FedDev Ontario Funding Programs 2026: Deadlines, Amounts and Who Qualifies

The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) funds for-profit businesses, not-for-profit organizations and municipalities across southern Ontario. Its region is the 37 census divisions from Cornwall in the east to Windsor in the west. Its core business funding is $125,000 to $10 million per project, interest-free and repayable, normally at up to 50% of eligible costs. Organizations that help businesses grow can receive $125,000 to $10 million non-repayable. The soonest deadline is the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative. Apply by November 24, 2026 if your project and its eligible costs start before March 31, 2027. The final RAII deadline is January 19, 2027 at 4:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Every date and figure in this guide was read from the agency's official pages on November 8, 2026, and the sources are linked at the end.

This guide covers every FedDev Ontario program as it stood on November 8, 2026: what is open, what is paused, what has closed, how much each pays and on what terms, and the order in which to work through an application. It also explains the one-application rule that decides whether you should file for the AI initiative or the core business funding first. If you would rather have the application assembled for you, GrantOps builds and files it from your own records.

FedDev Ontario Funding at a Glance

The program names in brackets come from FedDev Ontario's March 2026 briefing document. The applicant-facing pages are titled "Funding for businesses in southern Ontario" and "Funding for organizations that help businesses grow in southern Ontario" and do not use the REGI stream names.

Deadlines as of November 8, 2026

Only one FedDev Ontario program had a published application deadline on November 8, 2026. The other dates below are funding-period and completion limits that shape what you can propose.

Programs on continuous intake with no closing date stated on the official page:

• Regional Tariff Response Initiative: the program page shows "Accepting applications".
• Funding for businesses in southern Ontario: "FedDev Ontario is accepting applications."
• Funding for organizations that help businesses grow: "FedDev Ontario is accepting applications."
• Economic Development Initiative: "Contact one of our bilingual officers by email or at 1-866-593-5505 at any time for more information and to receive an application form."

Programs with intake paused: the Build Communities Strong Fund Local Impact Stream and the Regional Defence Investment Initiative. Programs closed to applications: the Black Entrepreneurship Program Ecosystem Fund, the Tourism Growth Program, the Regional Quantum Initiative and the Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative. The Jobs and Growth Fund ended March 31, 2024.

One point needs saying plainly. The RTRI page shows "Accepting applications" on its own page, the home page says "Apply now", and no "pausing" notice is visible on any live FedDev Ontario page as of November 8, 2026. The only intake warnings on the funding hub are the two "Intake paused" badges on the Build Communities Strong Fund card and the RDII card.

Which Parts of Ontario Does FedDev Ontario Cover?

FedDev Ontario's service area is the 37 Statistics Canada census divisions of southern Ontario: Brant, Bruce, Chatham-Kent, Dufferin, Durham, Elgin, Essex, Frontenac, Grey, Haldimand-Norfolk, Haliburton, Halton, Hamilton, Hastings, Huron, Kawartha Lakes, Lambton, Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, Lennox and Addington, Middlesex, Niagara, Northumberland, Ottawa, Oxford, Peel, Perth, Peterborough, Prescott and Russell, Prince Edward, Renfrew, Simcoe, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Toronto, Waterloo, Wellington and York. The official list on the funding hub prints one entry as "Prince Edward and Lambton" and so lists Lambton twice. We have treated that entry as Prince Edward County. Muskoka, Parry Sound and Nipissing are not on the list. Businesses and organizations there work with FedNor instead, and our FedNor funding guide covers that agency's programs.

The agency describes the region as Canada's most populous, with 39% of Canada's real GDP and 37.5% of its population. It has four offices, in Waterloo (headquarters), Toronto, Peterborough and Ottawa, and a single toll-free line, 1-866-593-5505, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, Monday to Friday. For a province-wide view that includes Ontario's own programs, see our Ontario grants hub.

Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII)

The RAII is the only FedDev Ontario program with a live deadline. The intake opened October 13, 2026 and runs to January 19, 2027 at 4:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. FedDev Ontario asks you to apply by November 24, 2026 if your proposed project and eligible costs start before March 31, 2027. As of November 8, 2026 that priority date is 16 days away. The October 13, 2026 news release puts it more firmly: proposed projects with eligible costs before March 31, 2027 "must be submitted by November 24, 2026." Nationally the initiative is worth $700 million after an additional $500 million over five years was announced on the same day.

