Up to 15% of eligible project expenses to a maximum $5 million interest-free loan or up to $500,000 conditional grant.

 

The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) supports projects and investments to businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in southwestern Ontario. The fund supports projects that create jobs, encourage innovation, collaboration and cluster development, and attract private sector investment.

Eligibility Criteria: Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF)

  • Be located in Southwestern Ontario: Brant; Bruce; Chatham-Kent; Dufferin; Elgin; Essex; Grey; Haldimand; Huron; Lambton; Middlesex; Niagara; Norfolk; Oxford; Perth; Simcoe; Waterloo; Wellington.
  • Business Projects
    • Invest at least $500,000 in their project (or $200,000 if you are in rural Ontario)
    • Employ at least 10 people (or 5 if you are in rural Ontario)
    • Commit to creating at least 5 new jobs (or 30% increase for companies with fewer than 15 employees)
    • Be able to provide 3 years of operations/financial statements
    • Be located in, or plan to locate in, a community in southwestern Ontario
  • Community Economic Development Projects
    • Be led by municipalities, economic development organizations (including sector groups) or consortia
    • Focus on economic and business development and job creation in the community or region by investing in infrastructure or implementing strategies to advance regional economic development priorities
    • Lead to measurable outcomes including private sector investment, growth and job creation
    • Invest more than $100,000
    • Have private sector support
    • Be used for activities that are new to the organization
  • Eligible industries
    • advanced manufacturing (automotive, aerospace, plastics, clean technologies)
    • life sciences
    • processing (primary and secondary)
    • information and communication technology
    • tourism
    • cultural industries

Eligible expenses

The objective of the program is to provide financial support and services to help growing companies in eastern and southwestern Ontario make investments to:

  • Construction and project facility modifications or upgrades, subject to Ontario’s approval
  • Site servicing, power service upgrades, etc. required to execute the project
  • Equipment and machinery necessary for the successful completion of the project
  • One-time labour directly related to project costs
  • Costs of specialized expertise required for the project including third-party engineering services, software development, management, etc
  • Skills training, including employer-provided training, related to the project
  • Permits, inspections and other fees directly attributable to the project