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: 11 May, 2012

Incentives & Financial Support

Capital

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Capital Financing

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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.

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.

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 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.

Commercialization

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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.

Digital Media

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EDO-Economic Development

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Energy

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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:

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.

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:

Technology Development Fund - Ontario Power Authority
Description: Technology Development Fund assists innovative energy technologies that will improve the supply and conservation of electricity - are in the pre-commercial stage - and require funding for development, demonstration or verification.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits:

Export

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Human Resources and Training

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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:

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:

Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit
Description: The Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit (ATTC) is a refundable tax credit. It is available to employers who hire and train apprentices in certain skilled trades.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits:

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.

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:

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.

MaRS Discovery District (MaRS)
Description: World-class research and business incubation facilities in biomedical innovation and commercialization.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits:

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:

Ontario Summer Jobs Service
Description: Wage support for employers hiring students for seasonal jobs during the summer.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits:

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:

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 and Development

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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.

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:

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

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:

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:

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

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:

Ontario Business Research Institute Tax Credit (OBRITC)
Description: A refundable tax credit for corporations incurring expenditures in respect of Scientific Research & Experimental Development under a contract with an Eligible Research Institute.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits:

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

Ontario Innovation Demonstration Fund
Description: The Innovation Demonstration Fund (IDF) is a discretionary, non-entitlement funding program that focuses on the commercialization and initial technical demonstration of globally competitive, innovative Green technologies, processes and/or products.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits:

Ontario Innovation Tax Credit (OITC)
Description: Refundable provincial tax credit on R & D expenditure claims.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits:

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 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:

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.

Precarn Incorporated
Description: Precarn provides an integrated suite of programs which fund research and assist in the development of highly qualified entrepreneurial people and commercialization of innovative technology which has commerical viability.
Terms/Assistance/Benefits:

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:

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:

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:

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/