Glossary and legal
Glossary
Applicant: means the business who has applied for funding under the program.
Arm's-Length: means an entity that is not related, as determined under the Income Tax Act, to the Applicant.
Contribution Agreement: The legal contract between the Applicant and the Province of Ontario
Cost-Share: The maximum funding percentage the Province will pay towards eligible costs for an approved Project.
Currently Operating Business: a registered for-profit business that:
- is operating in Ontario.
- has a valid Business Number with the Canada Revenue Agency.
- is actively conducting business activities, such as producing goods or services, generating revenue, and employing staff.
- has up-to-date financial statements to demonstrate operational history and financial viability.
Effective date: The date the Minister of Rural Affairs approved your Project to begin, which is set out in the Contribution Agreement.
Funds: The money the Province provides to the Applicant to complete an approved Project.
Incurred: A cost is considered Incurred only when the associated goods, services, or work have been fully delivered or completed, regardless of whether an invoice has been issued or when the actual payment was made.
Major Capital Costs: Costs for significant infrastructure, including transportation infrastructure; construction of buildings; construction or rehabilitation of paved, or concrete surfaces, parking lots, bridges; gateway signs; teardowns and rebuilds; purchase and installation of modular facilities for housing; and for site preparation or purchase or lease of land, buildings, facilities and structures.
Project: A set of activities undertaken to achieve specific outcomes.
Requirements of Law: means all applicable Requirements of Law as may be set out in statutes, regulations, by-laws, codes, rules, ordinances, official plans, approvals, permits, licenses, authorizations, decrees, injunctions, orders and declarations, or any other similar instrument.
Rural Ontario: means all Statistics Canada census subdivisions (including lower-tier and single-tier municipalities) that either have a population of less than 100,000 people, or have a population density of 100 people per square kilometre or less, as identified in the most recent Statistics Canada Census of Canadian Population or a rural postal code within areas considered urban (“0” as the second character of a postal code identifies a rural postal code). Refer to the ROD Program “Rural and Urban Areas” map.
Legal
Confidentiality
Take notice that application forms and supporting material, claims and reports submitted to the Province of Ontario are subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1990 (FIPPA). Any information intended to be considered in confidence should be clearly and prominently marked "confidential" by the Applicant. Nevertheless, information supplied to the ROD Program may be disclosed by the Province where it is obligated to do so under FIPPA or by an order of a court, tribunal or pursuant to a legal proceeding. Information contained in an application to the ROD Program may also be disclosed by the Province to verify compliance with other provincial and federal funding initiatives administered by the Province, other provincial or federal ministries, or a third-party delivery agent, to ensure that there is no duplication of funding. Inquiries about confidentiality should be directed to the ROD Program.
Order-In-Council (OIC) and conflict resolution between documents
The Rural Ontario Development Program is an application-based program (OIC 201/2011 ("the OIC")). In the event of conflict between these guidelines, the application forms, and the Contribution Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Contribution Agreement will prevail. In the event of conflict between the terms and conditions of the Contribution Agreement and the OIC, the OIC will prevail.
Eligibility requirements
The Applicant must also comply with the following requirements:
- have the legal capacity and authority to enter into a Contribution Agreement
- is undertaking an eligible activity set out in Section 3 of these guidelines
- be in compliance with the following for its business operations at the time of applying and agree to remain in compliance throughout your Project if approved:
- environmental-related Requirements of Law
- labour-related Requirements of Law
- tax-related Requirements of Law
- material compliance with all other Requirements of Law
- agrees that the Province may, should the Applicant be found to be eligible to participate in the Program, publish information pertaining to the Applicant and Project, including:
- Project-related information
- the Name of the Applicant
- the amount of funding Ontario provided
- the outcome of the Project
- agrees to be bound by the terms, conditions and requirements of the ROD program, as set out in these Guidelines, the letter of approval, and the Contribution Agreement
- if the Project is approved, cooperate in any audits related to any funding received under the ROD Program
Contact us
If the Applicant has questions, please contact us at