BioTalent Canada (formerly the Biotechnology Human Resource Council - BHRC) helps Canada’s bio-economy industry thrive globally. As a non-profit national organization of innovators leading our bio-economy, BioTalent Canada anticipates needs and creates new opportunities, delivering human resources tools, information and skills development to ensure the industry has access to job-ready people.
Business Mentorship & Entrepreneurship Program
Part of the Market Readiness Program, the Business Mentorship and Entrepreneurship Program (BMEP) offers a single access point for entrepreneurial services and resources province-wide. BMEP is designed to meet the needs of start-up and early-stage science and technology companies as well as small- and medium-sized enterprises in these sectors. Funded by Ontario’s Ministry of Research and Innovation, the four-year Market Readiness Program is jointly managed by MaRS and the Ontario Centres of Excellence.
Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) support community economic development by assisting Ontario’s rural and northern communities to strengthen and diversify their economies.
* 1000 Islands Community Development Corporation
* Greater Peterborough Business Development Centre
* Haliburton County Development Corportation
* North & Central Hastings CFDC
* Prescott-Russell Community Development Corporation
* Prince Edward / Lennox & Addington CFDC
* Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry CFDC
* Trenval Business Development Corporation
Community Ventures Capital Fund
The Community Ventures Capital Fund Inc. (CVCF) is a conservation of private and quasi-public investors fostering economic growth in Ontario region through direct investment. It is a unique fund that provides various forms and combinations of debt and equity financing designed to fill the gap in venture financing and support—responding to the real needs of business.
Canada-Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (COMRIF)
COMRIF is a partnership between the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and Ontario municipalities. COMRIF responds to local needs and priorities by helping to provide cleaner water, better sewage systems, upgraded waste management processes, and safer roads and bridges. Their overall aim is to support "green" projects that meet Canada's and Ontario's environmental objectives, while improving the health and safety of Ontario residents.
Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP)
The Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP) is a $10 million, short-term contribution to a program aimed at addressing socio-economic challenges in Eastern Ontario. The EODP is managed by FedNor, the regional economic development organization responsible for rural Eastern Ontario and is delivered by the 15 local Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) in Eastern Ontario.
ecoENERGY for Biofuels will invest up to $1.5 billion over 9 years to boost Canada's production of renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. As a key element of the government's comprehensive strategy on renewable fuels, this program will make investment in production facilities more attractive by partially offsetting the risk associated with fluctuating feedstock and fuel prices. The program will provide operating incentives to producers of renewable alternatives to gasoline and diesel, based on production levels and other factors.
Environment Canada Funding Programs
* Environmental Stewardship
* Infrastructure Project Funding
* Youth Initiatives
First Capital Challenge
First Capital Challenge (FCC) is an annual competition for the best plans to start a new business in Kingston, Ontario. The competition invites anyone from anywhere to put their ideas to work in exciting new Kingston-based companies. Up to $50,000 in startup loans will be awarded between one or more winners.
In response to the recommendations received from the Minister’s Council on Forest Sector Competitiveness, the Ministry of Natural Resources has implemented new programs with the goal of addressing the competitiveness challenges faced by the Ontario forest sector. These programs aim to provide a positive climate for investment and strengthen the industry’s future through joint industry and government actions.
The Forest Sector Prosperity Fund (FSPF) will provide a total of $150 million in conditional grants to the forest sector over three years. The funding grants will be issued to the forest industry to support and leverage new capital investment projects in:
-value-added manufacturing
-improved fibre efficiencies
-energy conservation and co-generation
-load management and electricity generation from biomass
-advanced materials handling/efficiencies
-new environmental technologies
-associated infrastructure needs (such as hydro lines, rail lines, etc.)
-worker training for transition to forest sector skill sets
The Going Global Science and Technology (S&T) Program is specifically designed to promote and enhance Canada's international science and technology efforts by supporting Canadian researchers in accessing international R&D collaborative opportunities through the development of partnerships with key players in other countries/economies.
The Government of Canada has endowed the Federation of Canadian Municipalities with $550 million to establish and manage the Green Municipal Fund (GMF). The 2005 federal budget added $300 million to the existing $250 million fund, of which $150 million is earmarked for brownfield redevelopment. GMF funding supports a range of activities related to municipal environmental projects, from the early stages of project design unto and including the physical implementation of capital projects.
HTX-OCE-IRAP Business Investment Program
If the growth of your company requires investment in R&D but you lack the financial or technical resources required, this program could help you achieve your business goals. The program directly invests up to $100k in the growth of Ontario businesses that are in the convergence of various technologies with medical and assistive technologies (MAT).
The objective of the Idea to Innovation (I2I) program is to accelerate the pre-competitive development of promising technology and promote its transfer to Canadian companies. The program provides assistance to college and university faculty members in the early stages of technology validation and market connection.
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is committing $50 million to create Canada's first Industrial Life Science fund, Avrio Ventures Limited Partnership.
