This program is currently between intakes. Two annual intakes: Spring (April 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET — closed) and Fall (September 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET — closed). Fiscal year April–March. Confirm on the official site ↗
Updated September 2026 · Verified against Ontario Creates guidelines
✨ New Program Milestone-Based Est. 2025
Grant Provincial Between Intakes

Ontario Creates — IP Fund (Linear Content)

Ontario Creates
Maximum Funding
Development: up to $25,000; Production (feature film): up to...
The September 22, 2026 deadline has passed. The next deadline has not been an...
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Milestone-Based
Trend
New Program
First-Timers
—
Co-Funding
50%
Ontario Creates — IP Fund (Linear Content) provides up to Development: up to $25,000; Production (feature film): up to $400,000 dramatic / $200,000 documentary at 10% of Ontario spend; Production (digital series): up to 30% of Ontario spend to a $200,000 maximum, or 10% to a $400,000 maximum where Ontario spend exceeds $2M. Ontario's provincial film/TV production grant (formerly Film Fund). The program covers up to 50% of eligible costs. The September 22, 2026 deadline has passed. The next deadline has not been announced..

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Eligibility & Details

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Program Description

Ontario's provincial film/TV production grant (formerly Film Fund). Development stream up to $25K (50% of ON spend). Production stream up to $400K dramatic / $200K documentary at 10% of Ontario spend; digital series up to 30% of Ontario spend to a $200K maximum (10% to a $400K maximum where Ontario spend exceeds $2M). Two annual intakes. The September 22, 2026 deadline has passed; the next deadline has not been announced.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Canadian-owned production company
  • Incorporated in Ontario or federally with Ontario registration — or, if not incorporated at time of application, prepared to incorporate immediately if the application is successful
  • Ontario-based - must demonstrate a principal place of business in Ontario (head office in the T2 filing, a stable non-temporary establishment, eligible to pay Ontario corporate income tax) if the company has more than 365 days of operation for at least one year prior to the deadline; a successful recipient must keep it for the funding duration.
  • For-profit, private sector
  • In sound financial position
  • Feature film or digital series
  • Minimum production budget: $1,000,000 for drama (including animation); $500,000 for documentary and digital series
  • Minimum length: 75 minutes for a feature film; three (3) episodes for a digital series
  • Individual Producer(s) must be Ontario residents and Canadian citizens
  • For feature film, the Individual Producer must have a Producer credit on a dramatic or documentary feature film theatrically released in Canada, or on a television movie, a dramatic or documentary series, or two one-hour documentaries broadcast in Canada — or attach a pre-approved Ontario-based qualifying executive producer
  • Lead Ontario Producer must demonstrate a portion of IP ownership
  • Principal photography must commence after application submission, and must be shot in Ontario (excluding coproductions and factual content)
  • Project must be eligible for certification as a Canadian Production by CAVCO, as a treaty coproduction by Telefilm Canada and the coproducer's equivalent certifying body, or for Canadian Program certification by the CRTC
  • Confirmed financing at application: all other financing for the Development stream; at least 70% of other financing for the Production stream
  • At least one third-party private or public financing source, not including tax credits
  • Feature drama with a budget of $3.5M or more must have a Canadian distributor attached who will commercially exploit the film; below $3.5M without a confirmed distributor, a marketing plan showing commercial exploitation is required instead.
  • A company and its affiliates may submit at most two Development and two Production applications per deadline, ranked in order of preference.
  • A project may be submitted a maximum of 3 times; resubmission requires Ontario Creates' permission and substantial changes.
  • Development stream: a project may be supported one time only; development activities must start after submission and be completed within 15 months of notification of the decision.
Provinces
Ontario
Industries
Film Media Creative Industries Arts Culture
Business Stage
Growth Established

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Not rated

Funding Details

Amount
Development: up to $25,000; Production (feature film): up to $400,000 dramatic / $200,000 documentary at 10% of Ontario spend; Production (digital series): up to 30% of Ontario spend to a $200,000 maximum, or 10% to a $400,000 maximum where Ontario spend exceeds $2M
Type
Grant
Level
Provincial
Co-Funding
Up to 50% of eligible costs
Deadline
The September 22, 2026 deadline has passed. The next deadline has not been announced.

