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Equipment Financing

Equipment financing for the machines that run your business.

Trucks, trailers, machinery, medical, dental, restaurant, fitness, technology — leased or financed, with quotes compared against dealer and bank offers. We model lease vs. loan for tax + cashflow, then place with the right lender.

Typical funding 1-3 weeks·$10k-$2M per transaction·24-84 month terms
TL;DR

Buying equipment? Compare lease vs. loan before you sign. Leases preserve cashflow and balance-sheet capacity; loans build asset equity faster. We model both for tax + cashflow, then place with the lender that fits your file. Typical funding in 1-3 weeks once approved (lender-dependent).

Lease + loan modeled Specialty lenders Fees disclosed upfront
$10k-$2M
Per transaction
24-84 mo
Term length
1-3 wks
Typical time to fund
20+
Equipment lenders
What we finance

If it has a serial number and a resale market, there is usually a lender for it.

New, used (with appraisal), imported, custom-built. Specialty lenders for every major asset class.

Vehicles & Fleet

Trucks, vans, trailers, fleet vehicles, specialty commercial vehicles. New and used.

Examples: Class 8 trucks, refrigerated trailers, service vans, fleet upgrades, EVs

Construction & Industrial

Heavy equipment, machinery, manufacturing tools. Specialty lenders with construction expertise.

Examples: Excavators, skid steers, CNC machines, presses, packaging lines

Medical & Dental

Specialty equipment financing for healthcare practices. Practice acquisition financing too.

Examples: CT scanners, dental chairs, lab equipment, telehealth infrastructure

Restaurant & Hospitality

Kitchen build-outs, full FF&E packages, POS systems, refrigeration, bar fit-outs.

Examples: Combi ovens, walk-in coolers, Toast/Square POS, espresso machines

Technology & IT Infrastructure

Servers, networking, software bundled with hardware, SaaS deployments, AV systems.

Examples: Server racks, network upgrades, GPU clusters, audio-visual installations

Specialty & Retail Fit-out

Salons, gyms, dental offices, retail buildouts. Sector-specialist lenders.

Examples: Salon stations, fitness equipment, retail shelving, dental ops
The big decision

Lease or loan? Run both before you sign.

Three factors usually decide it: tax position, useful life vs. hold period, and cashflow.

Operating Lease

Best when…

  • Equipment depreciates fast (technology, vehicles)
  • You want to preserve cashflow and credit capacity
  • You expect to upgrade in 3-5 years
  • Lease payments are generally deductible for a true operating lease (CRA may treat $1-buyout leases as a purchase)
  • Off-balance-sheet treatment may apply (depends on your accounting standard)
Term Loan / Capital Lease

Best when…

  • Equipment has a long useful life (10+ years)
  • You'll own and use it for the full life
  • You want to build asset equity
  • Interest is deductible; CCA depreciation applies
  • Lower lifetime cost than a comparable lease
How it works

Five steps to funded.

1

Send vendor quote

Manufacturer/dealer invoice or formal quote with specs and price.

2

Pre-qualify in 24h

Soft credit + business overview. We size your file and show indicative rate.

3

Lease vs. loan model

Side-by-side comparison with tax impact and cashflow.

4

Lender shortlist + quotes

2-3 written quotes from competing lenders.

5

Funded to vendor

The lender pays the equipment vendor directly. You take delivery.

Should I lease the equipment or finance it with a loan?

This is the core decision, and the right answer depends on your tax position, cash flow, and how long you'll keep the asset. A lease usually means little or nothing down — you make fixed payments to use the equipment, often with a buyout option (a nominal $1 figure or fair market value) at the end of term. That preserves upfront capital and can keep the asset off your balance sheet. An equipment loan is different: you own the asset from day one, you build equity as you pay it down, and you keep the residual value when the term ends.

The tradeoff is upfront cost versus ownership. Leasing protects cash flow now; a loan typically costs less over the equipment's full life and leaves you with a paid-off asset. The tax treatment differs too — lease payments and loan interest plus depreciation are handled differently on your return. Talk to your accountant about which structure suits your numbers, and we'll model both side by side so the decision is grounded in real figures.

Why is equipment financing often easier to qualify for?

Because the equipment itself secures the financing. The asset you're buying serves as the collateral, which lowers the lender's risk and changes how your application is assessed. When a lender knows it can recover value from the machine, vehicle, or system if something goes wrong, approvals tend to move faster and the bar is more forgiving than for unsecured credit.

That structure also opens the door to newer businesses. A company without years of financial history can still qualify when the asset backing the deal holds clear resale value. Lenders match the term to the equipment's useful life — financing a long-lived industrial press over a longer period, a quickly depreciating piece of technology over a shorter one. That alignment keeps your payments sensible relative to how long the asset actually earns for you, and it's a key reason equipment financing is one of the more accessible forms of commercial credit. We structure each file so the term, the asset, and your cash flow line up.

What types of equipment can be financed?

