Ontario Creates — IP Fund: Interactive Content Stream
Compared with the 242 other application forms we have read
- Money you have already spent can still count, up to 90 days back. Only 14 put a window on it.
- The decision is made by a jury or selection panel. 16 work that way.
- Scored mainly on what it puts back into the local economy. 19 lead with that.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Supports Ontario companies developing original video games and XR content through pre-production and production grants covering up to 50% of eligible Ontario expenses.
Eligibility Requirements
- Canadian-owned and controlled organization, as defined in the Investment Canada Act
- Incorporated in Ontario or federally and registered in Ontario — or, if not incorporated at time of application, prepared to incorporate immediately if successful
- Private sector, for-profit
- Ontario-based with a principal place of business in Ontario serving as head office and base of operations; must be eligible to pay corporate income taxes in Ontario with the Ontario address listed as head office in the T2 filing, and must keep that principal place of business in Ontario for the funding duration
- In sound financial position, including all associated companies, and in good standing with Ontario Creates
- Develops video games and/or XR content as its primary activity
- At least one owner or full-time permanent employee at a senior level with a minimum of three years of professional full-time experience in the video game and/or XR content industry — work completed while enrolled in a post-secondary program does not count
- Existing companies (over one year of operation and/or a released title): at least 50% of revenues and/or expenditures from the past two years associated with video game/XR development
- New companies (under one year, no released title): must be majority-owned (51% minimum) by Ontario residents — an Ontario resident is someone who has lived in the province 200 of the last 365 days and filed their last tax return in Ontario
- Emerging companies and career-changers who do not meet these requirements are directed to the Futures Forward Workshop Program instead
- Applications should be submitted by the primary corporate entity, not a single purpose production company
- The project must be proprietary — the applicant must own at least 51% of the copyright and/or have permission to adapt any material, with a revenue share proportionate to ownership. Projects equally owned 50/50 by two eligible companies are also eligible
- The project must be primarily for a consumer audience (measured by source of revenue), intended to entertain, intended for commercial exploitation, primarily unique creative professional content, and primarily digital content
- Projects already underway may be eligible only if no more than 20% is complete and substantial pre-production or production activities remain
- INELIGIBLE PROJECTS: enhancements, improvements, augmentations, ports and redesigns of already-released products; projects primarily for businesses, organizations, training or educational institutions or professional development; projects requiring physical content components for users to interact; projects involving gambling or cash prizing; projects receiving support through other Ontario Creates programs for the same activities
- A minimum 10% of the total project budget must be a cash contribution from a source other than Ontario Creates
- International partnerships and coproductions are permitted; preference may be given to projects substantially owned by Ontario-based organizations
- Products that would be contrary to public policy in Ontario Creates' opinion are not eligible
- A project may be submitted a maximum of 3 times, after which applications are considered only in exceptional circumstances
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- $15K–$500K by phaseUp to 50% of eligible Ontario expenses. Pre-Production: $15,000–$50,000. Production: $50,000 minimum; maximum $250,000–$500,000 depending on applicant track record.
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- The September 14, 2026 deadline has passed. The next deadline has not been announced.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Moderate — standard application process
High competition — many applicants
Complex — detailed documentation needed
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipApply through the Ontario Creates Online Application Portal and match your requested phase and amount to your track record.
Evaluation Criteria
How Ontario Creates judges your application
What the reviewer scores, what gets applications rejected, and what to write.
Distilled from 6+ source documents on ontariocreates.ca, condensed into one brief. Sources as of 2026-09-11.
