Program overview

The Trade-Impacted Communities Program (TICP) will help communities and local industries in Ontario navigate significant economic challenges caused by U.S. trade disruption.  It supports local projects that align with Ontario’s key economic priorities:

  • Economic resiliency: Projects that strengthen competitiveness and build local opportunities for economic growth.
  • Supply-chain diversification: Projects that support Ontario’s strategic priority sectors and their supply chains, including advanced manufacturing, automotive, life sciences, technology, critical minerals, forestry, and agri-food.
  • Trade partnerships: Projects that increase export and investment to reduce reliance on U.S. markets.

The program will be delivered across the province and will prioritize projects not covered under other provincial programs. Projects must be undertaken and completed within a two-year period.

Program streams

The program is divided into two streams:

  • Stream 1: Community economic development
  • Stream 2: Transformational projects

Program intake

Applications for Stream 1 will be accepted on a continuous basis as long as funding is available. Stream 2 will be open until September 11, 2025.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants

To be eligible for funding, applicants must meet all the following requirements:

  • be one of the following:
    • a municipal government
    • an economic development organization
    • sector or industry association
    • a business accelerator or incubator (Stream 2 only)
  • lead applicants must have at least two years of substantive operational experience
  • be operating within Ontario

Ineligible applicants

The following organizations are not eligible to apply for funding; however, they are eligible as a partner in joint applications:

  • not-for-profit organizations without an economic development mandate
  • private sector organizations
  • local business advocacy organizations, including chambers of commerce, boards of trade and business improvement associations
  • labour unions
  • charities

Collaboration

Joint project applications are encouraged for Stream 1 and required for Stream 2.

Each project must have one lead from the list of eligible applicants, but other local partners can support. Other partners could include private sector organizations, post-secondary institutions, labour unions, business accelerators or incubators or other local organizations.

Lead and partner applicants must be identified on the application and the relationship must be formalized in a memorandum of understanding between parties. The maximum funding amount applies per project, not per applicant.

Stream 1: Community Economic Development

Stream 1 supports community projects that respond to U.S. trade disruption, including immediate resiliency measures, the development and implementation of local strategies, and efforts to diversify export markets. Examples could include: 

  • local supplier forums
  • job fairs
  • site selection activities (for example, supports to identify and develop potential industrial properties for investment)
  • asset mapping (for example, identification and documentation of resources, strengths and capabilities within a community or sector
  • supply-chain studies
  • sister-city partnerships (for example, city-to-city partnerships that strengthen business relationships
  • market intelligence or export development supports (for example, gathering and analyzing of market information
  • trade shows
  • promotional materials

Stream 2: Transformational Projects

Stream 2 supports large-scale, collaborative projects designed to grow and transform local clusters and industrial supply chains to bolster Ontario’s competitiveness and economic resiliency. Examples could include:

  • building new areas of competitive advantage by strengthening local supply-chains (for example, leveraging forestry strengths to commercialize innovative housing products; talent attraction supports for impacted SMEs)
  • reshoring critical supply chains to support the growth of domestic manufacturing capacity (for example, tools and supports to help companies shift production in key industries)
  • driving industrial transformation and regional economic diversification (for example, industry-academic collaboration to build defense/security cluster; expanding supports for local entrepreneurs/SMEs in effected sectors)
  • expanding global partnerships to support market diversification (for example, fostering connections between local and global ecosystems)

Preference will be given to projects that directly accelerate business growth and innovation, develop and deploy new made-in-Ontario technologies or processes, and align with provincial priorities, such as defense and housing.

Funding

Stream 1 projects will be eligible for up to 100% of eligible costs ranging from $250,000 to $2 million per project, depending on project and community size. Stream 2 projects will be eligible for up to 100% of eligible costs from $2 million to $10 million per project, depending on project size and complexity.

The ministry has sole discretion in selecting successful applications and determining funding amounts.

