Small enterprises, huge organizations, non-profits, and post-secondary research institutes can all benefit from Canadian government financing initiatives. The key to gaining access to these programs, however, is determining which ones are the best fit for your business and prospective projects.
Government Grants For Small Business In Ontario
Funding Programs | Region | Description |
Accelerating Innovations Into Care | Alberta | Supports the commercialization of health tech via collaborations of Alberta SMEs and public health providers
Up to 50% of project expenses to a maximum $150,000 contribution |
Accessible Technology Program (ATP) | Canada-wide | Supports the development and testing of assistive technologies
Up to $4M per project/year in non-repayable grants |
Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness (AMIC) | Ontario | AMIC is designed to help Ontario SMEs in advanced manufacturing industries with grant and loan support for cap & tech adoption.
Up to 15% of eligible project costs to a maximum of $5M in loan funding. |
Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative (ARRI) | Canada-wide | Designed to transition the Canadian aerospace sector out of the COVID-19 pandemic and into a leader on the global stage
Up to $10M per project repayable and non-repayable grants |
AG Action Manitoba | Manitoba | A federal government program that supports the growth and competitiveness of Manitoba’s agriculture
Amount varies depending on the project focus your business chooses, as well as the stream chosen |
Agri-Tech Innovation Cost-Share Program | Ontario | Supports the modernization of agriculture-specific, unique and innovative technologies in the workplace that enhance the protection of workers against COVID-19 |
AgriAssurance: SME Stream | Canada-wide | Supports businesses to meet certification standards in the agricultural and agri-food sector
Up to 50% to a maximum of $50,000 in non-repayable government funding |
Agricultural Clean Technology Program (ACT) | Canada-wide | Supports research, development and adoption of clean technologies through investments and promotion of agri-based bioproducts
Access up to 50-75% of costs to a maximum $5M project |
AgriInnovate | Canada-wide | Supports businesses to commercialize and/or adopt innovative agri-based products, technologies, processes or services
Access up to 50% of project expenses to a maximum of $10 million per application |
Alberta Innovates: Voucher Program | Alberta | Supports Ontario businesses to develop new products & services, and to create online tools that support market expansion and exporting
Access up to 50-75% of costs to a maximum of $100k per application |
Alberta Media Fund | Alberta | Supports organizations and individuals in developing screen-based media, scripts, books, magazines, and sound recordings
Up to 18%-50% of eligible costs covered to a maximum of $20k-$200k, depending on the funding stream |
Alberta-Ontario Innovation Program | Ontario | Supports commercialization of technology and/or productivity improvements of businesses
Access up to 50% of costs to a maximum of $500,000 per collaboration |
APMA: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Fund | Ontario | Aims to liaison more young Canadians into the automotive sector by providing participants with the opportunity to gain skills training and knowledge through a placement or employment.
Up to 800 participants will receive up to $8,000 in training costs |
AV R&D Partnership Fund: Technology Demonstrations | Ontario | Supports the development and demonstration of pre-market technologies in the automotive sector
Up to 33% of eligible costs to a maximum of $1,000,000 in grant funding |
Business Scale-up and Productivity Program (BSP) | Ontario | Helps to offset upfront project costs and helps southern Ontario businesses grow more quickly
Access repayable funding for up to 35% of project costs to a maximum of $10M |
Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) | Canada-wide | The Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) is designed to support communities that have been hit hard by the pandemic.
CCRF will be delegating up to a maximum of $750,000 – $1 million in government funding to cover up to 75% of total expenses for a project |
Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF) | Canada-wide | Support for projects that improve the physical condition of arts and heritage collaboration, creation, presentation, and exhibition spaces
Up to 50% to $500k-$15M depending on the project type. Up to 75% of rural and underserved communities |
Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) | Canada-wide | designed to support small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that need to make digital adoptions in their businesses to be able to remain competitive in this new digital age.
Up to 90% of eligible costs up to a $15,000 grant |
Canada Job Grant (CJG) | Canada-wide | Designed to reduce the costs of providing third-party skills training to new and existing employees
Up to 50-100% of eligible costs are covered in most provinces |
Canada Media Fund: Experimental Stream | Canada-wide | Supports developing, producing, and promoting innovative, interactive software development projects including apps and video games
Up to $15k-$1.5M per project phase in grants |
Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP) | Canada-wide | Supports business growth through business loans with competitive interest rates
Up to $1M for business expansion activities |
Canada Summer Jobs | Canada-wide | Support for employers providing supervised career-related work experience for youth employees
Up to 50% of employee minimum hourly rate; Non-profits can receive grants up to 100% of minimum wage plus Mandatory Employment Related Costs (MERCs); Amount is capped at a max $300K per employer/province or territory. Maximum 40 hours/week/employee can be included. |
Canada Travelling Exhibitions Indemnification Program | Canada-wide | offers a process through which the Government of Canada assumes financial risk, and responsibility, and provides compensation for damage or losses to objects and appurtenances in eligible travelling exhibitions.