Who can apply

Businesses must be for-profit, located and operating in southern Ontario, incorporated in Canada or Ontario, with fewer than 500 full-time equivalent employees. They must own or secure the project IP and commit to the responsible development and use of AI. The AI Adoption stream also requires at least 3 years of operations and at least 5 FTEs. The AI Commercialization and Scale-Up stream requires at least 1 year of operations and at least 1 FTE in southern Ontario.

Organizations apply under two separate streams. The AI Adoption stream for organizations takes incorporated not-for-profits including charities, First Nation, Métis and Inuit not-for-profits, and municipal governments. Each needs annual revenue or operating expenses of at least $1 million, at least 3 years of operations as a legal entity and at least 5 FTEs. The AI Ecosystem stream takes not-for-profits with 5 FTEs and $1 million in revenue or operating expenses, a strong track record of serving multiple businesses and an IP policy. Municipal governments are not listed for the Ecosystem stream. FedDev Ontario states that "smaller-scale, volunteer-based or community-focused organizations are not the intended recipients of RAII."

Who should not apply: businesses that cannot show at least one year of financial statements, businesses outside southern Ontario, and organizations that cannot show $1 million in revenue or operating expenses.

How much and on what terms

Businesses receive between $125,000 and $5 million per project. The funding is fully repayable and interest-free, and FedDev Ontario contributes a maximum of 50% of eligible costs. Repayment normally begins one year after the project is completed. Organizations receive non-repayable contributions at up to 90% of eligible costs: $125,000 to $5 million under the AI Adoption stream and $125,000 to $10 million under the AI Ecosystem stream.

What it pays for

For businesses, the AI Adoption stream funds buying and installing AI solutions beyond commonly available tools, including readiness assessments, integration, data governance, training and cybersecurity. The AI Commercialization and Scale-Up stream funds validating, commercializing, deploying and scaling Canadian-made AI products. For organizations, the Adoption stream funds integrating AI into the organization's own operations, and the Ecosystem stream funds services, expertise and partnerships that help southern Ontario businesses adopt and scale AI. Adoption-focused ecosystem projects in healthcare and life sciences, energy and natural resources, transportation, agriculture, and manufacturing and robotics may receive priority.

Deadline and how to apply

The official wording is: "Applications are being accepted from October 13, 2026, to January 19, 2027, 4:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time." and "Apply by November 24, 2026, if your proposed project and eligible costs start before March 31, 2027." Applicants download the Application for Funding PDF and the RAII Supplemental Form to a computer, complete them with the Application Guide open and submit from inside the PDF. Organizations choose either the AI Adoption stream or the AI Ecosystem stream, not both.

Two rules shape your timing. First, "Your business can only submit one application to FedDev Ontario at a time." If you have an application under assessment through RAII or any other FedDev Ontario program, you must receive a decision or withdraw it before submitting another. Second, eligible costs can start up to 12 months before the application date, so projects already under way usually fall under the November 24 date.

Our RAII deep-dive guide walks through the two business streams, the eligible cost categories, the assessment criteria and the six application steps question by question. Apply by November 24. Join GrantOps before then and we waive 11 months of your subscription.

Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI)

The RTRI is the regional development agencies' response to ongoing trade disruptions, including U.S. tariffs. Across all agencies it is worth $3.45 billion after an additional $1.5 billion was announced on August 25, 2026. On September 8, 2026 FedDev Ontario opened the expanded version in southern Ontario, adding liquidity assistance for businesses facing cash pressure. On November 8, 2026 the program page carried a green "Accepting applications" badge and no closing date. GrantOps tracks the southern Ontario program on two listings, the first RTRI listing and the second RTRI listing. Our cross-agency RTRI guide compares the regional versions.

Who can apply

Your business must be an incorporated for-profit business located and operating in southern Ontario. It must have at least $1 million in annual revenue in one or both of its last two fiscal years. It must have been viable before the tariffs. You must also show that trade disruptions, including U.S. tariffs, Canadian countermeasures or countervailing duties, have affected you in at least one of three ways:

• you operate in a sector hit by Section 338 or Section 232 tariffs, directly or as a supply chain partner to an affected exporter, or in another tariff-impacted sector
• at least 25% of your revenue comes from goods ultimately exported to the United States
• you can demonstrate a negative effect from the tariffs or the uncertainty they created

For liquidity assistance you must also demonstrate a liquidity need caused by tariffs.

