Finding money to grow your business shouldn’t feel like a full-time job. But navigating grant programs? That’s exactly what it becomes.
According to Statistics Canada, there are 1.10 million employer businesses in Canada. A significant 98.2% (1.08 million) of these are small businesses. Additionally, small businesses employed 5.8 million individuals in Canada, or 46.6% of the total private labour force.
Funding programs and grants are essential to help small businesses in Ontario and across Canada grow.
We’ve done some of the work for you. Here are 20 small business grants available to Ontario or Canadian entrepreneurs in 2026 – including who qualifies, how much funding is available, and where to apply.
1. Starter Company Plus
Region: Ontario
Grant Amount: Up to $5,000
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: New and existing small businesses
Starter Company Plus is an Ontario Government grant available to new and existing small businesses in Ontario.
It offers grants of up to $5,000 to start a new company, expand an existing business, or buy a business in the province.
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, a resident of Ontario and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and not attending school full-time. To qualify, applicants must be able to make a contribution in cash or in kind of at least 25% of the grant amount.
This program also provides one-on-one guidance from an experienced advisor, access to a mentor to accelerate growth, and opportunities to participate in workshops and networking events.
2. Starter Company Plus Grant
Region: Toronto
Grant Amount: $5,000
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Entrepreneurs
The City of Toronto’s Starter Company Plus Grant supports eligible entrepreneurs looking to build their small businesses. Select entrepreneurs will receive training, mentoring and advice and will be eligible to apply for a micro-grant of $5,000 to assist with growth and expansion of their business.
The Starter Company Plus Grant program includes up to 15 hours of business training, a micro-grant of $5,000, and up to three months of advisory and mentoring services.
3. Skills Development Fund Capital Stream
Region: Ontario
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Industry associations, employers in Ontario, non-profits
The Skills Development Fund Capital Stream program offers funding to support eligible organizations to build new training centres, upgrade existing training centres, or convert an existing building into a training centre to train people for emerging and in-demand jobs in sectors including skilled trades, information technology, and healthcare.
Eligible applicants must be employers in Ontario (excluding educational institutions), professional, industry or employer associations, or trade unions or union-affiliated organizations.
4. The Zensurance Small Business Grant
Region: Canada*
Grant Amount: $10,000 and $1,000
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Small businesses, sole proprietors, self-employed professionals
The Zensurance Small Business Grant provides grants of $10,000 and $1,000 at different intervals throughout the year, and is open to Canadian* small businesses, startups, self-employed professionals, and entrepreneurs across industries.
Applicants must be business owners living in Canada*, have a revenue-generating Canadian business with one to 100 employees, have a business bank account that is not used for any personal expenditures, and must not have annual revenue exceeding $1 million.
*Excluding Quebec, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.
Disclosure: This is a grant offered by Zensurance, the publisher of this article.
5. Canada Digital Adoption Program
Region: Canada
Grant Amount: $2,400
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: For-profit, consumer-facing small businesses
The Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) is a micro-grant of $2,400 offered by the federal government in conjunction with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and other partners to help small businesses get online, improve their e-commerce presence, and digitize their operations.
To be eligible, applicants must be a for-profit business registered or incorporated in Canada, be a consumer-facing business, have at least one employee other than the owner, or have had at least $30,000 in annual revenue in the previous fiscal year.
6. DMS Ontario Grants
Region: Ontario
Grant Amount: $2,500
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Brick-and-mortar small businesses in Ontario
A program available through the Ontario Government and Digital Main Street, the DMS Ontario Grant is focused on providing brick-and-mortar small businesses with a digital assessment, online training, and a $2,500 grant to implement a digital transformation plan.
7. Eastern Ontario Development Fund
Region: Eastern Ontario
Grant Amount: $500,000 for Eastern Ontario-based companies with fewer than 100 employees
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Existing businesses and not-for-profit organizations
The Eastern Ontario Development Fund aims to bolster economic growth in eastern Ontario by offering financial aid and services. This support is available to existing businesses, municipalities, and not-for-profit organizations, helping them make strategic investments to grow their businesses, explore new markets, and enhance productivity.
