Program Supports Training on New Equipment

The Achieving Innovation & Manufacturing Excellence Initiative Global Initiative (AIME) will contribute 50% up to $100,000 for training that leads to increased international competitiveness. The program pays for trainers, content and curriculum, trainee wages, travel, facility rentals, and materials/supplies. Training must support innovation through the adaptation/adoption of new processes, procedures and technologies, or through specialized employee skill development.  Supported training initiatives include, but are not limited to:

• Operation of advanced hardware and software
• Introduction/enhancement of new safety procedures or production processes
• Operation of new equipment, materials and technologies

Eligible companies have between 10 and 1,500 employees, operate a manufacturing facility in Southern Ontario, and have been in business for at least 3 years. Companies who have previously received AIME support can apply for 25% funding up to $100,000 as long as they have not received AIME funding within the last 2 years.

Funding Offered to Hire New Employees

The Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Career Focus program will contribute 50% up to $14,000 towards employing a graduate of a Canadian university, college, CEGEP or provincially certified program*. To receive funding, employees must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents or have refugee status, and be between 15 and 30 years old. Support will be provided for full-time positions (30 hours or more/week) that last from four months to one year and provide meaningful job experience towards increasing the graduate’s chance of securing long-term employment or self-employment in the agriculture sector. New employees may begin their work-placements after April 1, 2019. The deadline to apply for funding is November 30, 2018.

*Please note that Indigenous participants are not required to have graduated from a post-secondary program to be eligible for funding.

Funding Available to Increase Competitiveness and Improve Processes

The Automotive Supplier Competitiveness Improvement Program offers funding of up to 50% to a maximum of $100,000 for Ontario automotive suppliers to adopt information technology (IT) hardware/software or to contract an industry expert to increase competitiveness, improve processes, and/or develop lean manufacturing practices.  Eligible expenditures include:

• Salaries and benefits
• Travel and accommodation 
• Software and hardware
• Sub-contractor and consultant fees as well as professional services
• Development and maintenance of web-based information
• Training
• Materials and supplies

Please note that capital costs are ineligible, however the program offers funding to cover the depreciation and cost of using capital assets (such as equipment) for project activities. Priority will be given to small and medium sized enterprises (less than 500 employees; up to $1 billion annual revenue); larger firms may apply, but are required to partner with at least one small or medium enterprise. Projects must last no longer than 2 years. The deadline to apply is November 28,2018.

Program Supports Job Creation and Economic Growth

The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) offers up to $5 million in grants and interest-free loans to support investments that lead to job creation and economic growth. Eligible expenditures include, but are not limited to, equipment, consulting services, facility retrofits and expansions, as well as employee training and other project-related costs incurred over a two to four-year period. 

Businesses must be, or planning to be located in a Southwestern Ontario county i.e. Brant, Bruce, Chatham-Kent, Dufferin, Elgin, Essex, Grey, Haldimand, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex, Niagara, Norfolk, Oxford, Perth, Simcoe, Waterloo and Wellington. Additionally, applicants are required to have 3 years of financial statements and represent one of the following sectors: manufacturing, processing, information or communication technology, life sciences, tourism or the cultural industry.

Investments under $10 million are eligible for grants of 15% up to $1.5 million. Investments over $10 million that lead to the creation of at least 50 jobs are eligible for grants of up to $1.5 million, plus interest free loans of up to $3.5 million for a maximum of 4 years.

Applicants located in Southwestern Ontario municipalities with populations that exceed 20,000, or have more than 100 persons per square kilometer, must invest a minimum of $500,000, have at least 10 employees, and commit to creating no less than 10 jobs. Companies located in smaller communities with 5-10 employees are required to invest a minimum of $200,000, and increase their workforce by 50%.

Costs associated with business acquisitions, debt financing, ongoing operational costs, construction as well as vehicle and land purchases are not eligible for funding. 

The Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Career Focus program will contribute 50% up to $14,000 towards employing a graduate of a Canadian university, college, CEGEP or provincially certified program*. To receive funding, employees must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents or have refugee status, and be between 15 and 30 years old. Support will be provided for full-time positions (30 hours or more/week) that last from four months to one year and provide meaningful job experience towards increasing the graduate’s chance of securing long-term employment or self-employment in the agriculture sector. New employees may begin their work-placements after April 1, 2019. The deadline to apply for funding is November 30, 2019.

*Please note that Indigenous participants are not required to have graduated from a post-secondary program to be eligible for funding.

Next Deadline to Submit an Application is October 22

The Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP): Organizations and Collaborations program offers up to 75% in grant funding to a maximum of $1 million (typically less than $100,000) towards initiatives focused on:

• Environmental Stewardship (Soil health and water quality improvements)
• Economic Development (Market development, business analysis, technological solutions)
• Protection and Assurance (Food safety and traceability, animal/plant health)

Eligible organizations include Ontario-based associations, marketing boards, municipalities, economic development offices, aboriginal groups, and other legally recognized, not-for-profit organizations related to the agriculture, agri-food and agri-products sector. Eligible collaborations are combinations of two or more Ontario-based legally recognized businesses, not-for-profit associations/organizations, and/or academic/research institutions in the agriculture, agri-food and agri-products sector. Funding is provided for the following:

• Communication/education/training materials (design, printing, translation, etc)
• Land and facility rentals
• Supplies, including shipping and transportation
• Equipment, construction, software, and retrofits
• Travel and accommodation
• Audits and assessments
• R&D, pilots, and demonstrations
• Skills development and training
• Salaries, contracted services, and consultants

Expenditures must be directly related to the project and incurred after receiving approval. Projects funded under this program are ineligible to receive additional support from other CAP programs. Please note that the next deadline to submit an application is October 22, 2018. Applicants wishing to receive feedback/suggestions on project ideas before submitting an application are encouraged to submit a pre-proposal by October 9 (although submission of a pre-proposal is not required to receive funding).