Put your forest region in front of 300+ plant developers. Land new projects.

The Challenge proceeds in the following stages:

• Application phase (November 3 to December 3, 2026): applicants complete the application in the online portal, in English or French, and submit it by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 3, 2026. Late applications are not accepted.
• Informational webinars (November 9 to 20, 2026): the Canada FIRM team presents the program, the criteria and the application, and answers questions.
• Eligibility check and scoring (December 2026): each eligible application is scored out of 100 points by the Canada FIRM assessment team.
• Interviews (December 2026): applications in contention for an award are invited to a video interview of 15 to 45 minutes. Where an application names a project developer, the assessment team may also hold a confidential 30-minute conversation with that developer, with the applicant’s permission.
• Final selection and announcement (January 2027): the Ratings Integrity Committee reviews the scoring and the selection, and the 15 awardees are announced. Each awardee receives a fully funded BDO Zone Rating and promotion to project developers and investors through the BDO Zone Markets Acceleration Centre.

Every applicant, whether or not it receives an award, receives its score on each criterion and written feedback.

• Download the program guide (English, PDF)
• Download the program guide (French, PDF)

Each application must include at least five letters of support, including at least two from biomass suppliers in the supply zone. Letters must be signed and on the writer’s letterhead. The Letters of Support: Guide and Sample, available below and in Section 6 of the application, includes a template letter and sets out what each type of writer should state. Additional documents, such as a feedstock supply assessment, site plans, closure announcements or a wildfire protection plan, are not required but may strengthen the application.

• Download the letters of support guide and template (English, Word)
• Download the letters of support guide and template (French, Word)

Yes. Each section is saved when it is completed, and sections may be completed in any order. The applicant dashboard shows the status of the application (Draft, In Progress, Submitted, Under Review, Shortlisted or Declined) and the progress of each section. Once submitted, the application can no longer be edited; to make a change, contact the Canada FIRM team.

Joint applications are accepted. One organization acts as the lead applicant: it creates the account, completes, signs and submits the application, and receives correspondence. The joint applicant, which must also be an eligible type of applicant, is named in Section 1.4 with its contact. Organizations in the same region are encouraged to apply together.

Eligible applications are scored out of 100 points against four published criteria: biomass supply and supply chain (35 points), infrastructure and site readiness (25 points), project developer interest (15 points), and need and strategic impact (25 points). Applicants are encouraged to review the scoring guide, which sets out the eligibility requirements, each sub-criterion and its points, the evidence the assessment team looks for, the interview process and how final selection works.

• Download the scoring guide (English, PDF)
• Download the scoring guide (French, PDF)

Eligibility requires at least 50,000 tonnes per year of surplus forest biomass within the supply zone, defined as the area within 120 km drive distance of the industrial site. Larger confirmed surpluses score higher. The Canada FIRM assessment team confirms the band selected in the application through a high-level availability assessment of the supply zone.

Applications should be submitted through the online portal. Applicants who are unable to use the portal may complete the Word application form, which contains the same questions, and submit it by email, together with their letters of support and supporting documents, to the Canada FIRM team at canadafirmchallenge@ecostrat.com no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 3, 2026.

• Download the application form (English, Word)
• Download the application form (French, Word)

The Canada FIRM team supports applicants throughout the application period. Applicants are encouraged to contact the team at canadafirmchallenge@ecostrat.com or by phone at 343-338-0259 with any questions about their application, including eligibility, the assessment criteria, letters of support, supporting documents or the use of the portal. Guidance on what to include is also provided in each section of the application and in the scoring guide.