Avrio Ventures has been established to capitalize on the convergence of Agricultural Science and Industrial technology that is occurring in three sectors; Industrial Bio-Products, Food Technology and Nutraceutical Ingredients.
Part of the Market Readiness Program, the Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF) helps high potential Ontario technologycompanies by providing early stage investment of up to $500K. Investments are made in the form of a convertible debenture (loan) in return for a nominal equity position. The IAF invests in new or early stage companies enabling them to develop new technology and products and gain entrepreneurial know-how to take the idea to the marketplace, and make them attractive prospects to follow-on investors.
Funded by Ontario’s Ministry of Research and Innovation, the four-year Market Readiness Program is jointly managed by MaRS and the Ontario Centres of Excellence.
The four-year, $46-million Market Readiness Program will provide high-potential innovative companies in Ontario with early-stage financial support and management expertise to help them get off the ground, and attract investment from other sources. The Ministry of Research and Innovation's partners — the MaRS Discovery District and the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) — will work directly with regional organizations to deliver the Market Readiness Program across the province.
National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)
The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) provides a range of both technical and business oriented advisory services along with potential financial support to growth-oriented Canadian small - and medium-sized enterprises. The program is delivered by an extensive integrated network of 260 professionals in 100 communities across the country. Working directly with these clients, NRC-IRAP supports innovative research and development and commercialization of new products and services.
NextGen Biofuels Fund
The new fund, with $500 million in funding provided by the Government of Canada, will be managed by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC).
The NextGen Biofuels Fund will jumpstart the development and production of the next generation of renewable fuels in Canada,” said SDTC Chairman James M. Stanford. “This Fund will aim to take advantage of the abundance of suitable biomass materials available in Canada by funding large-scale demonstration facilities and encouraging the growth and retention of home-grown technologies and expertise in Canada.
The NextGen Biofuels Fund will support up to 40%, of eligible project costs for the establishment of first-of-kind large demonstration-scale facilities for the production of next-generation renewable fuels. The contribution will be repayable based on free cash flow over a period of 10 years after project completion.
The NextGen Biofuels Fund is now open for applications. Applicants are able to submit applications at any time during the year. To be eligible, a project must:
- be a first-of-kind facility that primarily produces a next-generation renewable fuel at large demonstration-scale;
- be located in Canada;
- use feedstocks that are or could be representative of Canadian biomass; and,
- have demonstrated their technology at the pre-commercial pilot scale.
Next Generation Jobs Fund
The McGuinty government's Next Generation Jobs Fund is a five-year, $650-million strategy that will stimulate economic growth and prosperity in Ontario while helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental sustainability. The Next Generation Jobs Fund will support environmental advances in all areas of the economy, including advanced manufacturing, energy production, forestry and agriculture. The fund is modeled after the government's successful Ontario Automotive Strategy that helped to leverage more than $7 billion in total new automotive investments and anchored thousands of jobs.
Ontario Biogas Systems Financial Assistance Program
Announced on 26 July 2007, the $9 million program launched by the McGuinty government will help farmers and rural businesses carry out feasibility studies for the installation of biogas systems as well as cover a proportion of construction and implementation costs. Applicants can receive up to $400,000 in funding.
The Ontario Research Fund (ORF) is a key part of the McGuinty government's plan to support scientific excellence by supporting research that can be developed into innovative goods and services that will boost Ontario's economy. Through a commitment of $527 million over five years, Ontario is providing talented researchers with the support they need to undertake cutting-edge research. ORF aims to keep Ontario’s researchers at the leading-edge by supporting:
* the operational costs (direct and indirect) of research through its Research Excellence program
* the capital costs of research through its Research Infrastructure program
Proof of Principle Research for Environmental Technologies (OCETA)
OCETA provides a comprehensive range of environmental, technical and business services to SME clients. OCETA works closely with these clients to analyze their specific requirements and development status, to develop a custom-made suite of services. Since 1994, OCETA's consulting services have assisted an average of 150 SME clients annually. Over this period, a gradual evolution of OCETA's services has led to various types of direct and indirect assistance to the SME.
Having access to the right networks of information and resources can make a big difference in helping SMEs succeed. Mentoring is a business-to-business relationship that includes learning, information sharing, and networking among firms and intermediaries. The RIN-IRAP Mentorship Program provides just that in order to solve these and other pressing business challenges. Through this program, ELORIN will work closely with our regional SMEs to identify focused business programs, assist in selecting appropriate mentors, accessing IRAP funds, and actively nurturing the SME-mentor relationship.
Sustainable Development Technologies Canada (SDTC)
Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) is a not-for-profit foundation that finances and supports the development and demonstration of clean technologies which provide solutions to issues of climate change, clean air, water quality and soil, and which deliver economic, environmental and health benefits to Canadians.
SDTC operates two funds aimed at the development and demonstration of innovative technological solutions. The $550 million SD Tech Fund™ supports projects that address climate change, air quality, clean water, and clean soil. The $500 million NextGen Biofuels Fund™ supports the establishment of first-of-kind large demonstration-scale facilities for the production of next-generation renewable fuels.