Incentives & Business Support

For your convenience please find a list of incentive and funding programs (pdf doc) organized into the following sections:

Capital Funding
Digital Media Funding
Energy Funding
Export Funding
Human Resources
Research and Development

Aurora - Incentives & Services

Data Last Updated: 12 March, 2010

Incentives & Financial Support

Capital Financing

(+)

Advanced Manufacturing Investment Strategy Program - Ministry of Economic Development
Description: Interest free loan to transform manufacturing processes and adopt leading edge technologies.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: $10 million interest free loan up to five years.

Business Development Bank of Canada
Description: BDC actively supports the development and growth of Canadian small and medium-sized businesses through its complementary financing, investment, and consulting services.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Multiple financing solutions.

Canada Small Business Financing Program - Industry Canada
Description: Up to $500,000 financing for any one business, of which no more than $350,000 can be used for purchasing leasehold improvements or improving leased property and purchasing or improving new or used equipment.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Up to 90% of the cost of the asset at fixed or floating rate.

Canadian Youth Business Foundation Start-Up Financing Program
Description: Mentoring, educational resources and start-up financing assistance to aspiring young entrepreneurs.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Loan up to $15,000.

Eastern Ontario Development Fund - Ministry of Economic Development
Description: An $80-million provincial government grant program to provide up to 15 per cent of the total eligible expenses for private sector companies to a maximum of $1.5 million per project; and 50 per cent for qualified economic development projects of agencies, associations and NGOs valued at $100,000 or more.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Businesses must invest $500,000 or more in qualified projects that create at least 10 jobs over five years. Firms must be located in Eastern Ontario and currently employ at least 10 people. Sector focus includes manufacturing; processing; tourism; business services; cultural industries; technology and green technology development.

ecoEnergy for Renewable Heat
Description: Financial assistance to increase the use of renewable thermal energy and develop capacity in the renewable thermal energy industry.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Eligible industrial, commercial and institutional entities will receive 25% of the purchase, installation and certain other costs of a qualifying system.

ecoEnergy Retrofit (industry)
Description: Incentive program to fund energy retrofits for SME industries.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Eligible SMEs can receive 25 percent of project costs to a maximum of $50,000 per application and $250,000 per corporate entity.

Next Generation of Jobs Fund - Biopharmaceutical Investment Program - Ministry of Research and Innovation
Description: A five-year, $150-million strategy to encourage brand name pharmaceutical firms and advanced-stage human health biotech firms (e.g. vaccine manufacturers) to establish and grow their research and development and/or their advanced manufacturing investments in Ontario.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Program will provide up to 20% of total eligible project costs. Applications with total eligible project costs of less than $5 million will not be considered.

Next Generation of Jobs Fund - Jobs & Investment Program - Ministry of Economic Development
Description: A five-year $1.15 billion strategy to support companies in business expansion /retention and attract foreign investment in green auto research, parts production and assembly; clean fuels research, development and commercialization; manufacturing, processing, environmental technologies; services (ICT & Financial), anchor investments to support cluster development; and opportunity based/ unique investments.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: The fund will provide up to 15% of the total eligible costs of an approved project. Eligible projects must meet thresholds of $25 million in investment or create /retain 100 jobs within five years.

NextGen Biofuels Fund - Sustainable Development Technology Canada
Description: A $500 million fund to support establishment of first-of-kind commercial scale demonstration facilities for the production of next-generation renewable fuels (i.e. cellulosic ethanol or next-generation biodiesel) and co-products.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Repayable support covering up to 40% of eligible project costs incurred over the course of the project period (capped at $200 million).

Ontario Centres of Excellence - Investment Accelerator Fund Program
Description: A major Ontario Government commercialization initiative to provide eligible technology-based start-ups with between $250,000 and $500,000 in seed capital to support technology development, market potential analysis, prototype development, early customer trials, promotion and patenting costs.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Investments are generally made in the form of a convertible debenture (loan) in return for a nominal equity position.

Ontario Community Futures Program - FedNor
Description: Repayable federal supported in locally administered funds for community economic development.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: $150,000 repayable financing.

Ontario Current Cost Adjustment (OCCA): Pollution Control Equipment - Ontario Ministry of Revenue
Description: Ontario provides an additional 30% tax deduction, over and above the regular depreciation allowance, for investments in pollution control equipment.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: 30% of first $20 million of capital cost.

Ontario Innovation Demonstration Fund
Description: Non-interest bearing repayable or forgivable loans; royalty agreements and equity participation to help commercialize innovative technologies.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Contributions up to $4 million.

Ontario Solar Thermal Heating Incentive (OSTHI) - Ontario Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
Description: Financial assistance for Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) organizations to increase the use of renewable energy; and develop capacity in Ontario's solar thermal industry.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: The Ontario Solar Thermal Heating Incentive (OSTHI) matches rebates provided by the federal ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program. Each program provides rebates of up to $80,000 for solar hot water or solar air heating systems.

