Updated July 2026 · Verified against Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) guidelines
Reimbursement
Grant Provincial Active

NOHFC Broadband and Cellular Expansion Program

Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC)
Maximum Funding
Conditional contribution of 50% of eligible costs up to $1...
Continuous/ongoing intake (no fixed deadline)
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Hard
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
—
Co-Funding
50%
NOHFC Broadband and Cellular Expansion Program provides up to Conditional contribution of 50% of eligible costs up to $1 million per project; targeted average of $500 per dwelling; projects delivering 50 Mbps or more considered up to $1,500 per dwelling. Northern Ontario municipalities, Indigenous communities, and community-based networks can receive a conditional contribution of 50% of eligible costs up to $1 million per project to expand broadband or cellular service in unserved or under-served areas. The program covers up to 50% of eligible costs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
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Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

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Program Description

Northern Ontario municipalities, Indigenous communities, and community-based networks can receive a conditional contribution of 50% of eligible costs up to $1 million per project to expand broadband or cellular service in unserved or under-served areas.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Municipalities, municipal organizations, Indigenous communities, or community-based networks / ICT community champions in Northern Ontario
  • NOHFC defines ICT community champions as not-for-profit economic development or innovation centres
  • Northern Ontario is defined by NOHFC as all areas north of, and including, the districts of Muskoka, Parry Sound and Nipissing
  • Eligible projects are those that have applied to and been declined funding under other Ontario infrastructure programs, including Improving Connectivity in Ontario (ICON) administered by the Ministry of Infrastructure, and/or do not meet those programs' eligibility requirements
  • Applicants must apply to other available infrastructure programs and be declined, or provide a detailed explanation why the project was ineligible to apply
  • Projects must improve broadband and cellular coverage to areas with broadband download speeds of less than 25 mbps (unserved or underserved areas)
  • Projects must deliver a minimum of 25 mbps to consumers at a cost comparable to the cost paid by the nearest urban consumer
  • Projects that expand cellular coverage along the Trans-Canada and King's Highways are eligible
  • A minimum of 85% of eligible costs must be broadband or cellular-related capital and equipment costs (towers, antennas, electronics and site buildings)
  • Funding is 50% of eligible costs up to a maximum of $1 million per project, with targeted funding of $500 per dwelling on average within the coverage area
  • Projects that deliver 50 mbps or greater will be considered up to $1,500 per dwelling
  • The per-dwelling target may be exceeded where the backhaul network cannot support target speeds, but cannot be used to overbuild network solutions
  • The maximum amount of funding from all government sources will not exceed 90%
  • A copy of a map and identification of property defining the geographic coverage of the project must be provided with the proposal
  • Applicants must provide an overview of the network design demonstrating it can support the delivery of the speeds claimed in the application
  • Cannabis manufacturing and retail companies do not qualify for NOHFC programs
Provinces
Ontario
Industries
All
Business Stage
Growth

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Hard
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Not rated

Funding Details

Amount
Conditional contribution of 50% of eligible costs up to $1 million per project; targeted average of $500 per dwelling; projects delivering 50 Mbps or more considered up to $1,500 per dwelling
Type
Grant
Level
Provincial
Co-Funding
Up to 50% of eligible costs
Deadline
Continuous/ongoing intake (no fixed deadline)

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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How to Win

Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like

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Insider Tip

Prepare a detailed coverage map and network-design overview, ensure at least 85% of eligible costs are broadband/cellular capital equipment, and keep total government funding below 90% of project costs.

Evaluation Criteria

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What's in this Playbook

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Application Playbook

Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses

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Application Steps

1 Apply to ICON or another infrastructure program first Eligibility is conditional on having already gone elsewhere. NOHFC states that eligible broadband projects 'are those projects that have applied to and have been declined funding under other Ontario infrastructure programs, including the Improving Connectivity in Ontario (ICON) program administered by the Ministry of Infrastructure (MOI) and/or do not meet the eligibility requirements.' Its own FAQ answer is: 'Yes. You must apply to other available infrastructure programs and be declined or provide a detailed explanation why the project was ineligible to apply.'

Required Documents 5

✓ Coverage map
✓ Network-design overview

Eligible Expenses 4

Ineligible Expenses 4

Intake Periods

Deadline Notes

Ineligible Organizations

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Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

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Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

Medium Risk

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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about NOHFC Broadband and Cellular Expansion Pro...

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Do we have to apply to ICON before applying to NOHFC?
Yes. NOHFC's own answer is unambiguous: you must apply to other available infrastructure programs and be declined, or provide a detailed explanation why the project was ineligible to apply. Eligible projects are those declined under other Ontario infrastructure programs, including ICON.
Who is allowed to apply for a broadband or cellular project?
Municipalities, municipal organizations, Indigenous communities, and community-based networks or ICT community champions — which NOHFC defines as not-for-profit economic development or innovation centres — in Northern Ontario. A commercial ISP cannot apply on its own behalf.
How much funding is available per project and per dwelling?
50% of eligible costs up to a maximum of $1 million per project, with targeted funding of $500 per dwelling on average within the coverage area. Projects that deliver 50 mbps or greater will be considered up to $1,500 per dwelling.
What speed does the project actually have to deliver?
The coverage area must currently be below 25 mbps download, and the project must deliver a minimum of 25 mbps to consumers at a cost comparable to what the nearest urban consumer pays. Projects that deliver or scale to 50 mbps are preferred and unlock the higher per-dwelling amount.
Can other government funding cover the rest of the project?
Partly. The maximum amount of funding from all government sources will not exceed 90%, so at least 10% must come from the applicant or non-government sources. NOHFC also gives preference to projects that have confirmed all sources of funding.

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