Amount: Selected projects will be eligible for a non-repayable performance-based contribution and require a minimum 50 percent cash contribution by the recipient on eligible expenses net of HST. The minimum project size for an Eastern Ontario Innovation Initiative regional stream project is $200,000 resulting in a minimum contribution of $100,000 by the recipient.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Must be located in Eastern Ontario (Eligible project recipients will significantly impact rural Eastern Ontario, defined as:1) Stormont Dundas & Glengarry; 2) Prescott and Russell; 7) Leeds and Grenville; 9) Lanark; 10) Frontenac; 11) Lennox and Addington; 12) Hastings; 13) Prince Edward; 14) Northumberland; 15) Peterborough; 16) Kawartha Lakes; 46) Haliburton; 47) Renfrew; as well as the following Census subdivisions: Durham: Brock: and York: East Gwillimbury, Georgina, and Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation).
  • Must be private, for-profit, high growth SMEs with potential for accelerated growth through a continuum of innovation.
  • Fourth Pillar Not-For-Profit organizations supporting businesses and the regional advancement of innovation.
  • Eligible Project Recipients must explain in their application how they will accelerate the growth of SMEs on the innovation track in rural eastern Ontario.
  • Applicants will be required to identify the local CFDC representing the CFDC region your project will principally impact. The identified CFDC(s) will be contacted for input on the project and to confirm applicants are not “Local Stream” funding recipients.
  • Projects in the following priority sectors will be considered:

o Advanced Manufacturing
o Clean Tech
o Digital Industries
o Agri-food
o Food Processing
o Projects that focus on inclusiveness: youth, women entrepreneurs, Indigenous peoples, Official Language Minority Communities, persons with disabilities, immigrants and visible minorities

Eligible Cost

All costs must be reasonable and directly related to the eligible project activities.

  • Labour
  • Expertise
  • Non-Capital
  • Capital