Funding Programs and Support

Where to Get Funding and Support:

Food companies don't always know where to find funding and other types of service and support that is relevant to them. So we've pulled together some of the key programs and resources that may be of interest to you. Our list includes federal, provincial, and municipal programs, and programs offered by utilities providers.

Workforce Development

Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit: a tax credit to companies that hire and train apprentices in certain skilled trades.

Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit: (PDF 89 KB): This is a federal incentive program designed to help employers offset the cost of hiring and training empoyees who have entered into an apprenticeship contract.

Career Bridge: (PDF 84 KB): an innovative program for employers seeking qualified workers and for recent immigrants seeking professional level positions in their fields of expertise.

Job Connect: (PDF 75 KB): an employment service designed to help eligible businesses meet their hiring needs and reduce payroll costs.

Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): (PDF 77 KB): an immigration program whch is designed in part to assist employers who are having difficulty recruiting qualified, skilled workers in Ontario.

Ontario Co-op Education Tax Credit: a refundable tax credit available to employers who hire students enrolled in a recognized Ontario university or college co-operative education program.

Recruiting Employees: resources and links to services to assist in recruiting, hiring and training employees.

Sector Initiative Fund: a funding program designed to help industry sectors and organizations to develop training programs, materials and standards for their workforces.

Small Business Internship Program(SBIP): (PDF 79 KB): Industry Canada's SBIP provides small and medium-sized businesses with up to $10,000 to hire a post-secondary student to implement e-business (internet-based) strategies for greater productivity and competitiveness.

Targeted Wage Subsidy: a program that encourages employers to hire people who face barriers to employment by offering a temporary wage subsidy.

Youth Employment Strategy (part of Industrial Research Assistance Program: food manufacturing companies that are looking to develop new products or improve their technical production processes may qualify for funding to hire an intern through the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP). This program provides financial assistance to innovative Canadian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME's) to hire post-secondary graduates to work on innovation projects.

Business Development

Advanced Manufacturing Investment Strategy (AMIS): (PDF 141 KB): Interest-free loans to encourage Ontario manufacturing companies in all sectors to invest in leading-edge technologies and processes.

AgriProcessing Initiative (API): (PDF 96 KB): this program is part of the federal Agricultural Flexibility Fund, is a five-year, $50 million initiative designed to enhance the competitiveness of the agri-processing sector in Canada.

Agri-Opportunities Program: (PDF 96 KB): a program to assist in the commercialization of products which includes new agricultural products, processes or services.

Canadian Dairy Commission's Matching Investment Fund (MIF): (PDF 82 KB): MIF is a three-year, $6 million fund designed to encourage growth and innovation in hte manufacture and use of Canadian dairy products and ingredients.

CanAdvance: (PDF 99 KB): provides grants, loans and loan guarantees to projects that expand the agriculture and food sector's capacity to respond to current and emerging issues.

Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF): (PDF 118 KB): The EODF is an $80 million fund designed to help businesses create new jobs, and invest in new technologies, equipment or skills training for workers. It also supports economic development projects that will attract or retain investment in Ontario-based industries and communities.

Export Market Access: A Global Expansion Program (EMA): (PDF 163 KB): The Export Market Access is a $5 million initiative designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises increase their access to global markets.

Guelph Food Technology Centre (GFTC) Sustainability Services: (PDF 99 KB): A program to help food and beverage manufacturers reduce their environmental impact, boost productivity and cut costs.

High Performance New Construction Program (HPNC): (PDF 125 KB): The HPNC Program was developed to encourage the design and building of facilities that reduce the use of kilowatt hours of energy.

Ontario Market Investment Fund (OMIF): (PDF 124 KB): The Ontario Market Investment Fund is a $12 million, four-year fund targeted to promote consumer awareness of Ontaro-produced foods and encourage Ontarians to buy locally.

Rural Economic Development Program (RED): (PDF 136 KB): A financial support program to help rural communities thrive and grow. It supports projects that remove barriers to community development and economic growth.

Slaughter Improvement Program (SIP): (PDF 79 KB): SIP is a three-year, $50 million program designed to strengthen teh competitiveness of the red meat industry and to address gaps in regional slaughter capacity.

Small Project Accelerated Review Process (ARP): (PDF 78 KB): The Small Project Accelerated Review Process (ARP) provides grants of up to $50,000 to allow small and medium-sized businesses to address technology, business and market-oriented needs. The grants cover 75 per cent of consulting costs and 100 per cent of internal labour.

The Next Generation of Jobs Fund (NGJF): (PDF 125 KB): The Next Generation of Jobs Fund is a five-year, $1.15 billion strategy that can help innovative companies take the lead in worldwide markets which offer long-term growth potential.

Infrastructure Development

Electricity Retrofit Incentive Program:(PDF 129 KB): The Electricity Retrofit Incentive Program (ERIP) is an incentive program designed to encourage Ontario companies to adopt energy-efficient technologies and increase energy efficiency.

Biogas Systems Financial Assistance Program: a $9 million program to help agri-food businesses and farmers turn farm and food waste into clean energy by using biogas systems.

ecoEnergy Biofuels: ecoEnergy for Biofuels will invest up to $1.5 billion over nine years to boost Canada's production of renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.

Environmental Programs: how to make wise and better use of water and sewer services.

The ecoEnergy Retrofit Incentive: (PDF 226 KB): a program to help retrofit industrial and commercial buildings to improve energy efficiency.

Research and Development Programs

Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP): financial support and "consulting" services to Canadian companies in all industry sectors to encourage innovative products, processes and technology.

Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentive Program(SR&ED): a federal tax incentive program to encourage Canadian businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to conduct research and development in Canada that will lead to new, improved, or technologically advanced products or processes.

For more funding programs, check out Ontario Investment and Trade Services web site.