Amount: $125,000 – $10 million in fully repayable financial support OR under $100,000 in non-repayable.
The Government of Canada is helping Canadian businesses respond to global trade pressures. The Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI), helps businesses overcome trade disruptions and includes support for businesses in the steel and automotive industries. It invests in targeted, time-sensitive activities that boost productivity, lower costs, strengthen supply chain resilience, and open doors to new markets, enhancing overall competitiveness.
Eligibility requirements
To be eligible, businesses must:
- be located and operating in southern Ontario
- be incorporated and registered to do business in Canada or Ontario for at least the past 3 years
- operate as a for-profit business
- employ a minimum of 5 full-time employees in southern Ontario and fewer than 500 full-time employees
- viable prior to the tariffs imposed by the U.S. and China, and prior to March 21, 2025.
Additionally, businesses must:
- have at least 25% of your sales in the markets targeted by the tariffs; OR
- demonstrate that it has been directly affected by ongoing trade disruptions, including U.S. and China tariffs or Canadian countermeasures
Eligibility activities
- Digitizing, automating, or adopting new technologies.
- Market research, development, expansion, and trade missions.
- Building partnerships, optimizing supply chains, ensuring compliance.
- Strengthening domestic supply chains and internal trade.
- Business support and advisory services.
- Reshoring production, R&D, and skilled expertise to Southern Ontario.
Funding
Businesses can request $125,000 up to a maximum of $10 million in fully repayable financial support OR under $100,000 in non-repayable; financial support. FedDev Ontario will cover up to 75% of eligible project costs (through repayable and non-repayable contributions of up to $100,000).
IMPORTANT: Businesses in the steel and the automotive industries can apply to the general stream or request over $100,000 up to $1,000,000 in non-repayable financial support.
Timeline
FedDev Ontario is accepting applications on a continuous basis.