Projects seeking the maximum 100% level must clearly demonstrate exceptional benefits to Ontario. Priority will be given to projects that leverage funding from other sources.

The program offers conditional grants to support eligible project activities. See the appendix for eligible expenses.

Criteria

Project start date

The project start date cannot be earlier than the date the application is submitted.

Length of project

Projects must be less than 2 years in length (from start to completion).

Restrictions

Projects are not allowed to combine (or “stack”) with other provincial programs. Funding may be stacked with federal programs up to 100% of project costs.

Ineligible projects

Capital funding projects, including funds for critical infrastructure (for example, roads, watermains) or infrastructure improvements (for example, utilities upgrades). Use of U.S. consultants and advisors in projects will be considered ineligible. See the appendix for ineligible expenses.

Operating experience

All applicants (except for municipalities) must have a minimum 2 years of financial statements audited in accordance with International and Canadian Audit Standards (IAS/CAS) (preferred) or review engagement prepared in accordance with the Canadian Standard on Review Engagements (CSRE) 2400.

Application timelines

Please submit an application during the open application period.

Stream 1 is continuous intake and Stream 2 will be open until September 11, 2025. The ministry will only assess applications that are deemed eligible and complete – see below steps 1 through 3 under How to apply.

How to apply

Step 1: Complete the self-assessment tool.

Step 2: Register for a webinar to learn more information about the program and the application process.

Step 3: Register for Transfer Payment Ontario (TPON) and submit an application.

  • TPON is the Province of Ontario’s online application system for grant funding. Before applying for a funding opportunity, all applicants must first register with TPON following a three-step process.
  • When registering an organization on TPON, ensure you have the necessary information (e.g., legal business name) and official business documents (e.g., Canadian Revenue Agency Business Number) readily available. Please enter the data accurately to avoid unnecessary delays.
  • Applicants with technical questions about TPON can contact the TPON Customer Service Line Toll-free: 1-855-216-3090 or Toll-free TTY: 1-800-268-7095, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or by email at tponcc@ontario.ca.

How to submit an application

  1. Register for TPON and follow the prompts to find the program under the “Submit for Funding” section. Learn more about detailed instructions for accessing TPON and steps to submit an application
  2. Download the application form and complete each section, as required.  The application form includes Part 1: Eligibility Checklist and Part 2: Application Form. Part 1 assesses an applicant’s eligibility for the program and an applicant should not complete Part 2 unless they are eligible. If an application that is not eligible is submitted, it will not be considered for assessment
  3. If applicants are eligible according to Part 1, they can then complete the application and upload the completed form and all supporting documents on TPON. This includes:
    • a cash flow that provides sufficient detail on projected receipts and payments during the project period
    • two financial statements audited in accordance with International and Canadian Audit Standards (IAS/CAS) (preferred) or review engagement prepared in accordance with the Canadian Standard on Review Engagements (CSRE) 2400
    • proof of legal status, such as articles of incorporation, letters patent, certificate of status, Special Acts of Incorporation or other documentation that demonstrates that the organization has been a legal entity operating in Ontario for at least two years
    • in the case of a consortium or a joint application between eligible organizations, a copy of any formal written agreements in place between the members of the consortium or organizations involved in the project

The application form must be submitted by an individual with authority to bind the organization.

The ministry will notify applicants of a funding decision upon completion of the assessment process.

Key items to note

Working with an external firm

Working with an external firm for the purposes of preparing an application has no bearing on the success rate of an applicant.

Applications may only be submitted by the prospective recipients, and any application submitted by a third party on behalf of an applicant will not be considered. The primary contact on the application form must be a principal or authorized employee of the applicant organization.

Any costs associated with the use of a consultant for a funding application are not eligible project costs.

Tax compliance verification

Applicants need to provide their Tax Compliance Verification (TCV) number in the application form. Applicants are required to generate a TCV number, if they do not already have one.

If an applicant is approved for funding, they will need to show their TCV certificate to ensure federal and provincial tax compliance.