To be eligible, businesses must have at least three years of operations and financial statements, employ at least 10 people (or five people if the business is in a rural region), and commit to creating at least five new jobs.
8. Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII)
Region: Northern Ontario
Grant Amount: Reimbursement up to 50% of capital costs and 75% for non-capital costs
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Small businesses in Northern Ontario commercializing or adopting AI solutions
Offered through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, this program is designed to fund the commercialization and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in businesses in Northern Ontario.
Activities that qualify for the grant include AI technology demonstrations, capacity building, strategic AI integration, and initiatives supporting the AI ecosystem for small and medium-sized businesses.
Small and medium-sized businesses, not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous communities and organizations, and municipalities are eligible applicants. Retail and service-based businesses, however, are not eligible.
9. Commercial Space Rehabilitation Grant
Region: Toronto
Grant Amount: $20,000
Eligible Industries: Commercial property owners or operators
Who Can Apply: Small businesses and storefront owners with vacant properties in Toronto
The Commercial Space Rehabilitation Grant Program was developed in support of the recovery and long-term success of local small businesses. It offers matching funding of 50% to commercial business operators and storefront owners who have vacant properties (or, in certain limited circumstances, properties at risk of becoming vacant) to undertake interior renovations.
The maximum base grant is $20,000 with an additional $4,000 of funding available for upgrades to commercial properties that meet AODA accessibility standards
10. Invest North — Launch
Region: Northern Ontario
Grant Amount: 50% of total eligible project costs to a maximum of $200,000
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Businesses starting up operations in Northern Ontario
The Invest North Program is designed to boost economic growth in Northern Ontario by encouraging businesses to invest in transformative, strategic and complementary business development opportunities in Northern Ontario communities.
The program supports productivity, innovation, business competitiveness, revenue growth, export capacity development, job creation and retention. It is designed specifically to assist with the launch of new businesses in Northern Ontario.
Funding is in the form of a conditional contribution of up to 50% of total eligible project costs to a maximum of $200,000.
Many of these grants require proof of business insurance as part of the application. If you don’t have a policy yet, get a free quote in minutes – it takes less time than filling out most grant applications.
11. Retail Modernization Project Grant
Region: Ontario
Grant Amount: $5,000
Eligible Industries: Retailers, accommodation and food services
Who Can Apply: Ontario-based retailers with commercial storefronts
This project offers grants of up to $5,000 to businesses for the adoption and implementation of digital technologies, hardware, and software.
Eligible applicants must be a company that’s been in business for at least one year and has at least $100,000 in annual revenue, be a direct-to-consumer business with a physical storefront, and have between one and 50 employees.
12. Digital Modernization and Adoption Plan
Region: Ontario
Grant Amount: $15,000
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Ontario-based businesses
This program provides up to $15,000 in support for developing a customized plan with a digital adoption consultant tailored to the organization’s specific needs.
Eligible applicants must be for-profit, Ontario-based businesses with between one and 499 employees.
13. Summer Company Grant
Region: Ontario
Grant Amount: $3,000
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Student entrepreneurs
This program supports eligible young student entrepreneurs, aged 15 to 29, who are looking to launch and operate a small business during the summer with grants of up to $3,000 to start their own small business.
14. Canada-Ontario Job Grant
Region: Ontario
Grant Amount: $10,000 to $15,000
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: For-profit businesses and non-profit organizations
The Canada-Ontario Job Grant provides funding to businesses for training new and existing employees, offering up to $10,000 per trainee to enhance their skills.
Small employers (fewer than 100 employees) must contribute one-sixth of the training costs. If the employer trains and hires unemployed individuals, they may be eligible to receive up to $15,000 per trainee.
15. York Region Entrepreneurship and Innovation Fund
Region: York Region, Ontario
Grant Amount: $10,000
Eligible Industries: Manufacturing, professional and technical services, agriculture
Who Can Apply: Small businesses operating in York Region
York Region is Canada’s second-largest tech hub and fourth-largest food and beverage processing hub. Stream 2 of York Region’s fund is designed to support small businesses or entrepreneurs developing agri-tech and clean-tech solutions.
It funds up to seven qualified small businesses and entrepreneurs with $10,000 each to support the growth of clean-tech and agri-tech solutions that enhance environmental sustainability in York Region.
