Grant

Southwestern Ontario Development Fund - Business project grants

Government of Ontario, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade · Ontario

ClosedGeneral
Funding
Up to $1,500,000
Up to $1,500,000 per project
Deadline
Closed
Closed — not accepting applications.
Type
Grant
Covers up to 15% of eligible costs
Company stage
SME

Overview

Grant funding of up to $1.5 million covering up to 15% of eligible project costs, plus advisory services, for businesses located in or relocating to eligible communities in southwestern Ontario undertaking growth or strategic projects.

Who can apply

  • Must have at least 3 years of operations/financial statements
  • employ at least 10 people (or 5 in rural Ontario)
  • commit to creating at least 5 new jobs (or a 30% increase for companies with fewer than 15 employees)
  • invest at least $500,000 in the project ($200,000 in rural Ontario)
  • and be located in or plan to locate in one of 18 southwestern Ontario geographic areas (Brant, Bruce, Chatham-Kent, Dufferin, Elgin, Essex, Grey, Haldimand, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex, Niagara, Norfolk, Oxford, Perth, Simcoe, Waterloo, Wellington).
  • Stand-alone restaurants and hotels are not eligible unless transformative and a regional priority.
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What it can pay for

Business ExpansionHiringCapital / EquipmentAdvisoryR&DTechnology adoptionExport

Past recipients

No public list of past recipients is linked for this program yet.

Official source

Program details change. Always confirm eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply.

Official program page →

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Last checked by SeedPort: Sep 15, 2026. SeedPort is not affiliated with the funder. Information is summarized from public sources and may be out of date.