Receive up to $700K in Indemnification Coverage. |
Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) Alberta | Alberta | Supports the growth and competitiveness of Alberta agriculture businesses and organizations
Funding varies depending on your project focus and what funding stream it matches with |
Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) Federal | Canada-wide | Supports Canadian agricultural business expansion and growth
Up to 50%-75% of expenses to a max of $1M in grants |
Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program (CASPP) | Canada-wide | Supports projects that help the agricultural industry mitigate emerging issues and capitalize on opportunities
Up to 50% to a maximum of $1M in grants |
Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) | Canada-wide | The Canadian Food Innovation Network’s (CFIN) program is designed to support smart product and process development, food ecosystem sustainability, and agile and safe supply chains.
Up to 50% of eligible expenses or up to $2M in cost-matching funds per application. |
Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP) | Canada-wide | Supports municipalities demonstrating an innovative solution or approach to environmental issues
Up to $175,000 to cover up to 80% of eligible costs for all three study streams |
CanExport | Canada-wide | Supports global expansion projects including participation in trade shows and government-led trade missions
Up to 50% to a max of $50,000 in grants |
Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) Ontario | Ontario | Supports Ontario agricultural business expansion and growth
Up to 25% to 50% of eligible expenses to a max of $250,000 in grants |
Career-Ready with CTMA: Expanding Opportunities | Ontario | Administered by the Canadian Tooling & Machining Association and Mentor Works, the hiring grant supports Ontario’s precision metalworking sector with youth hires
Funding 30% of wages paid to a max of $3,000 for each placement |
Celebrate Ontario Blockbuster (COB) Program | Ontario | Supports Ontario municipalities and organizations by relieving some of the financial stress of hosting large events that meet the ministry’s definition of a Blockbuster Event.
Covers up to 20% of eligible large festival costs. |
Commemorate Canada Program | Canada-wide | Provides support for initiatives that commemorate and/or celebrate historical figures, places, events, and accomplishments of national significance through funding.
Receive up to 100% of costs or up to $10K in grants. |
Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program | Canada-wide | Helps Canadian communities confront discrimination by funding new opportunities, discussions, and research to bring together Canada’s diverse cultures and religions.
Up to $1 million in government funding. |
Creative Export Canada (CEC) | Canada-wide | Supports commercialization of technology and/or productivity improvements of businesses
Access up to 50% of costs to a maximum of $500,000 per collaboration |
Customer Demonstration Program | Ontario | Supports technology demonstrations between two or more Ontario-based businesses
Up to 50% coverage of eligible expenses to a maximum of $50k |
Dairy Processing Investment Fund (DPIF) | Canada-wide | Supports dairy processors who invest in areas that improve productivity and competitiveness
Up to 50% of costs to a max of $10M for expenditure projects and $250,000 for access to expertise |
Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) | Ontario | Supports economic development by investing in infrastructure or implementing strategies to advance regional priorities
Up to 15-50% of project expenses to a maximum of $500k-$5M in grant or loan funding depending on the stream |
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration (EVID) Program | Canada-wide | Supports demonstrations of next-generation and innovative electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure
Up to 50% of eligible project expenses and offers $250k – $3M in funding |
ENCQOR 5G SME Technology Development Program (5G SDP) | Ontario | Supports collaborative 5G technology development projects to develop, integrate, test, or validate pre-commercial 5G technologies.
Access up to $50k to $500k in Government Funding per application |
Export Support Fund | Alberta | Helps reduce the cost of attending trade shows in new export markets
Access up to 50% of costs to a maximum of $20,000 per application |
Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program (FSIIP) | Ontario | Supports forest industry businesses to invest in new equipment, facility expansion, process, and product innovation
Business Stream: Up to 30% in loans & Collaborations Stream: Up to 75% in grants |
Green Municipal Fund | Canada-wide | Supports municipalities demonstrating an innovative solution or approach to environmental issues
Up to $175,000 to cover up to 80% of eligible costs for all three study streams |
Greenhouse Technology Network (GTN) | Ontario | The program provides matching government funding towards projects that improve and implement greenhouse technologies to support industry innovation.
