“Let’s Get Digital, Digital. I Wanna Get Digital. Let me hear your product talk, your product talk”

The Digital Transformation Grant Program: offers funding up to $2,500 and online training to Ontario main street businesses to improve their digital marketing capabilities and skills. After successfully completing the 8 online training lessons, applicants can request funding for:

• Digital Training
• Ongoing Digital Training courses (in-person & online)

• Hardware
  • Must be hardware deemed necessary by the program.
• Digital Marketing
  • Hiring a consultant/agency/person to execute Digital Marketing initiatives
• Website
  • Redesign, Improvement of existing website
  • Development of new website
• Software
  • Graphic design software
  • Productivity Software (LastPass, Hootsuite, Dropbox, etc.)
  • Social Media Software (Hootsuite, Buffer, etc.)
  • Security Software
  • Other software as evidenced in the DTP

To be eligible applicants must be a main street business that is:

• In, or close to, a downtown main street, a Business Improvement Area or has zoning consistent with a municipality’s Operating Plan defining a central business district
• Employing 1-10 employees (or fewer than 25 employees if they are a café, restaurant, or bar)
• Paying commercial property tax (commercially assessed), either directly or through commercial rent.

Funding is very limited. Apply soon.  Sorry Olivia !

The Regional Relief Recovery Fund (RRRF) offers $40,000 funding of which $10,000 is forgivable if the remaining $30,000 is repaid by March 31, 2023. The program is available to northern, western, eastern and rural Canadian organizations impacted by Covid-19. RRRF is similar, but can be stacked with Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA) funding, which, for severely Covid-19-impacted organization (including those in urban centres), has been increased from $40,000 to $60,000, with a third of the support (i.e. up to $20,000) forgiven if the remaining is repaid by December 31, 2022.

To be eligible for RRRF funding applicants must be

• Established prior to March 1, 2020 with an active CRA number
• Impacted adversely due to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Viable and not experiencing liquidity or other financial difficulties prior to March 1, 2020
• Have attempted to access other federal relief supports and were ineligible, rejected, or require funding for expenses in excess of support already received (priority is given to applicants who were ineligible or rejected from other federal relief support).

Eligible costs include but not limited to: rent, salaries/benefits, equipment lease payments, taxes, utilities, cleaning supplies and additional safety measures due to COVID-19, bank interest/charges and loan repayment (interest), professional fees (accountant, lawyer, etc.), insurances, expenses associated with retooling, rethinking workflows, automation, robotics, developing new markets, etc.

In Ontario RRRF is delivered through area Community Futures Ontario. For Eastern Canada apply through Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC) and for Western Canada through Community Futures.

It is highly advised to apply early as funding is quickly being exhausted.

The Farm Worker Safety Improvement Program offers 60% grant funding up to $100,0000 towards ensuring worker safety. Funding is offered to Ontario farm-registered businesses that produces agricultural commodities in Ontario. The farm business must involve intensive use of labour, where workers may operate within close proximity of each other, or are provided with on-site or off-site accommodations. Eligible program-related expenses:

Operation modifications

• Purchase/rental/lease of additional on- or off-site housing and ancillary buildings (e.g., washrooms, kitchens, laundry facilities) for workers, portable or relocatable buildings, and/or installations/site modifications related to COVID-19 measures.
• Added sanitation (cleaning and disinfection) and security requirements
• Adjustments to current processes and processing stations to accommodate physical distancing
• Adjustment to transportation to ensure physical distancing during movement within the operation or between accommodations and the operation.
• HVAC modifications or upgrades
• Equipment such as safety barriers (e.g. Plexiglass dividers)
• Site modifications and/or transportation for wellness checks
• Disinfection and cleaning in the event of an outbreak

Non-disposable personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Body temperature screening/fever detection systems, including thermal scanners
• Washing stations
• Workstation dividers
• Full and half facepiece respirators
• Impact goggles and face shields
• Face masks and coverings
• Safety glasses

Worker training and safety protocols

• Interpretation services
• Training on COVID-19 protocols

All eligible project costs must be incurred on or after March 15, 2020 with a total value of $15,000 or more. Applications are to include a written plan that documents steps in place to limit the spread of disease throughout the operation. The written plan must be supported by the relevant union or health and safety committee, if applicable.