Transportation businesses qualify only if their core activity is tied to the operations or value chain of forestry exporters. Professional, scientific and technical services and warehousing and logistics businesses qualify only if they play a critical role in a tariff-impacted supply chain of a manufacturing exporter. Not-for-profit organizations in southern Ontario whose primary focus is to support businesses can also receive support. Businesses established after March 21, 2025 may be considered case by case. For businesses under $1 million in revenue, FedDev Ontario says it "will continue to work with businesses to understand their circumstances and needs."

Who should not apply: retail businesses, local consumer services such as hotels, restaurants, utilities, healthcare and recreation, oil and gas extraction, construction services, not-for-profits or governments seeking liquidity for their own operating expenses, and any business that cannot demonstrate direct or indirect tariff exposure.

How much and on what terms

The Application Guide sets the liquidity formula: 50% of your average eligible monthly payroll for up to 12 months, to a maximum non-repayable contribution of $2 million. Where the payroll-based amount does not meet a demonstrated need because of high essential operating expenses, FedDev Ontario may also consider up to 50% of eligible operating costs, on an exceptional basis. A business may receive up to $3 million in combined non-repayable funding, made up of up to $2 million in liquidity assistance and up to $1 million for a non-repayable pivot project. Total RTRI funding is capped at $20 million per business. Amounts and cost shares for not-for-profit projects are not stated on the pages read.

Conditions matter here. Liquidity recipients are restricted from declaring or paying dividends during the period of their funding assistance, and there may be restrictions on other corporate payments. Recipients must maintain Canadian operations and employment. Existing RTRI recipients may receive liquidity support from no earlier than August 22, 2026, provided there is no duplication with costs already covered by a contribution agreement.

What it pays for

Liquidity assistance covers employee salaries and wages, plus essential recurring operating expenses for rent or commercial lease payments, utilities, business insurance and property taxes. Pivot projects cover productivity improvements and process modernization, equipment and technology adoption including automation and digitization, market diversification and export development, supply chain resilience, and other activities that increase competitiveness and reduce trade-related risk. Land and building acquisition, entertainment, motor vehicles and refinancing of existing debt are not eligible. Project start dates may be up to 12 months before the application is submitted.

Deadline and how to apply

No application deadline is stated. The program page says "Accepting applications" and the funding periods above are the only dates. Download "Application For Funding - RTRI" (PDF format, 1.2 MB) to a computer, open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader 10 or later, and attach two years of financial statements plus the most recent interim statements and your articles of incorporation. Liquidity applicants add the last month's payroll records and a cash-flow forecast. Pivot applicants add management biographies and a project schedule. Tablets and phones cannot be used. Submit from inside the PDF and keep the acknowledgement. Questions go to info@feddevontario.gc.ca or 1-866-593-5505.

Funding for Businesses in Southern Ontario (Business Scale-up and Productivity)

This is FedDev Ontario's core, always-open program for growing companies. The page states "FedDev Ontario is accepting applications." with no deadline. FedDev Ontario's March 2026 briefing lists it as the Business Scale-Up and Productivity stream of the national Regional Economic Growth Through Innovation program, on continuous intake. GrantOps tracks it on its FedDev funding for businesses program page.

Who can apply

Growing and established businesses, co-operatives and Indigenous businesses located or expanding in southern Ontario that are for-profit entities located and operating in southern Ontario at the time of application, have a minimum of 5 full-time employees and no more than 500 FTEs, and have been incorporated and registered to do business in Canada or Ontario for at least the past 3 years.

Who should not apply: companies under 3 years old, companies with fewer than 5 full-time employees, and projects centred on basic or applied research, which the page says are not eligible.

How much and on what terms

Applicants normally request a minimum of $125,000 up to a maximum of $10 million per project in repayable contribution funding. Normally the maximum rate of support is 50% of eligible project costs. The funding is interest-free and unconditionally repayable. Repayment normally begins one year after the completion of the project, the schedule is set in the contribution agreement, and there is no penalty for early repayment. The stacking cap is explicit: total government assistance from federal, provincial and municipal sources cannot exceed 75% of eligible non-capital costs and 50% of eligible capital costs.

