable Expenses Stream, additional criteria include:

• Incurring eligible non-deferrable expenses between CAD $40,000 and CAD $1,500,000. Such eligible non-deferrable expenses may encompass costs associated with rent, property taxes, utilities, and insurance. These expenses will be subject to verification and audit by the Government of Canada.
• The applicant must have filed an income tax return with the CRA for a tax year ending in 2019 or, if the 2019 tax return has not been submitted, 2018.

Eligibility criteria may vary but generally, businesses must be based in Canada, have a federal tax registration, had a payroll within a certain range in the previous year, and have a business banking account.

The eligibility to receive the additional $20,000 expansion under the Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA) is typically based on whether the applicant had previously received the initial $40,000 loan. Importantly, it is also governed by the application period deadline. Therefore, for businesses to have been eligible for this expansion, they would have needed to have completed and submitted their applications for this additional funding before June 30, 2021.

For businesses to qualify for the Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loan they must have an active Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Business Number (BN) registered on or before March 1, 2020.

The Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA) is generally available to a wide range of business types that meet the eligibility criteria. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Corporations registered under the federal or a provincial act.
• Sole proprietors.
• Partnerships.
• Not-for-profit organizations.
• Charities.
• Co-operatives.
• Indigenous groups running a business.

Yes, the CEBA loan can be used in conjunction with other COVID-19 relief measures, but the funds cannot be used for the same expenses. Businesses that have received support under the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) are not eligible for a $60,000 CEBA loan or $20,000 CEBA expansion.

Typically, you can only apply for one CEBA loan for each business number (BN) you have.

Yes, eligible charities and non-profit organizations could apply for the CEBA loan.

The program is closed and eligibility decisions are final. If you need financing today, compare lenders that work with small businesses.