Agriculture & Agri-Food, Bulletins, Career Focus, Food Processing, Hiring, Hiring Incentive, Manufacturing
Funding to Hire Youth
Funding is Running Out Apply Now
Canada’s Career Starter program provides “bio-economy” employers with 50% funding of a youth’s salary to a maximum of $20,000 in wage subsidies for a three to nine-month job placement. The program goal is to help the employer adopt a diverse and inclusive work culture while satisfying their need for skilled labour.
Eligible youth must be 15-30 years, a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or immigrants plus can legally and able to work fulltime in Canada. Additionally, the youth must be facing one or more barriers to employment including but not limited to:
- not in education, employment or training for at least six months
- Disability
- Indigenous
- A recent immigrant and/or refugee
- A visible minority
- LGBTQ2 +
- Homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
- Living in a low-income household
- Residing in a rural or remote location
- Living with family care responsibilities
- Affected by substance use
- Currently in, coming out of, or who have been involved in the justice system
- In or aging out of care
- Living with low levels of literacy and numeracy
The definition of bio-economy employees includes farmers, processors, pulp and paper manufacturers, the forest sector, bio-based health products, cannabis, bio-energy producers, pet food makers, IT/health software developers, etc. In addition, to a 6-to-9-month placement, employers must provide hired youth with a minimum of 2.5 hours/month of job coaching.
The program also offers internal job coaching such as skills training and onboarding tools for employers, including a diversity and inclusion HR policy template; and on-going monitoring to ensure program success.
Funding is extremely limited so apply quickly.
Bulletins, Food Processing, Manufacturing
Up to $500,000 Grant for Rural Southwestern Ontario Processors
Applicants Should Submit Eligibility Checklist By April 7, 2022
The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) advertises 15% up to $5 million in grants and four-year interest-free loans towards investments that create jobs and lead to economic growth. Up to 30% of the loan is forgivable (i.e., becomes a grant) to a maximum of $500,000 if the applicant achieves its job creation and investment targets.
Eligible expenditures include equipment, consulting services, facility retrofits and expansions, as well as employee training and other project-related costs incurred over 3 to 4 years. Only expenses incurred after receiving approval will be eligible for reimbursement.
Businesses are required to have 3 years of financial statements and be (or plan to be) located in one of the following Southwestern Ontario counties: (Brant, Bruce, Chatham-Kent, Dufferin, Elgin, Essex, Grey, Haldimand, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex, Niagara, Norfolk, Oxford, Perth, Simcoe, Waterloo, and Wellington). Applicants in rural communities with populations under 100,000 or density less than 100 people/square mile, must have at least 5 employees yet can receive up to $500,000 of the funding as a grant. Rural businesses are required to make investments of no less than $200,000. Applicants in communities with populations over 100,000 may receive 15% up to $5 million as an interest-free loan. These businesses must have 10 or more employees and plan to invest at least $500,000.
Strategic new investments to Ontario (companies without a presence in Ontario), or companies whose investment plans (including new mandates, expansion, or re-shoring/relocation) are subject to significant risk due to incentives offered from other jurisdictions, are eligible to receive 15% up to $1.5 million as a grant.
Businesses with 15 or more employees must create 5 jobs by project completion. Companies with fewer employees are required to increase their workforce by 30%. Only costs incurred after approval are eligible for funding. There is also 50% grants funding up to $1.5 million for community economic development. Next application deadline is April 21, 2022 (eligibility checklist to be submitted by April 7, 2022)
Agriculture & Agri-Food, Manufacturing
ONTARIO FUNDING FOR BUSINESS EXPANSION
GRANT AND LOANS AVAILABLE FOR INVESTMENTS OVER $10 MILLION.
Ontario’s New Economy Stream initiatives will contribute up to 20% in grants and interest-free subordinate loans to businesses wanting to build innovation capacity, improve productivity, performance and competitiveness, exploit export and trade opportunities and/or create/retain jobs. Project expenses must be $10 million or more. Eligible project-related cost categories include facility modifications, equipment and machinery purchases, materials, one-time labour expenses, research and development, training and new market access. Ineligible cost categories include ongoing production and labour costs, land and buildings, overhead, and business plan preparation. Applicants must be in advanced manufacturing, life science, or information and communication technology, and/or wanting to undertake a project which will draw additional investments key to increasing Ontario’s next generation of talent, innovation and productivity. Additionally, applicants are required and will be evaluated on having a proven record of business success, generally for 3 years or more, as well as having sufficient financing, resources and expertise to undertake the project. While projects that are deemed to have exceptional benefits for Ontario may receive support up to the 20% level, successful applicants will likely be offered grant support at the 5% – 15% level.
Agriculture & Agri-Food, Bulletins, Energy, Food Processing, Manufacturing
DEADLINE APPROACHING: GRANT FOR RURAL ONTARIO BUSINESSES
The RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (RED) program will contribute 50% towards the planning Read More
Agriculture & Agri-Food, Apparel, Bulletins, Energy, Enterprise Program, Food Processing, IT, Manufacturing, Medical, Technology
Canada-wide Support for Selling to Government
FUNDING AVAILABLE TO BRING PRE-COMMERCIALIZED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO MARKET
The Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP) contributes up to $500,000 towards the procurement, testing and evaluation of innovative goods and services by Canadian government departments and agencies. Read More
Apparel, Career Focus, Hiring, Hiring Incentive, Manufacturing
Funding to Hire Qualified Staff
Canada-Wide Employment Grant for Apparel and Textile Companies
The Apparel Career Focus program will contribute 50% up to $15,000 towards hiring a post-university or college graduate to work in their field of study. Read More