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Between Intakes
Approval
Moderate
Accessibility
2/5

Difficult — significant preparation needed

Competition
3/5

Moderate competition — prepare a strong application

Difficulty
3/5

Moderate — standard requirements

Approval Rate
Processing Time
Budget Trend
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How to Win

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

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Insider Tip

Have your financing confirmed before you apply — Development requires all other financing confirmed, Production at least 70%, including at least one third-party private or public source that is not a tax credit. Portal problems go to [email protected], not the program address.

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Success Profile

Ontario-based Canadian production company with feature film or digital series, broadcaster/distributor attachment, strong ON economic impact.

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Evaluation Criteria

Scored against four published weights: Economic Benefit 35% (Ontario expenditures as a multiple of Ontario Creates' contribution, weeks of employment for Ontario residents, and the viability of the marketing and sales strategy for production applications); Creative Strength 25% (quality, creative merit, articulation of scope, and evidence the project reflects and amplifies diversity); Track Record 20% (company experience with similar projects, team capability, diversity among senior leadership and staff, and company DEI policies); Feasibility and Risks 20% (clarity of activities and deliverables, budget accuracy and financing strength, planning and timelines, risk mitigation). Ontario Creates applies a diversity, equity and inclusion lens across all four and directs jurors to do the same.

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How Ontario Creates judges your application

What the reviewer scores, what gets applications rejected, and what to write.

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Written answers7no length limits stated
Judged on24 criteriascore sheet published
Can reject you16 rules
Decision16 weeks
To attach9 documents

Distilled from 6+ source documents on ontariocreates.ca, condensed into one brief. Sources as of 2026-09-04.

6 of the sources

What Ontario Creates favours

Fully financed projects with commitment letters prioritized◦

“Fully financed projects (excluding Ontario Creates) supported with appropriate commitment documentation at the time of application will be prioritized in the decision process.”

2 more, in their words

The form2 prompts shown

Register and qualify3 sections
  1. 1Company corporate information (OAP registration)short answer
  2. 2Individual Producer credentials, or a pre-approved qualifying executive producerlist
  3. 3Financial statementslist
The project you are proposing3 sections
  1. 4Development activities and stageswritten answer

    All stages of development activities are eligible for support. Projects may be supported one time only through the Development stream. Activities may include one or more of the following phases

  2. 5Creative strength — project, script/treatment and audiencewritten answer

    potential to result in a high-quality project

  3. 6Activities, deliverables, planning and riskwritten answer
Budget and financing4 sections
  1. 7Development Budget (Ontario Creates template)spreadsheet
  2. 8Financing Information and financing letterstable
  3. 9Schedule of Minimum Commitment of Ontario Expenditures (SMCOE)spreadsheet
  4. 10Production financing plan and confirmationstable
Market, audience and release1 section
  1. 11Marketing and Sales Strategy (Appendix 1)written answer
Company track record and policies3 sections
  1. 12Company track record, team and diversity, equity and inclusionwritten answer
  2. 13Respectful Workplace Applicant Affidavitcheckbox
  3. 14Use of AI technology — disclosureyes/no + written
After you submit1 section
  1. 15Pre-jury project updatewritten answer

Ontario Creates states no length limits for these answers.

13 more prompts, in the funder’s words

Judged against4 questions · 24 criteria

Ontario Creates publishes its score sheet. in Premium

  1. 1

    What has this company already delivered?

    Show them Name the comparable projects this company has delivered, the people who will do this one and the credits they hold, and dated, checkable evidence of diversity among senior leadership, staff and contract employees.◦

    In the funder’s words · 6
    • Track Record 20%
    • Company experience with similar projects
    • Capacity, skills, knowledge and expertise of the team
    • Diversity among senior leadership, staff and/or contract
    • Evidence of company policies and/or initiatives that support
    • Ontario Creates applies a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion to the evaluation criteria for this program, and directs jury members to do the same.
  2. 2

    Can you deliver this on budget?