Eligible applicants must be incorporated and based in Canada, operational in York Region, have between one and 99 employees, can match the $10,000 fund, and have a minimum viable product or a product at the validation stage with initial customer traction.
16. Southwestern Ontario Development Fund
Region: Southwestern Ontario
Grant Amount: $500,000 for Southwestern Ontario-based companies with fewer than 100 employees
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Existing businesses and not-for-profit organizations
The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund provides support for projects and investments to businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in southwestern Ontario.
To be eligible, businesses must have at least three years of operations and financial statements, employ at least 10 people (or five people if the business is in a rural region), commit to creating at least five new jobs, and be located in, or plan to locate in, a community in southwestern Ontario.
17. Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Region: Southern Ontario
Amount: $125,000 per project
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Growing and established businesses and co-operatives located in Southern Ontario
FedDev Southern Ontario supports growing and established businesses, co-operatives and Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples) businesses located or expanding in southern Ontario with financial assistance of a minimum of $125,000 per project that’s repayable interest-free.
Eligible applicants must be for-profit companies located and operating in southern Ontario, have a minimum of five full-time employees, and be incorporated and registered to do business in Canada for at least the past three years.
It supports the development, commercialization, and production of new products and services, improving productivity, capacity, and competitiveness, and scaling up or expanding business lines into new markets.
18. OCI Ready 4 Market Fund
Region: Ontario
Amount: $250,000
Eligible Industries: Technology
Who Can Apply: Early-stage technology companies
Ready 4 Market (R4M) is Ontario’s leading pre-seed investment fund. Through the fund, OCI co-invests with angel and other investors in early-stage Ontario-based start-ups with competitive IP commercializing transformative technologies to support their growth into scalable businesses.
It supports Ontario-based early-stage technology companies that are raising pre-seed and seed investment rounds. Investments are up to $250,000 and total round sizes range from $500,000 to $2 million.
19. Commercial District Revitalization Grant
Region: Hamilton, Ontario
Grant Amount: $10,000 to $12,500
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Businesses in Hamilton, Ontario
This program provides grants to rebate specific planning and building application fees, supporting the redevelopment of under-utilized properties in the City of Hamilton.
It encourages business and property owners to enhance the maintenance, functionality, viability, accessibility, and aesthetics of existing commercial, mixed-use commercial, multi-residential, or institutional buildings in the project area.
The maximum grant amount under this program is paid on a matching (50-50) basis for eligible work, with $10,000 per municipal address applying to a commercial space or building, or $12,500 per municipal address applying to a corner commercial space or building.
20. TELUS #StandWithOwners
Region: Canada
Grant Amount: $200,000
Eligible Industries: Multiple
Who Can Apply: Small businesses in Canada
TELUS #StandWithOwners is a national small business grant program that gives five $200,000 awards in funding, technology, and exposure to help them thrive.
Additional Resources for Small Businesses in Ontario
The following services offer additional support for small businesses in Ontario:
- Pro Bono Ontario: Pro Bono Ontario is a non-profit organization offering free legal advice for business owners on a variety of topics, including employment law and corporate law.
- Small Business Centres Ontario: An association supporting 54 small business centres in Ontario to help entrepreneurs and business owners who are launching a startup or growing their companies.
- Digital Main Street: A program delivering funding to support the digital transformation of businesses in Ontario.
- Futurpreneur: Futurpreneur offers financing, mentoring, and support for aspiring business owners aged 18 to 39 who want to start, buy, and grow a business. This national non-profit organization provides young entrepreneurs with the loan financing, mentorship, and resources they need.
Business Insurance Increases Your Chance of Qualifying For an Ontario Business Grant
Protecting your small business’s or startup’s finances from expensive damages and losses requires a comprehensive business insurance policy.
Moreover, if you wish to earn a grant or qualify for a loan from a financial institution to fund your business, a liability insurance policy is required.
Complete our online application for a free quote in just a few minutes.
Let our team of knowledgeable brokers shop our partner network of over 50 insurers to find and customize the right coverage to suit your needs and budget, and issue your policy documents and a certificate of insurance in 48 hours or less.
– Updated June 3, 2026.
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