Ontario Together Trade Fund

Qualification Criteria: - Eligible Entities: For-profit businesses (legal entities or limited partnerships) registered and operating in Ontario. - Operational History: Must have at least three years of financial statements and a track record of sales. - Workforce: Must employ at least 5 full-time equivalent (FTE) active employees. - Tariff Impact: Must demonstrate significant exposure to U.S. trade disruptions (e.g., operating in steel, aluminum, or auto sectors; a 30% revenue loss; or pivoting to supply customers affected by tariffs). - Project Scale: Minimum investment of $200,000 in eligible project costs. Qualifying Projects: - Market Diversification: Expanding into new interprovincial or non-U.S. international markets. - Reshoring: Bringing production or supply chain components back to Ontario from outside Canada. - Capacity Building: Upgrading facilities or procuring advanced equipment to boost domestic manufacturing. - Product Modification: Pivoting existing production to enter less trade-exposed sectors (e.g., switching from automotive to construction fasteners). - Workforce Development: Upskilling or training staff to manage new technologies or processes. Ineligible Expenses: - Routine Operations: Standard maintenance, exact capital replacements (upgrades are eligible), or day-to-day overhead. - Business Restructuring: Refinancing, acquisitions, buyouts, or relocating within Ontario. - Sector Exclusions: Retail, construction (primary services), hospitality (hotels/restaurants), and consulting firms are typically ineligible. - Government/NPOs: Not-for-profits, charities, and associations. Additional Details: - Funding Amount: Up to $5 million per project. - Funding Type: Standard support is 10-20% of eligible costs. Exceptional projects can receive up to 75% coverage. - Grants & Loans: Support is provided through non-repayable grants or interest-free loans (up to 2 years). - Loan Forgiveness: Up to 30% of a loan (max $1.5 million) may be forgiven if investment and job targets are met. - 2026 Expansion: Due to high demand, the government increased the total fund to $150 million over three years to better support affected manufacturers.