    What to show, and the funder’s 6 criteria behind it in Premium

  3. 3

    Is the project itself worth making?

    What to show, and the funder’s 6 criteria behind it in Premium

  4. 4

    What does Ontario get for this money?

    What to show, and the funder’s 6 criteria behind it in Premium

Where applicants failin Ontario Creates’s words

“If the application is incomplete or ineligible it will not be further evaluated and”
“There will be no other opportunities for applicants to update any supporting documents or elements of their application.”
“Expenses incurred prior to submission of the application are not eligible.”

10 more, in the funder’s words

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See all 16 rules that can reject you and every criterion you are judged on. Then we draft your application for you.

11 more rules that can reject you · 18 more criteria · 13 more prompts

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Do you pass?16 checks

Each one can rule you out. Tick the ones you meet.

You

  • Incorporated in Ontario or federally

    Incorporated in Ontario or federally and registered in Ontario and if not incorporated

  • Principal place of business in Ontario

    Able to demonstrate a principal place of business in Ontario (Ontario-based) if the

  • In good standing with Ontario Creates

    In good standing with Ontario Creates.

The project

  • Principal photography starts after you apply

    Must commence after application submission.

  • Costs not funded by Ontario Creates elsewhere

    Costs supported through other Ontario Creates programs or initiatives will not be eligible

11 more checks

AI use “The use of AI technology must be disclosed and outlined in your application. This applies to (1) the use of AI to prepare content for the application form and supporting documents and (2) submitted projects that involve the use of AI technology in the creation of content or otherwise.”

Documents to attach9

Ticks are kept on this device.

The money

Development request50% Ontario spend, $5,000-$25,000

Up to 50% of Ontario spend, minimum request $5,000, maximum request $25,000.

Production request10%/$400K feature; 30%/$200,000 digital

Feature film: up to 10% of Ontario spend, maximum request $400,000 for drama including animation and $200,000 for documentary. Digital series: up to 30% of Ontario spend, maximum request $200,000; Digital Series projects with Ontario spend over $2M may be eligible for up to 10% of Ontario spend, max $400K.

Development financingAll financing confirmed; letters required

All financing, other than the IP Fund request amount, must be confirmed at time of application, and financing letters are required for all funding sources, including deferrals and company investments.

Production financing70% at application; 16-week confirmation

At least 70% of financing in addition to Ontario Creates must be confirmed at application, and all Production financing must be confirmed within 16 weeks of the application deadline.

When you are paidDevelopment full; production 50/40/10

Development: the full amount awarded upon execution of contract. Production: 50% on execution of the agreement, 40% on the completion of principal photography or delivery of animatic and layout, 10% on receipt and acceptance of the final cost report / audited statement of production costs and final deliverables.

Administrative costs cap15% of budget

Administrative costs (including office rent, capital costs, the cost of office supplies and other indirect expenses / excluding labour) are capped at 15% of the budget.

Your shareLast-in participant in project financing

The IP Fund is a last-in participant in project financing.

StackingOther Ontario Creates programs not eligible

Costs supported through other Ontario Creates programs or initiatives will not be eligible for support under the IP Fund.

Costs before approvalExpenses before application not eligible

Expenses incurred prior to submission of the application are not eligible.

What it pays for · 12
  • Eligible development expenses include, but are not limited to:
  • Option fees, including those for literary work
  • Research costs
  • Writer and story editor fees
  • Story consultant fees
  • Community or Diversity consultant fees
  • Casting fees and expenses
  • Location scouting
  • Demo reel
  • Sustainability research/planning for an environmentally-friendly set
  • Producer’s fees and corporate overhead
  • Legal and administrative fees