What it pays for

Three activity areas. First, developing, commercializing or producing new and innovative products, processes and services, normally at technology readiness levels 7 to 9, including late-stage development, demonstrations in an operational setting and market diagnostics. Second, improving productivity, capacity and competitiveness through technology adoption, equipment upgrades, process improvement, clean technology and automation. Third, scaling up or expanding business lines to reach new markets, including supply chain integration, leveraging venture capital and reshoring. Land and buildings, basic and applied research and development, and refinancing of existing debts are not eligible. Proposed activities and costs cannot begin before the date the application is submitted. Projects average one to three years.

Deadline and how to apply

Continuous intake, no closing date. Follow the "How to apply" subpage and the Application Guide: download the Application for Funding PDF, complete it, attach the mandatory documents and submit from inside the PDF. Contact info@feddevontario.gc.ca or 1-866-593-5505 with questions. Remember the one-application rule before you file: if you also plan an RAII application, decide which goes first.

Funding for Organizations That Help Businesses Grow

This is the not-for-profit counterpart to the business funding. The page states "FedDev Ontario is accepting applications." with no deadline. The March 2026 briefing lists two ongoing programs behind it: Regional Innovation Ecosystems, which invests in not-for-profit projects that create and grow regional ecosystems, and Community Economic Development and Diversification, which supports organizations helping small and rural communities diversify. The page's third activity area matches that community description, so the mapping is inferred rather than stated.

Who can apply

Incorporated not-for-profit organizations in southern Ontario that support businesses and community economic development, including groups or consortia of collaborating partners, business accelerators and incubators, Indigenous not-for-profit organizations, innovation centres, municipalities and municipal-type organizations, post-secondary institutions and other community development organizations. The applicant must be a legal entity able to enter binding agreements at the time of application.

Who should not apply: for-profit companies, which use the business funding above, and organizations seeking money for their own ongoing operating costs.

How much and on what terms

Applicants normally request a minimum of $125,000 up to a maximum of $10 million per project in non-repayable contribution funding. Normally FedDev Ontario's rate of support is 50% of eligible project costs. The applicant's share may include cash and in-kind contributions, and preference may be given to projects that maximize funding from multiple other sources. Total government assistance cannot exceed 100% of eligible costs. Funding must be incremental and is not intended to replace or duplicate other government assistance.

What it pays for

Growing and sustaining economic clusters through multiple partners, enhancing regional capacity by addressing gaps and supporting growth sectors, and strengthening economic resilience and diversification in small and rural communities. Land and building costs, operating costs, amortization and refinancing of existing debts are not eligible. Costs cannot begin before the date the application is submitted, and projects average one to three years.

Deadline and how to apply

Continuous intake, no closing date. Use the "How to apply" subpage and Application Guide, download the Application for Funding PDF and submit from inside it. Contact info@feddevontario.gc.ca or 1-866-593-5505.

Economic Development Initiative (EDI)

The EDI is FedDev Ontario's official languages program, part of Canada's Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028. FedDev Ontario delivers $800,000 annually through it. GrantOps tracks the southern Ontario program on its EDI program page.

Who can apply

Incorporated Francophone or bilingual not-for-profit organizations located in southern Ontario that provide programs or services in French to Francophone communities, including community and economic development organizations, not-for-profit associations and post-secondary institutions that offer full-time programs in French.

Who should not apply: for-profit businesses and organizations that do not deliver services in French.

How much and on what terms

A non-repayable contribution of up to $500,000 per year in project funding. FedDev Ontario pays a maximum of 70% and the applicant a minimum of 30%, which may include in-kind contributions. Total government assistance cannot exceed 100% of total eligible costs. Projects that re-distribute funding to small and medium-sized enterprises are subject to additional parameters.

What it pays for

Three project types: economic development and diversification, business and economic development, and strategic community economic planning. Projects must focus on incremental activities.

Deadline and how to apply

No intake period is published. The page says: "Contact one of our bilingual officers by email or at 1-866-593-5505 at any time for more information and to receive an application form." The email is edi-ide@feddevontario.gc.ca.

Community Futures Program

The Community Futures Program is not an application program for businesses. FedDev Ontario supports the Community Futures organizations and their regional networks located in rural eastern and southern Ontario, which the March 2026 briefing counts as 36 Community Futures Development Corporations on cycle-based renewal.