Funding agreement

Successful applicants will be required to enter into funding agreements with His Majesty the King in right of Ontario as represented by the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Government of Ontario.

No disbursements will be made until the funding agreement has been fully executed and the recipient has satisfied the funding conditions including but not limited to the following:

  • evidence of project financing
  • proof of insurance (minimum of $2 million)
  • written assurance that the contracting organization complies with all Ontario laws, including accessibility legislation

Applicants will need to meet all annual reporting requirements including providing audited financial statements.

The funding agreement will contain provisions for full or partial repayment of funds if performance measures are not met, or other terms and conditions of the funding agreement are not met in a way deemed satisfactory to Ontario.

See the appendix for a list of funding agreement key terms.

How applications are assessed

The determination of which applications are successful and how much funding a given project will receive will be entirely within the sole discretion of the ministry.

Assessments will be based on the information provided in the application, so ensure the application is as detailed as possible.

Stream 1: Community Economic Development

Proposed projects will be assessed based on alignment with program priorities such as:

  • alignment with the overall program objectives of building community resilience and/or diversification, including:
    • developing local economic strengths and globally competitive assets which create competitive advantage in international markets;
    • creating and strengthening domestic supply chains; and
    • increasing trade partnerships and diversification beyond U.S. markets
  • alignment with broader provincial economic objectives, including support for strategic priority sectors; reshoring supply chains; processing of critical minerals; and enhancing inter-provincial trade
  • alignment with, and identification of, a clear and significant need or market gap, including impact of U.S. trade disruption on local and regional economy (for example, loss of a flagship employer, percentage of jobs in impacted sectors like steel)
  • ability to lead to measurable results, or for planning activities, potential to lead to measurable results (for example, job or business creation/retention or business investment)
  • degree of collaboration and support from community partners, such as other municipalities, economic development organizations, private sector organizations, post-secondary institutions, labour unions, business accelerators or incubators or other local organizations
  • alignment with existing programming of the Ontario government.
  • assessment of level of risk and applicant’s ability to fulfill project deliverables
  • ability of project to be rapidly deployed
  • quality of the project plan and budget, capacity to undertake the project and risk/mitigation strategies, including:
    • documentation supporting the amount of funding requested and proof of ability to fund project costs in excess of program funding, if applicable
    • confirmed funding from the applicant and other partners, if applicable
    • demonstrated ability to deliver the proposed project, or a plan to deliver the program in partnership with an experienced program delivery agent

Stream 2: Transformational Projects

Proposed projects will be assessed based on alignment with program priorities such as:

  • alignment with the overall program objectives of:
    • helping establish new areas of economic strength;
    • bolstering Ontario’s global competitiveness;
    • building resilience for communities across of the province; and
    • creating the conditions for communities and economic clusters to adjust
  • alignment with broader provincial economic objectives, including support for strategic priority sectors; reshoring supply chains; processing of critical minerals; housing, defense, and enhancing inter-provincial trade
  • alignment with, and identification of, a clear and significant need or market gap, including impact of U.S. trade disruption on local and regional economy (for example, loss of a flagship employer, percentage of jobs in impacted sectors like steel)
  • ability to lead to measurable results, or for planning activities, potential to lead to measurable results (for example, job or business creation/retention or business investment)
  • agree of collaboration and support from community partners, such as other municipalities, economic development organizations, private sector organizations, post-secondary institutions, labour unions, business accelerators or incubators or other local organizations
  • alignment with existing programming of the Ontario government.
  • assessment of level of risk and applicant’s ability to fulfill project deliverables
  • ability of project to be rapidly deployed
  • quality of the project plan and budget, capacity to undertake the project and risk/mitigation strategies, including:
    • documentation supporting the amount of funding requested and proof of ability to fund project costs in excess of program funding, if applicable
    • confirmed funding from the applicant and other partners, if applicable
    • demonstrated ability to deliver the proposed project, or a plan to deliver the program in partnership with an experienced program delivery agent.
      • ability of project to directly accelerate business growth and innovation, develop and deploy new made-in-Ontario technologies or processes
      • ability of project to target meaningful, longer-term and sustainable transformational change for a municipality, region or industry (for example, job or business creation/retention or business investment)
      • ability of project to transform local clusters and industrial supply chains to bolster Ontario’s competitiveness and economic resiliency