Up to $100,000 in contribution matching resulting in a maximum budget of $200,000 per project. |
Healthy Hire Manitoba Program | Manitoba | Supports employers to hire employees that have received their vaccination
Up to $5,000 per employee to a maximum of $50,000 for 10 employees |
IESO Conservation Fund | Ontario | Support new conservation and demand management programs, practices and technologies to reduce Ontario’s electricity consumption
Up to a maximum of 75% of eligible costs to a maximum of $500,000 |
Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) – National Research Council (NRC) | Canada-wide | Designed to accelerate the research and development projects of Canadian innovators
Access up to 60-80% of costs to a maximum of $10M per application |
Industry Commercialization Associates Program | Alberta | Supports hiring an associate to perform technical commercialization activities
Level 1 – Up to $52,500 annual stipend. Level 2 – Up to $75,000 annual stipend. Level 3 – Up to $105,000 annual stipend. Additional Expense Allowance of $7,000 annually |
Industry R&D Associates Program | Alberta | Supports hiring an associate to perform technical research and development activities
Level 1 – Up to $52,500 annual stipend. Level 2 – Up to $67,500 annual stipend. Additional Expense Allowance of $7,000 annually |
Innovation for Defence and Security Program (IDEaS) | Canada-wide | Supports pre-commercial military and defence technologies that have the potential to address current challenges faced by Canada’s Armed Forces
Access up to $1.2M for initial R&D. Fully-developed solutions may access up to $20M through a procurement program |
Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) | Canada-wide | Helps startups and small businesses overcome technology development hurdles so that they can produce globally-demanded products and services
Up to $150k for proof of concept projects, and up to $1M for prototype development, and may also be awarded a government contract |
Interactive Digital Media (IDM) Fund | Ontario | Supports Canadian media projects during their concept and product development stages
Eligible applicants can receive up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum of $50,000 for concept and $250,000 for production |
NOHFC INVEST North Program | Ontario | Supporting economic development initiatives in Northern Ontario by providing financial assistance towards projects that diversify their region
Receive up to $5,000,000 per project as either a grant or partially forgivable loan |
Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) Program | Canada-wide | Supporting clean technologies in the forest industry during the COVID-19 pandemic
Applicants can receive 50% of eligible costs up to $20M for the general stream of the program, $1M for the small business stream, and $500K for the studies project stream |
Jobs and Growth Fund (JGF) | Ontario | Supporting economic growth and job creation projects.
Applicants can receive up to 50-90% of the costs for economic growth projects. |
Manitoba Industrial Opportunities Program (MIOP) | Manitoba | Supports small and large businesses in Manitoba with low-interest repayable funding contributions to begin operations in Manitoba
Loans ranging from $500,000 to $5,000,000 and paid back between 5 – 7 years |
Market Readiness Program (OCI) | Ontario | Supporting academic spin-off companies with grants to further their early-stage commercialization and support scalable business growth
Max funding from $125,000-250,000 in Ontario provincial funding |
Mitacs Accelerate | Canada-wide | Pairs businesses with Masters, PhD and PDF interns to overcome innovation challenges
Matching funds from Mitacs up to $7,500 per 4-6 month internship unit |
Mitacs Elevate | Canada-wide | Supports industry and academic partnerships to solve current issues through innovative means
Receive up to $30,000 from Mitacs |
Museums Assistance Program (MAP) | Canada-wide | Offers support to workers, collections, skills, and more for museums, heritage institutions, and Indigenous communities.
Receive up to 70% of 400K in funding support. |
NGen Manufacturing Program | Canada-wide | Supporting technology development that will help Canadian manufacturers compete globally
Grants up to 44.4% of eligible expenses with no limit on project size |
Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) | Ontario | Supporting economic development initiatives in Northern Ontario by providing financial assistance towards projects that diversify their region
Receive up to $2,000,000 per project as either a grant or partially forgivable loan |
NSERC Alliance | Canada-wide | Supporting collaborative R&D projects between Canadian businesses and universities
Up to $1,000,000 in grant funding per year |
Ontario Automotive Modernization Program (O-AMP) | Ontario | Supports automotive businesses to improve operational efficiency and competitiveness through the adoption of lean manufacturing processes and Industry 4.0-related technologies
Up to 50% of eligible project costs to a maximum of $150,000 in grants |
Ontario Human Capital Research and Innovation Fund (OHCRIF) | Ontario | Funding research towards ideas and approaches to developing Canada’s workforce
Covers 100% of eligible expenses to a max of $250,000 |
Ontario Manufacturing Training Program (OMTP) | Ontario | Supports two types of eligible training activities for southern Ontario manufacturers impacted by COVID-19
Provides non-repayable contributions to a maximum of $100,000 towards eligible expenses |
Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) WinterTech Development Program | Ontario | Supports projects related to the development, validation, testing, demonstration, and prototyping of mobility technologies and services
Up to one-third of the eligible project costs up to a maximum of $500,000 |
Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN): Talent Development Program | Ontario | Combines Ontario companies with top young minds to stimulate industry-driven R&D projects for Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (C/AV) technologies.
