Many Canadian businesses need access to specialized labs, testing equipment, or pilot-scale facilities—but don’t know where to look. The Research Facilities Navigator is a free federal tool that helps you find publicly funded research facilities across Canada that work with industry. It is designed to shorten the time it takes to move from an idea to testing, validation, or commercialization.
The Research Facilities Navigator is an online directory managed by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). It lists hundreds of Canadian research facilities that are open to working with businesses, including SMEs, scale-ups, and larger firms.
You can use it if your business needs:
Facilities in the Navigator are typically housed within:
Most facilities charge fees for business use. Some costs may be eligible under Canadian grant and innovation funding programs, depending on the program rules.
The Navigator is built for non-academics. You do not need a research background to use it effectively.
You can search using plain-language terms such as:
Results can be filtered by:
This helps you quickly narrow options to facilities that match your business needs.
Each facility profile typically includes:
Look for language that mentions industry collaboration, contract research, or fee-for-service work. These signals tell you the facility is set up to work with companies, not just academic researchers.
When reaching out, be direct and practical. Most facilities expect business inquiries.
Include:
Facilities can often suggest the best approach, scope the work, and provide a cost estimate.
Accessing research facilities is often an eligible expense under innovation, R&D, and commercialization grants.
Tools like GrantHub’s eligibility matcher can help you filter programs by province, industry, and project type in seconds—especially if you plan to combine facility access with grant funding.
Canadian companies use the Research Facilities Navigator at different stages of growth:
Facilities are not limited to high-tech firms. Food producers, manufacturers, agri-businesses, cleantech companies, and health innovators regularly use these services.
Facilities are busy. Vague requests like “we want to explore collaboration” slow things down. Be specific about what you need tested or developed.
Most facilities operate on a cost-recovery basis. Budget for fees, even when working with publicly funded organizations.
Many businesses only look federally. Provincial universities and colleges often have excellent facilities closer to home with shorter wait times.
You can—and should—talk to facilities while preparing grant applications. Quotes and project scopes strengthen funding applications.
Q: Is the Research Facilities Navigator only for tech companies?
No. Businesses in food processing, manufacturing, agriculture, natural resources, and health regularly use listed facilities. The tool covers a wide range of sectors.
Q: Do I need a research partner to use these facilities?
Usually no. Many facilities offer fee-for-service work directly to businesses without requiring a formal research partnership.
Q: Are these facilities available to startups?
Yes. Startups can access facilities, provided they can cover costs or secure funding. Some facilities are very experienced in working with early-stage firms.
Q: Can facility costs be covered by grants?
Often yes. Many Canadian innovation and R&D programs allow external research and testing costs as eligible expenses, subject to program rules.
Q: How long does it take to get access?
Timelines vary. Some facilities can start within weeks, while others may require scheduling months in advance for specialized equipment.
If accessing research facilities is part of your growth or commercialization plan, funding and timing matter. GrantHub tracks hundreds of active grant programs across Canada and helps you see which ones align with projects that involve testing, R&D, and facility access. That clarity makes it easier to move from searching to action—without wasting months on the wrong programs.
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