Confidentiality and public reporting

The Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade is subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the “Act”). The Act provides every person with a right to access to information in the custody or under the control of the province, subject to a limited set of exemptions. Section 17 of the Act provides a limited exemption for third party information that reveals a trade secret, or scientific, commercial, technical, financial or labour relations information supplied in confidence where disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to result in certain harms. Any trade secret or any scientific, technical, commercial, financial or labour relations information submitted to the province in confidence should be clearly marked.

The ministry may notify the applicant before granting access to a record that might contain information referred to in section 17 of the Act so that the applicant may make representations to the ministry concerning disclosure. Additionally, all information, statements and documents attached to the application or provided to the ministry in relation to the application may otherwise be subject to disclosure pursuant to the Act as well as any other applicable laws.

Approved projects will be the subject of public announcements. The applicant agrees that any information provided to the province in its application or in any subsequent project-related discussions or agreements may be shared with:

  • Other ministries of government, experts and/or authorized agents for the purposes of assessing this application and administering the program and satisfying government accountability and reporting obligations
  • Statistics Canada for the purposes of program evaluation

Ministries must publicly report annually on the status of business support programs and strategic investments, including project description and project investment commitment; amount of government support; and results achieved to date.

The province is required to make agreements available for inspection by the public. However, commercially sensitive information contained in the agreement may be redacted.

Following submission of a signed application, applicants are subject to compliance checks including (if relevant):

  • Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development — Health and Safety and Employment Standards
  • Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
  • Accessibility Compliance (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act)
  • Ministry of Finance — Tax Compliance
  • Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Conflicts of interest

Conflicts of interest includes, but are not limited to, any situation or circumstance where:

  1. In relation to the application process, the applicant has an unfair advantage or engages in conduct, directly or indirectly, that may give it an unfair advantage, including:
    1. having, or having access to, information in the preparation of its application that is confidential to the Government of Ontario and not available to other applicants
    2. communicating with any person with a view to influencing preferred treatment in the application process, including the giving of a benefit of any kind, by or on behalf of the applicant to anyone employed by, or otherwise connected with the Government of Ontario
    3. engaging in conduct that compromises, or could be seen to compromise, the integrity of the funding application process and render that process unfair
  2. In relation to the performance of its contractual obligations in a contract with the Government of Ontario, the applicant or any person who has the capacity to influence the applicant’s decisions has outside commitments, relationships or financial interests that could, or could be seen by a reasonable person to, interfere with the applicant’s objective, unbiased and impartial judgement relating to the project, the use of the proceeds of the funding, or both.

Collection of information

The information applicants provide will be utilized to assess and respond to their application. Applicants may be contacted by the ministry for further information to assess their application.

Applicants should review the crucial information outlined in the ministry’s privacy statement.

Should applicants have any additional inquiries regarding how information will be utilized by this program, please reach out to ticp@ontario.ca.

Appendix A: Eligible and ineligible project cost categories

Eligible expenses

One-time costs and those directly related to the management and delivery of the project including:

