Ontario Business Grants
Ontario Government grants, loans, and programs for businesses to invest, innovate, and grow in Ontario, administered by the Ontario Centre of Innovation and sector agencies.
Overview
Ontario offers a diverse range of government grants, loans, and support programs for businesses through the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), and various provincial sector ministries. Programs support R&D, manufacturing, innovation commercialisation, export, clean technology, and entrepreneurship. Ontario is Canada's largest economy and most populous province, and its business support ecosystem includes federal programs through NRC IRAP, BDC, and EDC alongside provincial programs administered through OCI, Ontario Invest, and the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.
What You Can Find Here
- Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) grants for industry-research collaboration
- Ontario Smart Green program for energy efficiency and clean technology adoption
- Ontario Creates programs for cultural and creative industries
- Skills Development Fund for workforce training and upskilling grants
- Export Ontario programs for international market development
- Eastern Ontario Development Program for rural and eastern Ontario businesses
- Northern Ontario Heritage Fund (NOHFC) for northern Ontario businesses and communities
Who Should Use This
- Ontario SMEs seeking innovation grants through OCI or federal IRAP programs
- Manufacturers pursuing Ontario clean technology or productivity improvement grants
- Creative sector businesses seeking Ontario Creates funding
- Businesses in northern or eastern Ontario seeking NOHFC or regional support
- Exporters seeking Ontario export development support
How to Get Started
- Step 1: Visit ontario.ca/page/business-grants-and-financing for an overview of available programs
- Step 2: Visit the Ontario Centre of Innovation at oc-innovation.ca for R&D and commercialisation programs
- Step 3: Contact your regional Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) for personalised grant search and advice
- Step 4: Check federal programs (NRC IRAP, SRSS, BDC) alongside provincial programs as many complement each other
- Step 5: Apply through the relevant agency portal following program-specific guidelines
Things to Check Before Applying
- Ontario programs require Ontario-based business registration and primarily Ontario-based activities
- Many Ontario grants require industry co-investment or matching from other sources
- OCI programs focus on industry-research collaborations - pure business activities without R&D component may not qualify
- Federal programs (IRAP, SR&ED) are also available to Ontario businesses and often provide more funding than provincial programs alone
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ontario Centre of Innovation?
OCI is Ontario's innovation funding agency supporting industry-academic R&D collaboration, technology development, and scale-up through grants and co-investment programs.
What happened to Ontario Centres of Excellence?
Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) merged with MaRS to form the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) in 2022. OCI now delivers programs previously run by OCE.
Are there Ontario grants for startups?
Yes. Ontario has startup-focused programs through OCI, the MaRS ecosystem in Toronto, and programs for specific sectors. NRC IRAP also has a strong Ontario presence for tech startups.
Can a company in Toronto apply for Northern Ontario grants?
Northern Ontario programs like NOHFC require the business to be based in or creating economic benefit for northern Ontario. Toronto-based companies generally do not qualify for these regional programs.
What is the SR&ED tax credit in Ontario?
SR&ED (Scientific Research and Experimental Development) is a federal tax incentive providing tax credits for R&D expenditure. Ontario also has a provincial R&D tax credit that supplements the federal SR&ED for Ontario companies.
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