Career Connect Program

Career Focus (HRSDC)

IRAP Youth Employment

Ontario Youth Employment Fund

Did you know that there are hundreds of Federal and Ontario government funding programs available for small business and large corporations? Did you know that there are millions of dollars in government grants available for small businesses in Ontario and other Canadian provinces to expand a business, purchase equipment and software, conduct research and development, expand on export markets, hire and train qualified employees? Find a list of top small business funding programs to learn what your businesses can get or connect with experts in government funding for businesses by clicking a button below.

Canadian Government Grants and Loans for Small Businesses in Ontario by Purpose

Click on the links below to find the list of available Canadian government grants and loans for small businesses by the purpose of the funding.

• Equipment Purchase or Upgrade;
• Research, development & commercialization;
• Developing export sales & marketing;
• Software (digital) solution implementation;
• Hiring, skills development & training of employees.

Canadian Government Funding Programs for Small Businesses in Ontario by Industry

Click on the links below to find the list of available Canadian government funding programs for small businesses by the industry.

• All Manufacturing Industries
  
• Technology Start-Up
• Agriculture and Food Processing
• Clean Technologies
• Health and Medical Technologies
• Aerospace and Defense Manufacturers
• Automotive Manufacturers

Complete List of Government Grants & Loans Programs in Ontario, Canada

Below are the most popular government grants and loans programs available for the small businesses in Ontario, Canada. As you can see each funding program has different eligibility criteria and different purpose. We recommend you to study the program rules carefully before you apply. In order to help you, we included the links on the official pages of the grants & loans programs. Should you have any questions such as what Canadian government funding programs are right for your small business, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 647-800-5006 or fill out free eligibility check form.