Who can apply

Small and medium-sized businesses and social enterprises in rural communities apply to their local CFDC, not to FedDev Ontario. The CFDCs provide strategic community planning, support for community-based projects, business information and planning services, and access to capital. To find your local organization, FedDev Ontario directs you to the Community Futures Ontario website.

How much and on what terms

Loan amounts, terms and deadlines are set by each CFDC and are not stated on FedDev Ontario's pages. GrantOps also keeps a program page for the Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation. Its terms are not on the FedDev Ontario pages read for this guide, so confirm them with the delivery organization before relying on them.

Programs That Are Paused or Closed

Two programs show "Intake paused" on the funding hub, four are closed, and one has ended. The paused programs deserve detail because their pages say to watch for future intakes.

Build Communities Strong Fund, Local Impact Stream (paused)

Every page for this stream carries the banner "Intake for the Build Communities Strong Fund - Local Impact Stream is currently paused" and the when-to-apply page adds "Consult this webpage for updates and information on any future intake periods." FedDev Ontario is delivering $330 million over four years in southern Ontario, part of a $1 billion Local Impact Stream across the regional development agencies. The summer intake deadlines were July 9, 2026 for projects starting between April 30, 2026 and March 31, 2027, and August 6, 2026 for projects starting April 1, 2027 or later. Both have passed and no new date is published.

Who could apply: incorporated not-for-profit organizations including co-operatives, Indigenous not-for-profit organizations, municipal and local governments, Business Improvement Areas established under Ontario's Municipal Act, 2001, and public-sector bodies that provide municipal-type infrastructure services. For-profit businesses are not listed. Applicants could submit only one application during the summer intake.

Terms: $125,000 to $1 million per project in non-repayable funding, normally up to 50% from FedDev Ontario with the applicant covering at least 50%, which may include other government sources. Total government assistance cannot exceed 100%. Projects are normally a maximum of two years and are expected to be shovel-ready. Eligible work is new construction, expansion, renovation, retrofit or modernization of community infrastructure such as community buildings, recreation and sport facilities, cultural infrastructure and parks. Water and waste, roads and transit, energy, emergency services, broadband, housing and large education or health facilities belong to Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada's own BCSF streams. Approved applicants sign a contribution agreement within 30 calendar days. Our cross-agency BCSF guide tracks the Local Impact Stream at every agency.

Regional Defence Investment Initiative (paused)

Every RDII page states "Intake for the Regional Defence Investment Initiative is currently paused". No official page gives the date the pause began, and no reopening date is published. The RDII is a $379.2 million national initiative delivered by the regional development agencies. FedDev Ontario is also allocating support from existing resources, bringing its total investment in defence support to nearly $200 million. GrantOps tracks the initiative across agencies in its RDII guide.

Who could apply: for-profit businesses located and operating in southern Ontario, incorporated and registered for at least the past 3 years, with at least 5 full-time equivalent employees in southern Ontario, addressing a market demand within defence supply chains, including dual-use applications or pivots to defence markets. Priority sectors include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum, space, sensors, aerospace and shipbuilding, land and armoured vehicles, uncrewed and autonomous systems, training and simulation, munitions and personnel protection, and critical minerals. Incorporated not-for-profits that support defence supply chain businesses could also apply.

Terms: businesses can normally request a minimum of $125,000 to $10 million in repayable funding, and not-for-profit organizations a minimum of $125,000 to $10 million in non-repayable funding. Cost-share percentages and interest terms are not stated on the pages read. All supported activities must fall under NATO's spending target, and dual-use projects must demonstrate the military component. All project activities must be completed by March 31, 2029. The one-application rule is stated here in its broadest form: "Your business can only submit one application to FedDev Ontario at a time, across any of the open programs. Multiple applications to different programs will not be accepted."

While intake is paused, defence-sector companies can still use FedDev Ontario's Defence Services Team. Its concierge service offers guidance on large-scale defence procurement, on increasing your visibility and profile in the defence space, on which certifications you need and how to get them, and on which FedDev Ontario program fits. Contact defence-defense@feddevontario.gc.ca or 1-866-593-5505.

Closed and ended programs

GrantOps keeps a page for the Black Entrepreneurship Program Ecosystem Fund in southern Ontario for reference. The official page wins where the two differ.

