Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association

Current Funding & Grants

Please see below for a list of current funding or grant opportunities that may be of interest to you:

NEW:

1. Applications for the 2024-25 cycle of Inclusive Community Grants opened April 9th, 2024. These grants provide municipalities, non-profit organizations, and Indigenous communities with up to $60,000 for local projects that will help older adults and people with disabilities participate in community life. Applications accepted until May 22, 2024 

2. 2024 Grid Innovation Fund - invest $9.5 million to support projects that will make the province's electricity system more efficient - Applications for funding open May 2024.

3. Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program Funding Opportunities for the Indigenous Traditional Knowledge Stream for Fiscal Years 2024–2025, 2025–2026 and 2026–2027. For more information about the program, download our factsheet. Deadline to submit proposals: February 28, 2024, 3 p.m. EST

4. Rural Economic Development (RED) New Intake is now open until February 21 2024. 

5. Canada's regional development agencies (RDAs) will deliver $108 million, over three years, directly to businesses and organizations to help diversify regional economies by investing in tourism products and experiences that will encourage visitation to and within Canada. As part of this program, FedNor will receive $5.2 million in funding over three years. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Application Guide in full and to contact a FedNor Officer prior to submitting an application.

Agriculture:

1. OAFRI applied research, pilot and demonstration and commercialization streams will open on November 2, 2023. Ontario Agri-food Research Initiative | ontario.ca
2. Government is positioning the fruit farming sector for growth Governments Positioning Fruit Farming Sector for Growth | Ontario Newsroom with different fundings that will contribute to better resource production Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership - agriculture.canada.ca   

Energy:

1. EV ChargeON program consists of two streams: the Community Sites Stream and the Government Sites Stream. Applications for the EV ChargeON Community Sites Stream, a competitive grant subsidy program, are now open for eligible  private and public sector entities. Eligible applicants have until January 31, 2024, to submit their applications.
2. Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP) - continuous acceptance of applications for EV charging infrastructure until December 31, 2024.
3. The Federal Government has announced additional funding to the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program, and is temporarily pausing the carbon tax on oil heating to help more Canadians make the switch from oil to heat pumps and lower their energy bills. The program is Canada's only targeted program that helps low-to-moderate income households access energy efficiency services. 
4. IVY has a Provincial Funded Program that looks at supporting projects related to electric vehicle charging infrastructure across Ontario's municipalities Incentives & Rebates - Ivy Charging Network (ivycharge.com)

Infrastructure:

1. Ontario's Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund allows municipalities to nominate water infrastructure projects for funding (up to $35 million). Applications and information webinars start early 2024. For details, e-mail HEWS@ontario.ca. Join free webinars to get Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund details. Register for the January 24 program overview session. 
2. Critical Minerals Innovation Fund | ontario.ca is a fund that will be available over the next 7 years, and will support the development of strategic infrastructure projects for mine sites like transportation links and/or energy supply
3. Infrastructure Canada's Rural Transit Solutions Fund: Planning and Design Projects Stream. Applications for the Capital Projects stream continue to be accepted through the Infrastructure Canada's Applicant Portal. There is currently no set submission deadline. Applicants are encouraged to review the information in the Capital Project Stream Application Guide and follow the Step-by-Step Guide for Applications to the Capital Stream of the Rural Transit Solutions Fund. The RTSF webpage is also an excellent reference. Infrastructure Canada is now accepting applications for the Planning and Design Projects Stream of the Rural Transit Solutions Fund (up to $50,000). Visit their website for information and webinar dates
4. National Housing Co-Investment Fund (NHCF): A federal program supporting the construction and renovation of affordable housing, including grants for municipalities to create housing supply.
5. Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund: The OCIF is a provincial funding program specifically designed to support the maintenance and improvement of critical community infrastructure. It provides financial assistance to eligible municipalities to help them address infrastructure needs, including roads, bridges, water and waste water systems, and other vital community assets.
6. The Government of Canada believes that electrification is crucial to decarbonising the transportation sector and transitioning to a low-carbon future. In efforts to tackle this initiative, Natural Resources Canada has administered a new program called Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Funding.The program is designed to increase a network of zero-emission vehicle charging and refuelling stations in more localized areas where Canadians live, work, and play and in multi-unit residential buildings, workplaces, or light-duty vehicle fleets.
7. The Zero Emission Transit Fund: delivers on the federal government's commitment to help purchase 5,000 zero emission buses over the next five years and build supporting infrastructure, including charging infrastructure and facility upgrades.
8. Rural Transit Solution Funding - applications are accepted on an ongoing basis
9. Available funding opportunities from the Ontario Government | ontario.ca