From application to money

  1. Talk to staff firstConsult staff two weeks before deadline
  2. Submit in the OAPSubmit by April 21 or September 22, 2026
  3. Jury decisionDecision within 16 weeks of deadline
  4. Accept the award letterAccept award letter within one month
  5. PaymentsDevelopment full; production 50/40/10 payments
  6. Interim and final reportsComplete interim and final reports
In the funder’s words · 6
Talk to staff first
Book a staff consultation before the cut-off two weeks ahead of the deadline, and get a qualifying executive producer pre-approved if the producer credit sits with someone else.
Submit in the OAP
Register the company in the portal first, then submit one application per project with every supporting document attached, because nothing can be added or replaced afterwards. (April 21, 2026 – 5:00 PM ET; September 22, 2026 – 5:00 PM ET)
Jury decision
Decisions will be communicated to applicants within 16 weeks of the deadline.
Accept the award letter
Successful applicants must accept and sign a conditional award letter from Ontario Creates within one month of notification, and Production financing must be fully confirmed before that letter.
Payments
Development pays the full amount awarded upon execution of contract; Production pays 50% on execution of the agreement, 40% on completion of principal photography or delivery of animatic and layout, and 10% on acceptance of the final cost report.
Interim and final reports
Applicants must also complete an interim report, and a final report upon completion of the project, including submission of final deliverables as per the agreement.

Quoted lines are word for word from the source documents; lines marked ◦ are our reading of them.

What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to win Ontario Creates — IP Fund (Linear Content)

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Application Playbook

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

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Application Steps

1 Register on Ontario Creates Online Application Portal Create or update your company account at https://apply.ontariocreates.ca/. Ensure all corporate information is current and accurate — portal issues close to deadline cause many missed submissions.
2 Consult with Ontario Creates Staff Contact [email protected] for pre-application guidance. Staff consultations are available until two weeks before the deadline — after that, no consultations are provided. Schedule your call early.
3 Prepare Application Package Assemble: application form (via OAP), Ontario Creates budget template, production schedule of minimum Ontario expenditure commitment, corporate and financial information, script or treatment, chain of title documentation, producer credit documentation (or the attachment letter for a pre-approved Ontario-based qualifying executive producer), CANCON certification pathway, and financing plan with confirmation letters from other funders — all other financing for Development, at least 70% for Production.
4 Submit by Intake Deadline Submit via the Ontario Creates Online Application Portal by the intake deadline (the Fall 2026 deadline of September 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET and the Spring 2026 intake have both passed; the next deadline has not been announced). Principal photography must not commence before you submit. A recording of the most recent information session is posted on the program page; Ontario Creates notes that attending one is not a substitute for reading the guidelines.
5 Assessment Period Applications are assessed on job creation, business growth, content quality, and diversity criteria. Decisions are communicated to applicants within 16 weeks of the deadline.
6 Contract Execution and Payment Successful applicants must accept and sign a conditional award letter from Ontario Creates within one month of notification, then execute the contribution agreement and begin production per agreed schedule.

Required Documents 9

✓ OAP company registration (corporate information must be registered before an application can be started)
✓ Application form submitted through the Online Application Portal by the deadline
✓ Script or treatment for the project (the jury assesses each application together with the script or treatment)
✓ Budget: Development budgets must use the Ontario Creates Excel template and PDF versions are not accepted; Production budgets must be accompanied by the signed Schedule of Minimum Commitment of Ontario Expenditures (SMCOE) on the Ontario Creates template
✓ Financing letters for every funding source, including deferrals and company investments, uploaded to item 12 of the Supporting Documents section
✓ Marketing and Sales Strategy per Appendix 1, required for productions with a budget up to $3.5 million without a confirmed Canadian distributor and for documentaries and digital series at all budget levels
✓ Two sets of financial statements for the two most recently completed fiscal years: none required for requests of $15,000 or less, a compilation engagement report for requests of $400,000 or less, and a review engagement or audited statements for requests above $400,000
✓ Signed Applicant Affidavit confirming the applicant's respectful workplace policies, downloaded from the Ontario Creates website or from the application form in the OAP
✓ Signed letter from a pre-approved Ontario based qualifying executive producer, where the applicant producer does not hold the required credit