Almost any business-critical asset with a serial number and a resale market. We arrange financing across every major category: vehicles and fleet (trucks, vans, trailers, specialty commercial vehicles), construction and heavy equipment (excavators, skid steers, loaders), and manufacturing machinery (CNC equipment, presses, packaging and production lines).

It extends well beyond that. Medical and dental practices finance imaging systems, chairs, and lab equipment; restaurants fund kitchen build-outs, refrigeration, and POS systems; technology and IT operations finance servers, networking, and hardware-software bundles; and agricultural producers finance tractors, harvesters, and implements. Both new and used equipment qualify — new is generally simpler to approve, while well-documented used equipment is straightforward with a current appraisal to confirm value. If the asset is essential to running your business and holds market value, there is almost always a lender for it. Tell us what you're buying and we'll identify the right source.

Can the Canada Small Business Financing Program help me buy equipment?

Yes. The Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP) is a federal risk-sharing initiative designed specifically to help small businesses access financing they might not otherwise obtain. Under the program, the government shares the lending risk with the financial institution, which makes lenders more willing to approve equipment purchases for smaller and younger companies.

The CSBFP can finance new or used equipment as well as leasehold improvements, the build-outs to a leased commercial space that many businesses need alongside their machinery. Per Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, it is open to small businesses and start-ups operating in Canada with gross annual revenues of $10 million or less (farming businesses use a separate program). Term loans go up to $1 million per borrower, of which no more than $500,000 can go to equipment and leasehold improvements, within a $1.15 million overall borrower maximum. Security must be taken on equipment financed. Program parameters can change, so eligibility is confirmed with the lender at application. As a commercial brokerage, we'll tell you whether CSBFP fits your purchase and help you package the file correctly for a participating lender.

How does working with a commercial broker get me a better deal?

A single bank shows you one set of programs. As an independent commercial desk with access to more than 100 lenders, we put your equipment purchase in front of the right source — whether that's a major bank, a specialty equipment lessor that lives and breathes a particular asset class, or a private lender for files that fall outside conventional boxes. Specialty lessors in particular often understand your equipment better and price it more sharply than a generalist bank ever would.

There's a strategic advantage too. Financing equipment against the asset itself preserves your operating line of credit for what it's meant to do — payroll, inventory, and day-to-day working capital — instead of consuming it on a capital purchase. That separation keeps your business liquid and flexible. Our brokerage holds FSRA mortgage licence #13737; equipment financing is not FSRA-regulated, but we apply the same written fee disclosure. Our team serves clients in 15+ languages, and Maya, our AI assistant, can answer questions in 50+, so you understand every term before you sign.

FAQ

Common questions, answered.

Should I lease or buy with a term loan?
It depends on three things: your tax position, the asset's useful life vs. your hold period, and your cash flow. Leases need little or nothing down and can preserve credit capacity (whether a lease stays off your balance sheet depends on your accounting standard). Term loans build asset equity and are usually cheaper over the equipment's full life. We model both for every file.
How fast can equipment financing close?
Straightforward equipment loans and leases often fund within one to three weeks of a complete application, though timing is set by the lender and your file. Larger transactions ($500k+) or complex assets (custom industrial machinery, imported equipment) can take longer. We aim to pre-qualify within 24-48 hours so you can negotiate purchase terms with confidence.
Do I need a down payment?
Leases often need first and last payments upfront ("$1 buyout" or fair-market-value buyout at term end). Term loans may finance 80–100% depending on asset type, age and your file. Operating leases preserve cashflow up front; term loans build equity faster.
What kinds of equipment can you finance?
Almost anything with a serial number and a market resale value. Construction equipment, vehicles, trailers, medical, dental, veterinary, optometry, restaurant kitchens, fitness equipment, salon fit-outs, manufacturing machinery, IT infrastructure, software bundled with hardware. New and used. New is easier; well-documented used (with appraisal) is straightforward.
Will my industry affect the rate?
Yes. Lenders use NAICS codes to price risk. Some industries (construction, transportation) have specialty lenders; others (restaurants, hospitality) carry rate premiums. Our advantage: we know which lenders are appetite-friendly to your specific industry, which protects rate and avoids declines.
Can I finance equipment for a business under 2 years old?
Often, yes, though it usually requires personal guarantees, sometimes extra collateral, and structures designed for younger files. The federal Canada Small Business Financing Program also covers start-ups buying equipment through participating lenders. Every approval is lender-dependent.
What documents do I need?
Equipment vendor invoice or quote, 6 months of business banking, year-to-date P&L, two years of T2 financials (or T1 + T2125), and government ID. For older or used equipment: an appraisal. We send a precise checklist after a 5-minute intake.
Is interest tax-deductible?
Generally, yes, when the equipment is used to earn business income. With a loan, you typically deduct the interest and claim capital cost allowance (CCA) on the asset; with a lease, the lease payments are generally deductible, though some leases are treated as a purchase for tax purposes. Confirm the treatment with your accountant; we can run the cash-flow comparison alongside your CPA.

Fast, written quotes.

Send your equipment quote and 6 months of business banking — we aim to come back with written indicative terms within one business day.

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