National Initiatives Delivered by FedDev Ontario

Most of FedDev Ontario's temporary programs are southern Ontario versions of initiatives that every regional development agency delivers. The table shows each one as FedDev Ontario runs it.

How FedDev Ontario Compares with the Other Regional Development Agencies

FedDev Ontario is one of seven regional development agencies. It was created in 2009 with a temporary five-year mandate, became a permanent agency in 2019 and received its first dedicated minister in 2021. Its mandate is to strengthen southern Ontario's economic capacity for innovation, economic development and growth. Over the past decade it reports investing over $3.7 billion in more than 4,300 projects, and it says 90% of its business investments are repaid. That repayment figure reflects how the agency works: businesses get interest-free loans, organizations get grants.

What makes FedDev Ontario distinct is scale and density rather than different rules. The national initiatives it delivers, RAII, RTRI, RDII and the Build Communities Strong Fund, use the same broad structure at every agency, but the southern Ontario envelopes are large. FedDev Ontario alone delivers $330 million of the $1 billion Local Impact Stream. Its total defence support is nearly $200 million, including its share of the $379.2 million national RDII plus existing resources. Its region produces 39% of Canada's real GDP, 92% of its auto production, 50% of its steel and half of its AI and defence industrial firms, which is why the tariff and AI programs loom so large here.

The practical consequence for applicants is that FedDev Ontario's intake windows and status badges are its own. The RAII dates in this guide apply to southern Ontario only, and the RDII and Build Communities Strong Fund pauses are FedDev Ontario decisions. Businesses in Muskoka, Parry Sound, Nipissing and the rest of the north deal with FedNor. For the six other agencies, their regions and how their intakes differ, see our Canada regional development agencies funding guide.

Stacking FedDev Ontario Funding with SR&ED and IRAP

FedDev Ontario money sits alongside the two federal R&D programs, but each FedDev program sets its own ceiling on total government assistance, and FedDev funding must not duplicate other government support.

• Core business funding. Total government assistance from federal, provincial and municipal sources cannot exceed 75% of eligible non-capital costs and 50% of eligible capital costs. Applicants are advised to get advice from a qualified tax professional on the implications of receiving funding.
• RAII for businesses. The same 75% non-capital and 50% capital caps apply, rising to 100% for Indigenous-led projects. The RAII "How funding works" page adds a specific instruction: other government assistance includes SR&ED tax incentives, so "Exclude SR&ED eligible costs from your application when possible." In practice the experimental development stays in the SR&ED claim and the deployment, integration and go-to-market work goes to FedDev Ontario.
• RTRI. Businesses may receive support from other federal, provincial, territorial or municipal programs "provided there is no duplication of funding for the same costs." All government assistance received or requested must be disclosed. For liquidity assistance, costs already reimbursed through another government wage or operating support program cannot be claimed again.
• Organization funding, EDI and the Build Communities Strong Fund. Total government assistance cannot exceed 100% of eligible costs, and the applicant's share may include other government sources.

NRC IRAP contributions count as government assistance under every one of these caps. A company can hold an IRAP project for the R&D phase and a FedDev Ontario contribution for the scale-up phase, as long as no cost appears in both budgets and the combined government share stays within the program's cap. Keep three separate cost ledgers from the start: SR&ED-eligible experimental development, IRAP-funded technical work, and the FedDev project. You will need that split for the program officer, who requires disclosure of all other government assistance, and again for any later SR&ED review.

