Southern Ontario Spotlight - December 2021

On October 26, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the appointment of the Honourable Dr. Helena Jaczek, as the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

Minister Jaczek served as the Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Oak Ridges-Markham from 2007 – 2018. During that time, she held various portfolios, including the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Chair of Cabinet, and the Minister of Community and Social Services. In 2019, she was elected as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Markham-Stouffville.

Minister Jaczek received her Medical Degree and Masters of Health Sciences from the University of Toronto and worked at the Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, before becoming the Medical Officer of Health and Commissioner of Health Services for the Regional Municipality of York. She also has an MBA from the Schulich School of Business.

As an experienced community leader, Minister Jaczek will be a strong advocate for good jobs and strong economic growth in southern Ontario.

FedDev Ontario welcomes Minister Jaczek!

On September 1, FedDev Ontario welcomed its new President Nancy Gardiner, replacing former President James Meddings who retired after 32 years in the federal public service.

Prior to joining the Agency, Ms. Gardiner was Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs and Operations at Women and Gender Equality Canada, where she was able to advance gender equality through significant investments in key programs, policies and initiatives. Nancy has held several senior leadership positions in the public service including at Service Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada.

With over 25 years of progressive achievement, Ms. Gardiner has garnered a diversified background concentrated in program design, operational delivery, strategic planning and policy development, and brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Agency.

FedDev Ontario welcomes President Gardiner, and wishes James Meddings a wonderful and fulfilling retirement!

Are you a business or organization in need of support?

The Government of Canada is investing over $2 billion to support inclusive growth and the recovery of the hardest hit sectors. This support, delivered by Canada’s regional development agencies (RDAs) including FedDev Ontario, consists of programs designed to support businesses, not-for-profit organizations and community economic development partners, including Indigenous organizations and businesses, as they recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic.

In southern Ontario, funding remains available for businesses in the aerospace and tourism sectors through the Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative and the Tourism Relief Fund, and for not-for-profit organizations, municipalities and other community groups focused on building and improving community infrastructure projects through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund. 

Are you ready to create new jobs but you could use some help?

The Government of Canada is investing up to $224 million through the Jobs and Growth Fund to help create new jobs across southern Ontario. Recognizing that there are a number of businesses and organizations that continue to be impacted by the global pandemic, there are companies and organizations that are looking to grow and create jobs. FedDev Ontario is here to provide support for those looking to create jobs that align with the following priorities: transitioning to a green economy, fostering inclusive recovery, future-proofing via digital adoption/automation, or capacity-building in southern Ontario’s critical economic sectors.

For more information and to learn how to apply, visit FedDev Ontario’s funding opportunities page.

Southern Ontario’s tech sector is a dynamic part of the region’s economy, and FedDev Ontario continues to support  technology firms as they generate significant momentum coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic; bringing innovative products to market and raising record levels of investments, creating good-paying jobs and leading the region’s shift to greener, healthier solutions. To help reach tech companies, FedDev Ontario works with incubators and accelerators, universities/colleges and industry associations.

Recent investments include:

• $10 million for the University of Waterloo to establish a health tech innovation hub in partnership with Western University, the City of Kitchener and Medical Innovation Xchange. This project will connect health tech firms with an integrated suite of services ranging from mentorship and business advisory services, support for health tech product development, and access to specialized labs and clinical trial spaces at the University of Waterloo’s planned Innovation Arena. The project is expected to create 730 skilled jobs, support the development and growth of 135 businesses, and attract over $400 million in follow-on investment in the companies supported.
• A $5-million investment for the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association (APMA) to support its recently-launched Project Arrow, the automotive industry’s first Canadian-made, zero emission concept vehicle. Funding will further facilitate APMA’s gathering of key industry and academic partners to design, engineer and build a connected and autonomous zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) concept car, supporting over 80 jobs and 40 automotive suppliers and firms.
• $2 million to support the relaunch of programming at tech accelerator OneEleven, which will provide digital and in person services to support high-growth companies access the resources needed to accelerate their success. At least 25 percent of new digital membership participants will be located outside of the GTA. This investment will support 30 high-growth scaling companies and 450 jobs across southern Ontario, while contributing to an inclusive tech sector by supporting companies led by members of underrepresented groups.

Since November 2015, FedDev Ontario has invested nearly $725 million in more than 280 technology-related projects across southern Ontario. Visit FedDev Ontario’s pivotal projects site for stories on past successes.

The air transportation sector has been one of the hardest hit since the onset of the pandemic, with halted operations and countless layoffs devastating the vital industry. The Government of Canada is making targeted investments to support the timely recovery and adaptation efforts of airports and their suppliers, vendors and communities through the Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI), a funding stream developed to help businesses and organizations in regional air transportation ecosystems remain operational and continue to support the economic growth of our regions.

To date, FedDev Ontario has announced over $9.5 million in RATI support through the following six projects:

• $4.5 million for London International Airport to support critical operational services, reinstate regional air routes and maintain jobs in the London region.
• $1.9-million for Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport to support the construction of a new hangar and critical upgrades including plexiglass barriers, sanitization stations, signage and equipment to assist in re-establishing regional scheduled service.
• $1.1-million for St. Thomas Municipal Airport to improve operations through the construction of 8,000 square-meters of ramp space to accommodate the parking, fueling and servicing of regional aircraft.
• $1 million for Windsor International Airport to maintain regional connectivity and jobs.
• $535,000 for Tillsonburg Regional Airport to support the expansion of the airport’s apron, extend its taxiway, the construction of access roads and perimeter fencing.
• $500,000 for Hamilton International Airport to provide necessary personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies.

For more information on RATI and other programming, visit FedDev Ontario’s funding opportunities page.

The Government of Canada’s Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) National and Regional Ecosystem Fund, has announced over $70 million in projects through the regional development agencies (RDAs). This Fund aims to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem for Black entrepreneurs and business owners by providing funding to Black-led not-for-profit organizations to support their on-the-ground efforts to offer mentorship, networking, financial planning and business training for Black entrepreneurs.

Of the projects announced, 20 projects were supported by FedDev Ontario totalling more than $46 million. An example of this support is the Africa Development Network (ADN), that received $832,000 to develop and establish a new incubator centre for Black Francophone entrepreneurs and businesses, that will offer supports such as: one-on-one mentoring; custom training for micro, small and growth companies and networking opportunities.  

For more information on all projects that have received support to date, visit the Black Entrepreneurship Program Ecosystem Fund webpage.