The CanExport program offers funding of up to 75% to a maximum of $75,000 for developing export markets. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to:

• Promoting including online advertising on social media, online marketplaces and social media plus Search Engine Optimization (up to $50,000)
• Hiring consultants for digital and e-commerce marketing as well as market research (up to $50,000)
• Translating, adapting or creating marketing materials.
• Securing legal advice as well as IP production and international certification
• Participating in online tradeshows including engaging interpreters and product promotion*
• In-person participation in tradeshows, trade missions, networking functions, meetings and conferences (once Covid-19 measures allow)
• Travel to target markets (once Covid-19 measures allow)

Applicant targeted country or subnational markets must have previously generated less than $100,000 in revenues or no more than 10% of entire sales. The United States is divided into 5 subnational markets and China, Brazil and India are divided into 4 subnational markets. Eligible applicants are Canadian incorporated/limited liability partnership businesses that have less than 500 full time employees and generate $100,000 to $100 million in annual sales revenue. Project expenses must be at least $20,000 to be considered for funding. Applicants can submit one application per government fiscal year (FYE March 31) but must have completed their initial export project prior to re-applying.

The Place to Grow (Sectors) program advertises 50% grant funding to support two or more agriculture/agri-food/agri-product entities (e.g. businesses and organization) towards undertaking ‘new and/or advanced” activities in:

Economic Development (max. $100,000 project)

• Productivity Pilots and Demonstrations of New Technology
• Accessing Markets and Development of Products or Processes – International
• Accessing Markets and Development of Products or Processes – Domestic
• Assessment, Audit and Planning for Market Development
• Addressing Labour Supply and Training Challenges
• Recovery/Contingency Planning and Response
• Supporting Incubators and Commercialization Centers

Food Safety and Traceability (max. $100,000/project)

• Applied Research, Pilot Projects and Demonstrations
• Group Food Safety Program Adoption
• Skills Development and Training
• Traceability Solutions Adoption, Information Management and Sharing

Animal Health (max. $100,000/project)

• Applied Research, Pilot Projects and Demonstrations
• Education and Outreach, Training and Skills Development (note capital and equipment are not eligible)

Plant Health

• Building Networks to Advance Plant Health (max $100,000/project)
• Applied Research, Pilot Projects, and Demonstrations (max. $100,000/project)
• Skills Development, Training and Education (max. $100,000/project)
• Plant Health Best Practices(max $25,000/project).

The lead applicant and project partners must be at arm’s length relationship and provide cash or in-kind investment (resources, project oversight, and/or expertise) to the proposed project. In-kind contributions are limited to 15% of the entire project budget.  Stacking up to 100% from other government programs is allowed. Deadline for applications is 4:00 p.m. (EST) November 26, 2020.

The Farm Worker Safety Improvement Program offers 60% grant funding up to $100,0000 towards ensuring worker safety. Funding is offered to Ontario farm-registered businesses that produces agricultural commodities in Ontario. The farm business must involve intensive use of labour, where workers may operate within close proximity of each other, or are provided with on-site or off-site accommodations. Eligible program-related expenses:

Operation modifications

• Added sanitation (cleaning and disinfection) and security requirements
• Adjustments to current processes and processing stations to accommodate physical distancing
• Adjustment to transportation to ensure physical distancing during movement within the operation or between accommodations and the operation.
• HVAC modifications or upgrades
• Equipment such as safety barriers (e.g. Plexiglass dividers)
• Purchase/rental/lease of additional on- or off-site housing and ancillary buildings (e.g., washrooms, kitchens, laundry facilities) for workers, portable or relocatable buildings, and/or installations/site modifications related to COVID-19 measures.
• Site modifications and/or transportation for wellness checks
• Disinfection and cleaning in the event of an outbreak

Non-disposable personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Body temperature screening/fever detection systems, including thermal scanners
• Washing stations
• Workstation dividers
• Full and half facepiece respirators
• Impact goggles and face shields
• Face masks and coverings
• Safety glasses

Worker training and safety protocols

• Interpretation services
• Training on COVID-19 protocols

All eligible project costs must be incurred on or after March 15, 2020 with a total value of $15,000 or more. Applications are to include a written plan that documents steps in place to limit the spread of disease throughout the operation. The written plan must be supported by the relevant union or health and safety committee, if applicable.