SD Tech Fund - Sustainable Development Technology Canada
Description: A $550 million fund to support late-stage development and pre-commercial demonstration of clean technology solutions contributing to clean air, clean water and clean land, and addressing issues of climate change.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Non-repayable funding by installments over the 4-6 milestone dates throughout the life of an eligible project.

SMART Program - Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
Description: Financial assistance for manufacturing productivity improvement projects such as lean design and lean manufacturing, quality improvement, energy efficiency, IT best practices, and environmental impact reduction.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Funding up to $50,000 or 50% of the eligible project costs, whichever is less.

Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative - Industry Canada
Description: Firms, organizations or institutions may apply for investments assistance repayable over the long term in conducting R & D in eligible aerospace and defence technologies.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Repayable contributions to 30 percent of a project's total eligible costs.

Summer Company
Description: The Summer Company program provides hands-on business training and mentoring - together with awards of up to $3,000 - to help enterprising youth start up and run their own summer business.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Business training, mentoring and awards of up to $3,000.

Commercialization

(+)

MaRS - Business Mentorship and Entrepreneurship Program (BMEP)
Description: A major Ontario Government commercialization initiative to meet the needs of high performance technology entrepreneurs. Services and resources are delivered through member organizations of the Ontario Commercialization Network (OCN).
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Skills training, management support, mentorship and networking.

MaRS Discovery District (MaRS)
Description: World-class research and business incubation facilities in biomedical innovation and commercialization.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Catalytic programs, risk capital, management resources, and mentoring.

Ontario Centres of Excellence Inc.
Description: 6 sector-based centres and various programs to strengthen research linkages between academia and industry.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Knowledge transfer, commercialization, training.

Ontario Research Fund - Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation
Description: Supports the operational costs (direct and indirect) and the capital costs of research of Ontario's research community.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Matching funds towards projects granted by Canada Foundation for Innovation or the private sector.

Precarn Incorporated
Description: Supports R & D in intelligent information and communications technology (iICT) leading to commercialization through a collaborative model.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Project funding for leading-edge technologies and networking.

Technology Development Fund - Ontario Power Authority
Description: Financial assistance to support pre-commercial technologies or applications that have the potential to improve electricity supply, conservation or demand management.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Maximum contribution by the OPA for any one project is $250,000.

Digital Media

(+)

Energy

(+)

ecoEnergy for Renewable Power
Description: $1.48 billion financial incentive to increase Canada's supply of clean electricity from renewable sources such as wind, biomass, low-impact hydro, geothermal, solar photovoltaic and ocean energy.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: One cent per kilowatt-hour for up to 10 years to eligible low-impact, renewable electricity projects constructed between April 1, 2007 and March 31, 2011. Maximum contribution payable per qualifying project will be $80 million over 10 years.

High Performance New Construction
Description: Financial assistance to promote the design and construction of high performance buildings.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Incentives that offset the cost of energy efficiency measures, Lower long-term operating costs, improved marketability and Occupant comfort. Green buildings may also improve indoor air quality that will lead to better health and productivity.

Ontario Biogas Systems Financial Assistance Program - Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Description: A $9-million provincial financial assistance program to promote sustainable biogas production for farmers and agri-food businesses to develop and build generating systems that produce clean energy, reduce electricity costs and contribute to local economies.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Fund a maximum $400,000 for total feasibility and construction cost for each biogas system.

Export

(+)

Human Resources & Training

(+)

Achieving Innovation & Manufacturing Excellence - Yves Landry Foundation
Description: A cost shared program to fund training that will lead to advancements in innovation within the manufacturing sector in Ontario.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Grant up to $50,000 per company, covering 100% of eligible direct training costs and 50% of eligible indirect training costs.

Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit - Canada Revenue Agency
Description: A 10 percent Federal tax credit to cover salaries and wages paid to training new apprentices in the first two years of the contract.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: $2,000 tax credit per year.

Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit
Description: A 25 percent provincial refundable tax credit on salaries and wages paid to new apprentices in certain skilled trades to help offset employers' costs. Small businesses receive a 30 percent tax credit.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Employers can claim up to $5,000 each year to a total of $15,000 per eligible apprentice over the first three years.

Canada Summer Jobs 2009
Description: Contributions for employers to hire students during the summer.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Up to 50% of provincial minimum wage per hour.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Innovation and Industry Programs
Description: Major federal health research funding agency for universities, hospitals and research institutes has research programs matching industry partner's financial contributions.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Co-funding on a project basis.

