2. Who can apply?
Growing and established businesses, co-operatives and Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples) businesses located or expanding in southern Ontario that:
- are for-profit entities
- are incorporated in Canada or Ontario
- have a minimum of 5 full-time employees
- have at least 3 years of business operations
What activities do we fund?
We support the following activities:
Developing, commercializing and/or producing new and innovative products, processes and services
- late-stage development of a new product for sale. Activities would normally fall within technology readiness levels (TRL) 7-9
- development of process improvements which reduce environmental impact of current operations (through use of new technology)
- showcasing and demonstrating a new technology in an operational setting
- market diagnostics and studies
Note: activities that support basic research are not eligible for funding
Improving productivity, capacity and competitiveness
- acquiring, adapting or adopting new technologies or processes (e.g., digitization)
- improving production efficiency and capacity through equipment upgrades, and/or process improvements and related facility enhancements
- adopting clean technologies
- increasing business management capacity
- improving processes to increase efficiency, including automation and related skills development
Note: consideration may be given to projects that:
- acquire, adopt, or adapt technologies made or developed in southern Ontario and Canada
- are first in the sector, Ontario, Canada or the world
- are integral to a business, sector or community's economic diversification
Scaling-up or expanding business lines to tap into new markets or reach new customers
- launching new products or services
- integrating into domestic and global value chains/supply chains
- leveraging venture capital or angel capital investment to support business growth
- reshoring or onshoring of production, research and development mandates and/or highly qualified personnel/expertise to southern Ontario
What results are expected?
Your project proposals should help us create broad and long-term economic benefits for southern Ontario by strengthening the region's capacity for innovation and clean, inclusive growth.
To contribute to the local economy, projects will:
- create and maintain jobs
- grow revenue
- increase exports
- build economic partnerships and collaborations
- leverage private sector funding
- generate sales from new products, services, or processes commercialized (if applicable)
Refer to the Application Guide for more information on project indicators and expected results. Applicants will be required to quantify and substantiate their expected results, and if approved, later report on these results.