Who qualifies
Ontario programs generally require an incorporated business with operations and payroll in the province. Beyond that, each program narrows sharply. Investment attraction programs want capital expenditure and job commitments of meaningful scale. Training programs want a named employee, a named training provider and an employer cost share. Digital media and film credits want a qualifying product or production and a certification process. Federal programs delivered in Ontario apply their own national tests.
Geography matters too. FedDev Ontario covers southern Ontario, while northern Ontario is served by a different federal agency, so the same project can face different program options depending on where it is located.
What it funds
Investment and expansion. Invest Ontario supports significant capital investment and job creation projects, typically negotiated rather than applied for through a standard form.
Federal regional development. FedDev Ontario cost-shares productivity, scale-up and commercialisation projects in southern Ontario, usually through repayable or partly repayable contributions. See also repayable contributions.
Training and hiring. The Canada-Ontario Job Grant cost-shares employer-directed training. Student Work Placement subsidies and Canada Summer Jobs reduce payroll for student and youth hiring, and broader options are set out under training grants.
Tax credits. The Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit and film and television tax credits support qualifying products and productions, while SR&ED and provincial R&D credits support research and development. A wider view is at tax credits and incentives.
Innovation and export. NRC IRAP and CanExport SMEs are national programs heavily used by Ontario companies, alongside the Strategic Innovation Fund for larger projects.
Deadlines and intake
Ontario provincial calls tend to be episodic: a window opens, closes within weeks, and results follow months later. Training grants operate against annual allocations that can be fully committed before the fiscal year ends. Federal innovation programs are continuous intake but gated by advisor engagement. Tax credits follow filing deadlines measured from the corporate year end.
How CFP helps
Canadian Funding Partners builds an Ontario funding calendar for a specific project, tests which programs are genuinely winnable, and prepares the narrative and cost structure each assessor expects. Where a claim or certification requires a professional opinion, we coordinate independent partner accounting, engineering and legal firms; CFP does not provide those services itself.
Businesses in the Greater Toronto Area can also review our Toronto office page, and companies operating in more than one province should start from the small business grants hub.
Talk to Canadian Funding Partners
Book a confidential conversation. We review your project, map it against the programs that fit, and coordinate the partner accounting, engineering and legal firms needed to complete a defensible file.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main provincial funding body for Ontario businesses?
Ontario delivers business support through several ministries and agencies rather than one body. Invest Ontario handles major investment attraction and expansion projects, while sector ministries and training bodies administer the remaining programs.
Are Ontario grants available to small businesses?
Yes, though the mix differs by size. Smaller employers most often use training and hiring subsidies and tax credits, while large capital and job-creation programs are aimed at substantial investments with defined employment commitments.
What federal programs are most relevant in Ontario?
FedDev Ontario for southern Ontario scale-up and productivity projects, NRC IRAP for research and development, CanExport for market entry, and SR&ED for R&D tax credits.
Which Ontario tax credits should a business check?
The Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit for eligible digital products, the Ontario film and television credits for qualifying productions, and the provincial R&D credits layered onto a federal SR&ED claim.
Is there an Ontario training grant?
The Canada-Ontario Job Grant cost-shares employer-directed training for existing and new employees, with the employer contributing a share of the cost and the balance covered by the grant.
Can provincial and federal funding be combined on one project?
Usually yes, subject to stacking limits that cap the total government share of a single project cost. The limit is set by the programs involved, so the combination should be modelled before either application is filed.
Official sources
- Government of Ontario — Available funding opportunities — provincial funding programs open to Ontario businesses
- Innovation Canada — Business Benefits Finder — federal and provincial program search including Ontario programs
- Canada Revenue Agency — SR&ED tax incentive program — the federal R&D credit that Ontario credits are layered onto
Verified against official sources on .
Canadian Funding Partners Inc. is an independent advisory firm and does not administer this program. Rates, ceilings and eligibility are set by the administering authority and change. Confirm current terms with the official source before relying on them.