Funding for small businesses: Central Canada

Southern Ontario manufacturers undertaking training or skills-upgrading activities which will support innovation at the manufacturing facilities. All initiatives must support innovation which will lead to new global export opportunities or create new global markets.

Employer eligibility include:

1. Have between 10 to 1,000 employees in southern Ontario;
2. Have been continuously in business for at least three years (3 years);
3. Must be able to demonstrate a solid financial footing over the three year period;
4. Manufacturing facility or facilities in Southern Ontario (see map);
5. Manufacture a specific product for sale in Ontario or elsewhere.

50 - 75% of eligible expenses. There are six funding programs:

1. Northern Business Opportunity Program

2. Northern Innovation Program

3. Strategic Economic Infrastructure Program

4. Northern Community Capacity Building Program

5. Northern Event Partnership Program

6. Northern Ontario Internship Program

Start-up company:

• For-profit, incorporated for no more than four years as of application submission date.
• Based in an eligible Southern Ontario Census Division.
• Has less than $250,000 in revenue and/or investment combined.
• Endorsed by a Regional Innovation Centre (RIC), OCE-supported Campus-Linked Accelerator (CLA) or OCE-supported On-Campus Entrepreneurship Activities (OCEA) program recipient.
• Actively engaged (for a minimum of four months within the past 12 months) and/or recently accepted into a program involving a selection process (such as an accelerator, a bootcamp/pitch competition winner, recipient of an embedded executive, etc.) with the endorsing RIC, CLA or OCEA.

Applicant:

• Canadian citizen or permanent resident, at least 18 years old
• Holds equity and key position in the company

Two streams of funding are offered:

• Business projects
  • up to 15% of eligible project costs for a maximum grant of $1.5 million.
  • Investments of more than $10 million that also create more than 50 new jobs may be eligible for a loan of up to $5 million.
• Community and regional development projects
  • up to 50% of eligible project costs for a maximum grant of up to $1.5 million.

Businesses that support economic development in Eastern Ontario. This includes job creation, innovation, and the ability to attract private sector investment.

Review a full list of eligibility requirements.

Visit the Government of Ontario: Eastern Ontario Development Fund webpage to contact a regional staff member who will determine eligibility and guide you through the application process.

Steps:

1. Connect with a MEDJCT Senior Business Advisor or Ministry regional staff person for help with your application.
2. Submit an eligibility checklist and staff will confirm that your project is eligible (mandatory)
3. Once you know you are eligible, complete the application forms.

2 streams of funding are offered:

• Business projects
  • up to 15% of eligible project costs for a maximum grant of $1.5 million.
  • Investments of more than $10 million that also create more than 50 new jobs may be eligible for a loan of up to $5 million.
• Community and regional development projects
  • up to 50% of eligible project costs for a maximum grant of up to $1.5 million.

Review a full list of eligibility requirements.

Steps:

1. Connect with a MEDJCT Senior Business Advisor or Ministry regional staff person for help with your application.
2. Submit an eligibility checklist and staff will confirm that your project is eligible (mandatory)
3. Once you know you are eligible, complete the application forms.

There are five streams available:

1. Advanced exploration and development support

2. Early exploration support

3. Education and relationship building

4. Mineral development advisor stream

5. Values mapping and related projects

• Ontario municipalities that have identified hosting major events as part of their tourism strategy

• for-profit or non-profit organizations (or groups of organizations) with event management/hosting mandates

Blockbuster-supported events must have cash operating expenses of at least $1 million.

Two streams of funding are offered:

• Business Projects
  • Performance Based Loans – up to a maximum of 30% of eligible project costs.

  • Grants – up to a maximum of 15% of eligible project costs may be considered in exceptional circumstances.

• Collaboration Projects 
  • Grants – up to a maximum of 30% of eligible project costs to a maximum of $3 million.

Support is available for Ontario-based projects with at least $3 million in eligible costs undertaken by for-profit manufacturers and processors of wood and forest biomass across Ontario.

Review a full list of eligibility requirements.

The program will run four competitive rounds per year. In each quarter, project applications will be evaluated using the following two-step process:

Stage I: Submissions will be accepted continually, but only those received by the current Stage I due date will be considered to move on to the upcoming round of evaluations.

Stage II: Applicants who have successfully passed Stage I should submit a fully completed Stage II Business Plan and all required supplemental documents by the Stage II due date.

Annual funding is distributed to recipients who:

• Are operating a public library in accordance with the Public Libraries Act

• Currently receiving a Public Library Operating Grant

• Have met all grant program terms and conditions.

Applications will be considered in two streams:

• Local initiatives – focused on grassroots initiatives at a local community level  
  • Up to 100% of the total eligible project costs (up to a maximum amount of $25,000) 

• Scalable initiatives – focused on projects that can be replicated in other Ontario communities  

  • Up to 100% of the total eligible project costs (up to a maximum amount of $100,000) 

• Be not-for-profit

• Have been in operation for at least one year at the time of application

• Represent seniors’ groups and/or offer programs or services that do or can directly benefit older adults living in Ontario

Organizations interested in undertaking tourism-related initiatives that support tourism product or industry development and increased visitation.

To be eligible, the project must:

• Take place in the Province of Ontario.

• Have an applicant organization in existence for one year or longer as of the date of submission.

Eligible applicants must:

• Derive at least 30% of revenues from the automotive manufacturing sector - specifically machine, tool, die, mould and automation companies

• Operate in Ontario

• Identify a candidate, and provide their job title/description