  • Salaries, benefits, and consultant/contractor fees directly related to the project only. Including but not limited to specialized expertise to facilitate trade shows, forums and workshops, software or web design, conduct needs analysis, investment attraction studies, market analysis, feasibility assessments, and due diligence related to the project.
  • Marketing
    • promotional material
    • events
    • the ministry will support the development of marketing material but not platform media buys associated with the acquisition of paid media space and paid advertising time (unless approved by the ministry)
  • Travel expenses
    • travel within the Province of Ontario directly related to the operation of the program(s)/initiative(s).
    • travel expenses must be modest and appropriate, and strike a balance among economy, health & safety, and efficiency of operations and incurred in accordance with the Broader Public Sector Expenses Directive.
    • in no event will Ontario pay for travel expenses that exceed the rates set out in the Ontario’s Travel, Meal and Hospitality Expenses Directive.
  • Audit expenses
    • costs related to delivering the project/initiative(s).
  • Training of new or existing staff that are reasonable and necessary to carry out the project
  • Coordination, development and delivery of training programs to support the project (excluding costs supported by another ministry program)
  • Delivery of events related to the project, including presentations and consultation materials, showcasing of local suppliers, business workshops, sector or regional supply chain needs/opportunity analysis, follow up outreach, networking opportunities, and trade shows.
  • Other one-time costs that, in the opinion of the Province, are considered necessary for the successful implementation of the project/initiative(s) and have been approved in writing prior to being incurred

Ineligible expenses

In general, ineligible expenses include (but are not limited to):

  • Costs covered by other provincial government funding sources or fully funded by federal government funding sources
  • The cost of preparing the grant application
  • Costs not directly associated with meeting project milestones and deliverables
  • Ongoing operating expenses
  • Capital costs (for example, purchasing equipment or furniture)
  • The acquisition of paid media space and paid advertising time for advertisements that promote the Recipient or project (unless approved by the ministry)
  • Direct financial support to an individual
  • Public or private infrastructure
  • Downtown revitalization and tourism promotion costs
  • Entertainment expenses and alcoholic beverages.
  • Expenses associated with lobbying or government relations activities.
  • Costs associated with travel, activities or operations performed outside of Ontario
  • Legal, accounting and consulting fees in connection with financial reorganization, security issues, capital stock issues, obtaining of patents and licenses and prosecution of claims against Ontario
  • Federal and provincial income taxes, excess profit taxes or surtaxes and any special expenses incurred in relation to taxes.
  • Costs, including taxes, for which the recipient has received, will receive, or is eligible to receive, a rebate, credit or refund.
  • Fines and penalties.
  • Donations in the form of goodwill and other intangibles (such as intellectual property, including licenses and patents).
  • Opportunity costs.
  • Standard discounts.
  • Interest charges.
  • Allowance for interest on invested capital, bonds, debentures, bank or other loan together with related bond discounts and finance chargers.
  • Losses on investments, bad debts and related collection expenses.
  • Losses on other projects or contracts.
  • Amortization of unrealized appreciation of assets.
  • Depreciation of assets paid for by Ontario.
  • Expenses and depreciation of excess facilities.
  • Any costs incurred in the U.S. or for U.S. based businesses footnote 1
  • Any costs as determined by the Province from time to time in its’ sole discretion.

Eligible project costs are cash outlays, net of all applicable harmonized sales tax (HST), which must be documented through invoices, receipts or recipient records acceptable to Ontario. These are subject to verification by an independent auditor. You must maintain evidence of payment for audit purposes.

Appendix B: Key terms of funding agreements

Overview

In order to obtain funding, the successful applicant (recipient) will be required to enter into a funding agreement with the Province of Ontario based on the information provided in the application.

Timing of funding payments

No payments will be made to a recipient until the funding agreement has been signed and any conditions for disbursement have been fulfilled.

Recipients must demonstrate that they have secured the required sources of project financing and have proof of insurance (minimum of $2 million) in place before any disbursements can be made. Other conditions may be required before disbursements are made.

Disbursements will be made in arrears (except as described below) and paid in instalments which shall not exceed the cap set by Government of Ontario. It is solely determined by the province, taking into consideration factors such as rate of investment and milestones.

At our sole discretion, an initial payment of up to 30% of the support may be made once conditions of disbursement have been met. If an application is approved, ministry staff will explain how the caps for the disbursements have been set.

For grants, a final performance payment will only be disbursed after the project has been completed and all final reporting requirements have been received to our satisfaction.