Government Funding Program	Eligibility Criteria	Eligible Cost	$ Amount
SMART Advanced Technologies for Global Growth (CME SMART Program)	Manufacturer Located in Southern ON Minimum 15 employees Minimum 2 years in business Profitable Export oriented	Equipment Software Installation	35% of eligible cost up to $100,000
Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF)	Located in Eastern ON Minimum 10 employees Minimum 3 years in business Commit to minimum 10 jobs Invest minimum $500,000	Facility Expansion Equipment Software Installation Direct Labour Training Leasehold Improvement	15% of eligible costs up to $1,500,000
Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF)	Located in Southwestern ON Minimum 10 employees Minimum 3 years in business Commit to minimum 10 jobs Invest minimum $500,000	Facility Expansion Equipment Software Installation Direct Labour Training Leasehold Improvement	15% of eligible costs up to $1,500,000
Canada Ontario Job Grant (COJG)	For-profit business Any size Any industry Must have training needs Training must be from ON trainer Only payroll employees are eligible Foreign workers are not eligible	Training (tuition) fees Books / supplies Examination fees	2/3 to 5/6 of eligible cost up to $10,000 per trainee (no maximum per company)
Yves Landry Foundation’s AIME Global Initiative (AIME Global)	Manufacturer Located in Southern or Northern ON Minimum 10 employees Minimum 3 years in business Training may be anywhere in the world	Training (tuition) fees Travel to the training location Labour cost Other training fees	50% of eligible costs up to $50,000
Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)	For-profit corporation Maximum 500 employees Must conduct R&D activities	Labour cost Subcontractors cost Professional fees	50%-80% of eligible cost up to $50,000 (extendable to $150,000)
Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) Tax Credit	For-profit corporation Must be Canadian controlled Must conduct R&D activities	Labour cost Material cost Subcontractors cost	35%-68% of eligible cost up to $3,000,000
Investing in Business Innovation	Start-Up Located in Southern ON Able to secure angel of venture financing Must conduct R&D activities	Business development Product development Market development	33% of eligible cost up to $1,000,000
Business Innovation Access Program (BIAP)	For-profit corporation Maximum 500 employees Must engage public college or university in R&D activities	Subcontractors cost (fees of colleges or universities)	75% of eligible costs up to $50,000
NSERC Collaborative R&D Program	For-profit corporation Must engage public college or university, or research institution in R&D activities	Subcontractors cost (fees of colleges, research institutions or universities)	Up to $500,000
Mitacs Accelerate	For-profit corporation Must engage Master or PhD student in research through internship	Salary of an Intern	50% of eligible cost up to $7,500
Advanced Manufacturing Fund (AMF). Temporarily Unavailable	Minimum 3 years in business Must be located in Southern ON Must meet industry criteria Must invest minimum $10 million in expansion in Southern ON Must commercialize new product	Equipment purchase Building expansion Construction Training Direct labour R&D cost Professional fees Business development	50% of eligible cost up to $20,000,000. Repayable
Sustainable Development Technology Fund	For-profit corporation Must be in clean water, air, soil industries Must develop commercially viable clean technology	Late stage commercialization Technology development Technology demonstration	33%-50% of eligible cost
Next Gen Biofuels Fund	For-profit corporation Must be in bio-fuels industry Must develop commercially viable bio-fuel technology	Late stage commercialization Technology demonstration Technology development	33%-50% of eligible cost
Strategic Aerospace and Defense Initiative (SADI)	For-profit corporation Must be in aerospace & defense industry Must develop new product	Late stage commercialization Technology demonstration Technology development	40% of eligible cost up to $20,000,000
Automotive Innovation Fund (AIF)	For-profit corporation Must be OEM in automotive industry Must develop new product Must invest minimum $75 million	Late stage commercialization Technology development Technology demonstration	Up to $80,000,000
Automotive Supplier Innovation Program (ASIP)	For-profit corporation Must be Tier 1/ Tier 2 supplier in automotive industry Must develop new product	Prototyping Late stage commercialization Technology development Technology demonstration	50% of eligible cost up to $10,000,000
Agri Innovation Program	For-profit corporation Must be in agriculture or food and beverages industry Must develop new product	Late stage commercialization Technology or product development Technology or product demonstration	50% of eligible cost up to $10,000,000
MARS Discovery District Investment Accelerator Fund	Start-Up High growth potential Exportable product or service	Business development Product development Labour cost	up to $500,000
OCE SmartStart Seed Fund	Start-Up High growth potential Solid business plan	Business development Product development Labour cost	up to $70,000 but typically $30,000
Export Market Access (EMA)	Manufacturer or Exportable Service Company Minimum 5 employees Minimum $500,000 in sales Minimum 2 years in business	Trade show fees Trade mission fees Booth cost Return Economy Airfare to the show Accommodation Translation Transportation Marketing cost	50% of eligible cost up to $30,000
Ontario Exporters Fund (OEF)	Manufacturer or Exportable Service Company Minimum 5 employees Minimum $1,000,000 in sales Minimum 2 years in business	Salary of Export Business Development Manager	50% of eligible cost up to $80,000 for 2 years
CanExport Program	For-profit corporation anywhere in Canada Must employ 1-250 employees Minimum annual sales mus be $200,000	Trade shows Trade missions Training Export consulting Export marketing	50% of eligible cost up to $99,999
Agri Marketing Program	For-profit corporation Must be in agriculture or food and beverages, fisheries or seafood industry	Trade shows Trade missions Training Export consulting Export marketing	50% of eligible cost up to $50,000
Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit	For-profit corporation Located in Ontario Must develop interactive digital product	Salary of developers Subcontractors fees	40% of eligible cost up to $100,000
Skills Link	For-profit corporation Must hire 8 youth employees with barriers to work	Salary Training cost	Up to $25,000 per participant
Career Focus (Federal)	For-profit corporation Must hire 8 employees under 30 years old	Salary	Up to $20,000 per participant
Career Focus (Industry Specific)	For-profit corporation Must meet industry criteria Must hire an employee under 30 years old	Salary	35%-80% of eligible cost up to $20,000
Canada Summer Jobs Program (Temporarily Unavailable)	For-profit corporation Maximum 50 employees Must hire an employee under 30 years old for 6-16 weeks	Salary	50% of eligible cost up to $300,000
Ontario Co-Operative Education Tax Credit	For-profit corporation Must hire an intern	Salary	25%-30% of eligible cost up to $3,000
Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit	For-profit corporation Must train an apprentice	Salary	25%-30% of eligible cost up to $5,000 per year for 3 years
TalentEdge Internship and Fellowship Program	For-profit corporation Must hire Master or PhD level intern	Salary	50% of eligible cost up to $10,000 for 4 months
Ontario Jobs and Prosperity Fund (OJPF)	Minimum 3 years in business Must be located in ON Must meet industry criteria Must invest minimum $10 million in expansion in ON ($5 million for food & beverage industry)	Equipment purchase Building expansion Construction Training Direct labour R&D cost Professional fees Business development	Up to 20% of eligible cost
Investing in Business Growth and Productivity (IBGP)	Minimum 3 years in business Must be located in Southern ON Must meet industry criteria Must invest minimum $1 million in expansion in Southern ON	Equipment purchase Building expansion Construction Training Direct labour R&D cost Professional fees Business development	25% of eligible cost up to $10,000,000. Repayable
Aboriginal Economic Development Fund	Aboriginal business	Equipment purchase Building expansion Construction Training Direct labour R&D cost Professional fees Business development	75% to 90% of eligible cost up to $99,999 per individual Aboriginal Business or $249,999 per community-owned Aboriginal Business
SMART Program – FedNor Assessments	Manufacturer Located in Northern ON Minimum 5 employees Minimum 2 years in business	Consulting Fees Travel Cost	50% of eligible costs up to $15,000
Northern Business Opportunity Program (Northern Ontario Heritage Fund)	Must intend expand business in Northern ON Must meet industry criteria	Capital construction Leasehold improvements Equipment Training Land servicing Software	50% of eligible cost up to $1,000,000
Northern Ontario Development Program, Business Growth and Competitiveness Stream	For-profit corporation Located in Northern ON Maximum 500 employees	Land servicing Leasehold improvements Machinery, equipment and technology Professional fees Studies and assessments Marketing cost Business planning	33%-50% of eligible cost
Targeted Manufacturing Initiative for Northern Ontario	For-profit corporation Manufacturer Located in Northern ON Maximum 500 employees	Equipment Installation Automation Training	33%-50% of eligible cost

How to Find A Right Canadian or Ontarian Government Grant for A Business?

As you can see there is a great variety of government funding programs. Government grant funding comes from federal, provincial and local sources, so there is no single source of the information. These programs are not advertised in the mass media. Yet Canadian small business grants and other funding for small business is available for you to help you finance your business growth. Our job as government grant writing professionals is to make you aware of different types of funding for small business. For this reason, we prepared a free Catalog of Government Grants & Loans in Ontario.

Questions About Canadian or Ontarian Government Grants & Loans?

Our primary goal is to make you aware of small business funding grants and other Canadian government funding opportunities. We invite you to discuss your business goals and grant funding opportunities that help you reach those goals. Book a no-obligation call with one of our Canadian Government Funding and Grant Writing Experts.

Other ways to get in touch with us are:

• Free Confidential Government Funding Eligibility Form. Fill it out and we will tell you if the Canadian government funding programs listed above are right for you.
• Send us a message via Contact Form
• Give us a call at (647) 800-5006