How to Apply: Step by Step

1. Confirm you are in southern Ontario and pick one program. Check that your business or organization is located and operating in one of the 37 census divisions. Then choose the single program that fits the project, because FedDev Ontario accepts only one application at a time across its open programs.
2. Check the eligibility thresholds for that program. Core business funding needs 5 to 500 FTEs and 3 years of incorporation. RTRI needs $1 million in annual revenue, viability before tariffs and demonstrated tariff exposure. RAII adoption needs 3 years and 5 FTEs, RAII commercialization needs 1 year and 1 FTE in southern Ontario.
3. Date every eligible cost against the deadlines. For RAII, costs starting before March 31, 2027 put you on the November 24, 2026 priority date, otherwise the final deadline is January 19, 2027 at 4:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. For core funding, costs cannot begin before the application date. For RTRI, project start dates may be up to 12 months before submission.
4. Gather the mandatory documents. Two years of financial statements plus the most recent interim statements, articles of incorporation, management biographies and a project schedule with a budget. RTRI liquidity applicants also attach the last month's payroll records and a cash-flow forecast. RAII applicants add the RAII Supplemental Form.
5. Download the Application for Funding PDF to a computer. Every FedDev Ontario program uses a fillable PDF opened in Adobe Acrobat Reader 10 or later, not a browser. Tablets and phones cannot be used. EDI applicants instead email edi-ide@feddevontario.gc.ca or call 1-866-593-5505 to receive the form.
6. Complete the form with the Application Guide open, then submit from inside the PDF. Follow the program's Application Guide question by question, attach every mandatory document, disclose all other government assistance and click Submit inside the PDF. Keep the acknowledgement email and call 1-866-593-5505 if it does not arrive.
7. Prepare for the contribution agreement. Costs incurred before a formal decision are at your own risk. If approved, you sign a contribution agreement within 30 calendar days of notification, and funding is reimbursed against approved costs claimed through the project.

How GrantOps Handles a FedDev Ontario Application

A FedDev Ontario file is a long PDF, a set of attachments and a budget split by cost category and federal fiscal year, and the answers that score are the ones backed by records. GrantOps connects to the engineering, finance and project tools your company already runs, then assembles the eligibility evidence, the budget tables and the technical narrative from what is actually there: commits and tickets for the work plan, payroll and ledgers for the cost schedule, financial statements for the viability and repayment case.

Every number in the application stays traceable to its source, so the program officer can follow it during assessment and so you can defend it in a later claim audit. GrantOps also keeps the FedDev project ledger separate from your SR&ED and IRAP costs, which is what the stacking rules above demand, and it tracks the one-application rule so you do not file for core funding while an RAII application is still under assessment.

The intake dates in this guide are tracked too. When the Build Communities Strong Fund or the RDII reopens, or when FedDev Ontario changes an RAII date, the calendar updates and you hear about it before the deadline rather than after. Start free, or book 30 minutes and we will map your project to the right stream.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FedDev Ontario and who does it fund?

FedDev Ontario is the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, one of Canada's seven regional development agencies. It funds for-profit businesses, incorporated not-for-profit organizations, municipalities, Indigenous organizations and post-secondary institutions located in southern Ontario. The service area runs from Cornwall in the east to Windsor in the west and covers 37 Statistics Canada census divisions. Businesses normally receive interest-free repayable contributions and organizations receive non-repayable contributions. Northern Ontario is served by FedNor, not FedDev Ontario.

Which FedDev Ontario programs are open right now?

As of November 8, 2026, the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative is open until January 19, 2027 at 4:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, with a November 24, 2026 priority date. The Regional Tariff Response Initiative, the core funding for businesses, the core funding for organizations that help businesses grow and the Economic Development Initiative are all accepting applications on a continuous basis with no closing date stated. The Build Communities Strong Fund Local Impact Stream and the Regional Defence Investment Initiative are paused.

What is the soonest FedDev Ontario deadline?

November 24, 2026. FedDev Ontario asks RAII applicants to apply by that date if the proposed project and its eligible costs start before March 31, 2027. The final RAII deadline is January 19, 2027 at 4:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. No other FedDev Ontario program had a published application deadline on November 8, 2026. The RTRI, core business funding, core organization funding and EDI pages all state that applications are being accepted without a closing date.

Is FedDev Ontario funding a grant or a loan?

It depends on who applies. For-profit businesses normally receive repayable contributions that are interest-free. Under the core business funding, repayment normally begins one year after the project is completed and there is no penalty for early repayment. Not-for-profit organizations, municipalities and Indigenous organizations normally receive non-repayable contributions. The Regional Tariff Response Initiative is the exception for businesses: liquidity assistance and pivot projects up to $1 million are non-repayable, while pivot projects over $1 million are repayable and interest-free.

Can I apply to RAII and FedDev Ontario's core business funding at the same time?

No. The RAII and RDII pages state that a business can only submit one application to FedDev Ontario at a time, across any of the open programs, and that multiple applications to different programs will not be accepted. If you have an application under assessment, you must receive a decision or withdraw it before submitting another. Pick the program that fits the project's costs and timing first. For AI projects with costs before March 31, 2027, that usually means RAII by November 24, 2026.