Employer Signing Bonus
Description: A $2,000 bonus for an employer who hires and registers an apprenticeship scholarship candidate as an apprentice.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: The candidate has to be a youth under 25 years of age who has left school and requires upgrading to meet the registration standards for apprenticeship training.

Industrial R & D Fellowships - Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Description: Financial assistance for companies to hire recent doctoral graduates in science and engineering to conduct research and development in industries.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Contributes $30,000 per year for two years towards the PhD research fellow's salary.

Industrial Research Assistance Program - National Research Council Canada
Description: Technical advisory services, networking and financial assistance to SMEs.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Invests on a cost-shared basis.

Internship Program with Innovative Small and Medium-sized Enterprises - National Research Council Canada
Description: Financial assistance to innovative Canadian SMEs to hire post-secondary graduates.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Internships assistance between six to twelve months and up to $15,000.

Ontario Job Connect
Description: Training subsidies for employers who train youths out of school, out of work, not currently in a training program.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Training subsidies are available.

Ontario Labour Market Partnerships
Description: Ontario Labour Market Partnerships support partnerships among employers, employer/employee associations, and community organizations to address identified labour market issues.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: The program helps employers, employer/employee associations, and community organizations to develop and implement strategies to improve their ability to plan for their human resources needs.

Ontario Summer Jobs Service
Description: Wage support for employers hiring students for seasonal jobs during the summer.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Wage support of $2/hr to 16 weeks.

Targeted Wage Subsidies Program
Description: Temporary wage subsidies to assist employers providing on-the-job experience and hiring individuals who face barriers in finding employment.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Subsidy less than 60% of wages paid.

The Workplace Skills Initiative - Human Resources and Social Development Canada
Description: Call for Proposals to fund demonstration projects which respond to challenges in Canadian workplaces relating to employee skills development and organizational changes.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Funding up to a maximum of $3 million per year. Recipients and/or project partners must contribute at least 25% to eligible project costs.

Work-Sharing Program - Human Resources and Social Development Canada
Description: Provides income support to workers eligible for Employment Insurance benefits and who are willing to work a temporary reduced work week when there is a reduction in the normal level of business activity that is beyond the control of the employer.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: 6 to 26 weeks of income support to workers eligible for Employment Insurance benefits to help employers and workers avert temporary layoffs.

Research & Development

(+)

Canada Foundation for Innovation Funds
Description: Funds R & D infrastructure costs in partnership with universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Up to 40% of project costs.

Communications Research Centre Canada - Industry Canada
Description: Helps SMEs develop their potential through on-site technology incubation and technology transfer.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Access to world-class facilities and support.

Going Global Innovation - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Description: Pays eligible expenses for Canadian researchers to meet with key R & D players in foreign countries pursuing collaborative opportunities.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Pays a minimum of $5,000 of eligible expenses for travel, accommodations, meals, incidentals and other non-research expenses.

Ontario Business Research Institute Tax Credit (OBRITC)
Description: A refundable tax credit program for qualifying corporations incurring qualified expenditures in respect of SR & ED under an eligible contract with an eligible ERI.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Provides a corporation or an associated group of corporations a tax credit of up to $4 million.

Ontario Innovation Tax Credit (OITC)
Description: Refundable provincial tax credit on R & D expenditure claims.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Up to 10% refundable tax credit, maximum claims $200,000.

Ontario New Technology Tax Incentive (ONTTI)
Description: 100% immediate write-off of the eligible cost of qualifying intellectual properties acquired in the course of an intellectual property transfer.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: 100% write-off.

Ontario Retail Sales Tax Exemption on R & D and Manufacturing Equipment - Ontario Ministry of Revenue
Description: Exemption from the Ontario Retail Sales Tax Act for equipment used primarily in manufacturing exclusively for R & D, or in non-profit medical research facilities for medical research and investigation.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Exempt from RST (8%).

Ontario Scientific Research and Experimental Development Expenditures (SR & ED)
Description: A deduction in respect of Ontario research and development.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: An incentive for corporations undertaking SR & ED in Ontario.

Rural Economic Development (RED) Program
Description: The Rural Economic Development Program invests in projects that support sustainable rural economies and community partnerships, under the priorities of health-care services, community revitalization and economic development, and skills enhancement.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: Projects are cost-shared, with the provincial government investing up to 50 per cent of the project's eligible cost in most cases.

Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentive Program - Canada Revenue Agency
Description: The largest single source of federal support for industrial R & D. Investment tax credits for expenditures such as wages, materials, machinery, equipment, some overhead, and SR & ED contracts.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits: 35% tax credit for first $2 million of expenditures, 20% on any excess amount.

Business Support Services

Aurora Chamber of Commerce
Serves The Town of Aurora
905 727-7262
Promotion of the commercial, retail and industrial enterprises in Aurora.
http://www.aurorachamber.on.ca/