Up to $35,000 in grant funding. |
NOHFC People & Talent Program | Ontario | Designed to attract, retain, and develop Northern Ontario’s workforce by creating and sustaining new and existing jobs
Receive up to 90% of an Indigenous person’s salary of up to $52.5k a year, and up to 90% of other eligible applicants for up to $35k a year |
Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program (PEFIP) | Canada-wide | Helps supply-managed poultry and egg producers adapt to market changes
Covers 70-85% of eligible costs in grant funding |
Product Demonstration Program | Alberta | Supporting commercialization-ready tech in the industries of energy, nanotechnology, health, and more
Grants covering up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum of $300,000 |
Protein Industries Canada | Canada-wide | Supporting collaborative product or process research, technology development, and export market development projects related to expanding Canada’s plant-based protein sector
Offsets up to 50% of eligible project expenses with no defined maximum contribution. The remaining project funds must be supported by at least two project partners |
Rural Economic Development Fund (RED) | Ontario | Supports regional economic development activities in rural southern Ontario communities
Up to 30-50% of eligible expenses to a maximum of $150,000-$250,000 |
Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) | Canada-wide | One of the largest tax incentive programs available to a wide range of Canadian businesses
Access up to 69% of labour and overhead costs, 36% of contractor costs, and 45% of material costs |
SD Tech Fund | Canada-wide | Supports cleantech projects that aim to improve water, soil and air quality to reduce the effects of climate change
Access up to 40% of project costs for an average funding contribution of $3,000,000 |
Skills Catalyst Fund | Ontario | Supports Ontario consortiums in the development and implementation of innovative workforce development projects that test new and emerging ideas and approaches to labour market challenges
Up to 80% of eligible training expenses to a maximum of $500,000 |
SME in Action Program | Québec | Helps SMEs carry out feasibility studies before the realization of investment projects in Québec
Up to 40% of eligible expenses to a maximum of $50,000 |
SONAMI | Ontario | Helps manufacturers and innovation-based businesses overcome innovation challenges
Access up to 50% of project costs |
Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) | Ontario | Supports companies investing in new facilities and equipment to advance regional priorities
Up to 15-50% of expenses to a maximum of $500k-$5M in grant or loan funding depending on the stream |
Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) | Canada-wide | Supports projects that drive sustained productivity and economic benefits
Submit a project budget of at least $20M and access up to 50% of eligible costs |
Supply Chains and Logistics Excellence AI (SCALE.AI) | Canada-wide | Enhances Canada’s existing supply chain practices by boosting economic development through faster adoption and integration of artificial intelligence (AI)
Access up to 40% of eligible project costs, with no minimum or maximum investment allocated per project |
Supply Management Processing Investment Fund (SMPIF) | Canada-wide | Supports the impacts of international trade agreements on processors in the agri-food sector
Receive up to 50% of costs to a max. of $5 million |
Tourism Development Fund (TDF) | Ontario | Helps not-for-profits and municipalities to invest in developing new tourism services, tourism investment attraction, and industry capacity building
Access up to 50% of costs. There is no maximum amount of applications |
Tourism Economic Development and Recovery Fund | Ontario | supports Canadian tourism businesses with funding aimed at recovery projects designed to mitigate the financial tolls of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism sector
Successful applicants may receive funding matching up to 50% of total cash expenses with no pre-determined limit. |
Western Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) Program | Western Canada | Helps businesses with high growth potential adopt/adapt innovative technologies that support productivity and export expansion
Access up to 50% of costs to a maximum of $5M per application and $10M per applicant |
Youth Employment Program (IRAP) | Canada-wide | Designed to assist in the funding of hiring young Canadian post-secondary graduates
Provides up to $30,000 per graduate (up to two) for a period of 6 to 12 months |
Zero-Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI) | Canada-wide | Supports projects that address knowledge gaps among Canadians on ZEV technologies to move forward to ZEV adoption
Up to 50% of total project costs, with a maximum contribution amount of $300,000 per project |
Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVI) | Canada-wide | Designed to increase a network of zero-emission vehicle charging and refuelling stations in more localized areas where Canadians live, work, and play
Up to 50% of costs to a maximum of $5M in Canadian government funding |
Related:
- Top 10 Largest Ford Dealers In Ontario
- Top 10 Biggest Malls In Ontario
- Top 10 Highest Paying Trades In Ontario