Workforce: 

1. Funding: Canada Summer Jobs – Overview - Canada.ca  is a Canadian government grant that offers support for employers providing supervised career-related work experience for youth employees. The experiences gained through funded placements should further develop their skills and knowledge, preparing them to make a transition into employment.

2.  Students can apply for the newly-expanded Learn and Stay Grant. The grant provides full, upfront funding for tuition, books and other costs for students who enrol in an eligible nursing, paramedic or medical laboratory technologist program and agree to stay in under serviced communities to work after graduation. The program is designed to encourage students to learn and stay locally, helping to bring in-demand health care workers to communities that need them most across the province. Ontario.ca/learnandstay.
3. Skills Development Fund Training Stream | ontario.ca.

Community Safety: 

1. The Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program: helps Canadian communities confront discrimination by providing funding for new opportunities, discussions, and research which builds a collective understanding of Canada's diverse cultures and religions. This program operates through three streams: (1) an Events stream, (2) a Projects stream, and (3) a Community Capacity Building stream.
2.  A free assessment of disability management programs is available until June 2024. The assessment involves an interview and produces a report. For details, visit the National Institute of Disability Management and Research website. 

And More:

1.  Ontario's current funding opportunities
2. Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (canada.ca)
3. Natural Resources Canada launched a call for proposals for the Codes Acceleration Fund. The call for proposals will remain open until March 27, 2023. Applications from Indigenous governments and organizations will be accepted on an ongoing basis until March 31, 2025.
4. The Celebrate Ontario Blockbuster (COB) program supports Ontario municipalities and organizations by relieving some of the financial stress of hosting large events that meet the ministry's definition of a Blockbuster.
5. IRAP Youth Employment Program (YEP) was designed to assist funding of hiring young Canadian post-secondary graduates. Graduate can be applied to most areas from business development to technical to customer service/administration.
6. Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities (CERRC) Program: A federal initiative supporting renewable energy projects in off-grid and remote communities.

7. The Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP): supports collaborative research and development projects that lead to commercialization of new products, services, or processes. CIIP seeks to match Canadian businesses with international partners in Brazil, China, India, Israel, and South Korea to achieve synergistic benefits.

8. Here is a quick link to more funding opportunities from CMHC.
9. ECO Canada provides great opportunities in funding for the environmental workforce, here are a couple which municipalities are eligible and are still open: Environmental Employability Pathways Program, Environmental Jobs Growth Program, Foreign Talent Development, Science Horizons Youth Internship and Youth in Natural Resources. 
10. New Horizons for Seniors Program -Pan-Canadian stream - funding program - Canada.ca

OTHER RESOURCES:

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Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Grants: FCM offers various grants for municipal sustainability, including the Green Municipal Fund, Community Economic Development Initiative, and Municipal Asset Management Program.

To help municipalities reach their net zero goals, capture a range of energy and non-energy benefits, and lay the foundation to reach net zero emissions, Efficiency Canada has also published a guide for municipalities detailing the steps they can take. 

The Ministry of Transportaion has published a Transit Technology Toolkit for small and medium sized municipalities, indigenous communities, and transit systems. The kit helps communities to navigate new transit technologies. For more information, contact: mto.smart.mobility@ontario.ca.

Municipalities can now access de-identified smart meter data through the IESO. Learn about how to obtain data of residential and small general service <50kW consumers. For questions contact smartmeterdata@ieso.ca.

What Municipalities Need to Know About Net Zero Emissions Building Codes Report