Eligible Expenses 8

  • Canadian and Ontario-resident cast fees
  • Ontario-resident crew wages and salaries
  • Ontario-based production facility and equipment rental
  • Ontario-based post-production services (edit, colour, sound, VFX, music)
  • Script and music rights (Ontario portion of costs)
  • Production insurance and legal fees tied to the production
  • Ontario-based location fees
  • Development stream (per the guidelines): option fees including those for literary work; research costs; writer and story editor fees; story consultant fees; community or diversity consultant fees; casting fees and expenses; location scouting; demo reel; sustainability research/planning for an environmentally-friendly set; producer's fees and corporate overhead; legal and administrative fees

Ineligible Expenses 11

  • Non-Ontario-resident labour costs (excluded from eligible Ontario spend base)
  • Non-Ontario supplier costs (excluded from eligible spend calculation)
  • Costs previously supported by another Ontario Creates program on the same project
  • Marketing and distribution costs post-production
  • Development costs claimed under the Production stream
  • Costs incurred before application submission
  • Short films, TV series, or documentaries below minimum runtime
  • Capital equipment purchases
  • Projects controlled by non-Canadian companies
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Administrative costs (office rent, capital costs, office supplies and other indirect expenses, excluding labour) above 15% of the budget

Intake Periods

Two annual intakes: Spring (April 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET — closed) and Fall (September 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET — closed). Fiscal year April–March.

Deadline Notes

Two annual intakes: April 21, 2026 (5 PM ET) and September 22, 2026 (both have passed; the next deadline has not been announced). Apply via Ontario Creates OAP. Staff consultations unavailable within 2 weeks of deadline.

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

  • Non-Canadian-owned or non-Canadian-controlled companies
  • Companies unwilling to incorporate in Ontario (or federally with Ontario registration) if the application is successful
  • Companies without principal place of business in Ontario
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Companies not in good standing with Ontario Creates
  • Companies with unfulfilled obligations from prior Ontario Creates funding
  • Government entities
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Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

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Compatible Programs

Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit (OFTTC) Canada Media Fund (CMF) Telefilm Canada Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (CPTC) Ontario Creates — Screen Marketing programs
Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

Medium Risk
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How Ontario Creates — IP Fund (Linear Content) Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

Free
Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
Ontario Creates — IP Fund (Linear Con... up to $25,000 Moderate Milestone-Based The September 22, 2026...
Ontario Film and Television Tax Credi... 35% of eligible Ontario Moderate Tax Credit Offset Ongoing (applied per...
Canada Media Fund up to $250K Hard Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Ongoing (multiple...
Telefilm Canada Funding Programs Varies Hard Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Multiple annual intake...
Canadian Film or Video Production Tax... 25% Moderate Tax Credit Offset Ongoing

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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Ontario Creates — IP Fund (Linear Content)

Free
Do I have to be incorporated to apply for the Ontario Creates IP Fund?
Not at the time of application. You must be incorporated in Ontario, or federally and registered in Ontario — or, if you are not yet incorporated, be prepared to incorporate immediately if your application is successful.
What's the typical award amount for a feature film?
$25,000-$200,000 for production stream (10% of ON spend, to $400K drama / $200K documentary). Digital series are funded at up to 30% of Ontario spend to a $200,000 maximum, or 10% to $400,000 where Ontario spend exceeds $2M. Development stream maxes at $25K (50% of ON spend).
When are decisions made after a deadline?
Ontario Creates communicates decisions to applicants within 16 weeks of the deadline. The April 21, 2026 intake has closed; the September 22, 2026 intake has also closed, and the next deadline has not been announced. Staff consultations close 2 weeks before each deadline.
Why do most applications get rejected?
Most rejections are for not being Canadian-owned, not having a principal place of business in Ontario, or not meeting ON spend thresholds. Falling under the minimum production budget ($1M drama including animation, $500K documentary and digital series), lacking the required producer credit, and not having the required share of other financing confirmed at application are also common disqualifiers. Non-profit status is a hard exclusion.
Can I stack this with other grants?
Yes — routinely stacked with OFTTC (35% Ontario labour tax credit), CMF, Telefilm, and CPTC. All are compatible and commonly layered on the same production. Note that at least one of your other financing sources must be a third-party private or public source that is not a tax credit.

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