Is the Regional Tariff Response Initiative still open in southern Ontario?

Yes, as of November 8, 2026. The RTRI page shows a green Accepting applications badge, the FedDev Ontario home page says Apply now, and no pausing or closing notice is visible on any live RTRI page. The initiative was expanded on September 8, 2026 to add liquidity assistance of up to $2 million non-repayable. Eligible businesses need at least $1 million in annual revenue, must have been viable before the tariffs and must show tariff exposure. No application deadline is stated.

How do I know if my business is in FedDev Ontario's region?

FedDev Ontario's service area is 37 census divisions from Cornwall to Windsor, including Toronto, Peel, York, Durham, Halton, Hamilton, Niagara, Waterloo, Wellington, Middlesex, Essex, Ottawa, Frontenac, Simcoe, Grey, Bruce, Renfrew, Haliburton and Kawartha Lakes. The official list prints Prince Edward and Lambton as one entry and lists Lambton twice. Muskoka, Parry Sound and Nipissing are not on the list, and businesses there apply to FedNor. If your head office is in the north and a plant is in the south, ask FedDev Ontario which agency applies.

Can I combine FedDev Ontario funding with SR&ED and IRAP?

Yes, within stacking limits. For the core business funding, total government assistance from federal, provincial and municipal sources cannot exceed 75% of eligible non-capital costs and 50% of eligible capital costs. For organization funding, EDI and the Build Communities Strong Fund the cap is 100%. RTRI allows other government support provided there is no duplication of funding for the same costs. The RAII business page asks you to exclude SR&ED-eligible costs from your application when possible, which keeps the SR&ED claim and the FedDev project separate.

Sources

All program facts above were read on November 8, 2026 from the agency's official pages.

• FedDev Ontario home page (RTRI banner, agency name)
• Funding for southern Ontario hub (program cards, intake badges, census divisions)
• FedDev Ontario 101, March 2026 (program inventory, REGI stream names, CFDC count)
• Mandate
• Building Southern Ontario Strong (region statistics, program statuses)
• Contact FedDev Ontario (offices, phone, hours)
• Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative in Southern Ontario (intake dates, priority date)
• RAII for organizations: Who can apply (organization streams and terms)
• RAII for organizations: When to apply (final deadline wording, one-application rule)
• RAII for businesses: Who can apply (business stream thresholds)
• RAII for businesses: How funding works (amounts, repayment, SR&ED note)
• RAII for businesses: Application guide (stacking caps)
• October 13, 2026 RAII news release ($500 million expansion, November 24 wording)
• Regional Tariff Response Initiative in southern Ontario (status, streams, caps, funding periods)
• RTRI: Who can apply (eligibility, ineligible sectors, costs)
• RTRI: Application guide (liquidity payroll formula)
• RTRI: How to apply (PDF form, attachments)
• RTRI: Frequently asked questions (interest-free, dividends, stacking, viability)
• September 8, 2026 RTRI news release (expanded intake, $1.5 billion, $3.45 billion)
• Funding for businesses: What we support (status)
• Funding for businesses: Who can apply (FTE and incorporation tests, TRL 7-9)
• Funding for businesses: How funding works (amounts, repayment, stacking cap)
• Funding for organizations: What we support (status, activities)
• Funding for organizations: Who can apply
• Funding for organizations: How funding works (amounts, 100% cap)
• Economic Development Initiative in southern Ontario
• Community Futures Program
• Build Communities Strong Fund, Local Impact Stream (paused banner, $330 million)
• BCSF Local Impact Stream: Who can apply
• BCSF Local Impact Stream: How funding works
• BCSF Local Impact Stream: When to apply
• June 11, 2026 BCSF news release (summer intake deadlines)
• Regional Defence Investment Initiative in Southern Ontario (paused banner, envelopes, amounts)
• RDII for businesses: Who can apply (eligibility, NATO rule, one-application rule)
• RDII for businesses: When to apply (completion date, agreement)
• RDII for organizations: Who can apply
• Defence Services Team (concierge service, contact)
• Past Programs
• Black Entrepreneurship Program Ecosystem Fund
• Tourism Growth Program in southern Ontario
• Regional Quantum Initiative
• 2023-24 Departmental Results Report supplementary tables (Jobs and Growth Fund end date)