6 of the sources
- 2026-27 Ontario Creates Intellectual Property Fund — Interactive…
- Ontario Creates Program Policies
- Ontario Creates Intellectual Property Fund — Budget and Financing…
- Ontario Transfer Payment Agreement — IP Fund Interactive,…
- Ontario Transfer Payment Agreement — IP Fund Interactive, Production
- IP Fund Interactive Stream Jury Guidelines and Application Form
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What Ontario Creates favours
Show proposal strengths against the guidelines◦
“Applicants should ensure that their application materials clearly convey the strengths of their proposal in relation to the guidelines”
The form
Before you apply
- 1Company corporate information (OAP registration) — before any applicationshort answer
Budget and financing template
- 2Budget and Financing Template — the submitted artefact (both phases)spreadsheet
- 3Cover tab (both phases)table
- 4Summary tab: costs by account (both phases)table
- 5Detail tab: every cost line (both phases)spreadsheet
- 6Financing tab: the financing plan (both phases)table
- 7Notes tab (both phases, optional)table
Declarations and disclosures
- 8Respectful Workplace Applicant Affidavit (both phases)checkbox
- 9Use of AI technology — disclosure (both phases)yes/no + written
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. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all applications and projects have access to all underlying rights including content that is created with the assistance of AI technology. Ontario Creates reserves the right to require a legal opinion confirming compliance.
Other funding agencies
- 10Disclosure of applications to other funding agencies (both phases)yes/no + written
In all cases applicants must indicate whether they are intending to submit applications to other funding agencies. Applications that fail to disclose this information may be deemed incomplete.
- 11Higher budget under review elsewhere, and the optional alternate budget (both phases)written answer
What the application must propose
- 12PRE-PRODUCTION phase onlywritten answer
- 13PRODUCTION phase onlywritten answer
How your application is scored
- 14Track Record (20%)written answer
- 15Feasibility and Risks (20%)written answer
- 16Creative Strength (25%)written answer
- 17Economic Benefit (35%)written answer
After you are funded
- 18Interim Report — post-award, releases 15% (both phases)written answer
- 19post-award, releases 15% — PRE-PRODUCTION phase onlywritten answer
- 20post-award, releases 15% — PRODUCTION phase onlywritten answer
- 21Final Financials Report — post-award, releases the last 10% (both phases)table
Ontario Creates states no length limits for these answers.
Judged against
Ontario Creates publishes its score sheet. in Premium
- 1
Can this team ship a game at this scale?
Show them Name each shipped title and the exact role your company played, then line your team biographies up against the roles this project needs, including the senior person with three years of full-time industry experience.◦
In the funder’s words · 2
- Track Record 20%
- Feasibility and Risks 20%
- 2
What does this game do that others do not?
What to show, and the funder’s 1 criterion behind it in Premium
- 3
What does Ontario get for this money?
What to show, and the funder’s 1 criterion behind it in Premium
- 4
Does this project reflect and reach a diverse audience?
What to show, and the funder’s 1 criterion behind it in Premium
Where applicants fail
“Applications must include all requested documentation and adhere to page limits. Applicants will not have the opportunity to add or replace documentation after the deadline.”
“Applications that fail to disclose this information may be deemed incomplete.”
Premium · the rest of this brief
See all 35 rules that can reject you and every criterion you are judged on. Then we draft your application for you.
27 more rules that can reject you · 3 more criteria · 19 more prompts
Do you pass?
Each one can rule you out. Tick the ones you meet.
You
At most two applications per deadline
Companies and their affiliates may submit up to two applications per deadline ranked in order of preference.
Your business
Existing company: games/XR is primary activity
Existing companies* that develop Video Games and/or XR content experiences as their primary activity
New company led by experienced developers
New companies* that are owned and/or led by individuals with substantial experience in Video Game and XR content development
Private-sector, for-profit company
Private sector/for profit
In sound financial position
In sound financial position (including all associated companies)
In good standing with Ontario Creates
In good standing with Ontario Creates
The project
Project is proprietary
Be proprietary
Not funded by another OC program
Projects receiving support through other Ontario Creates programs for the same activities
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. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all applications and projects have access to all underlying rights including content that is created with the assistance of AI technology. Ontario Creates reserves the right to require a legal opinion confirming compliance.”
1 thing this funder says you do NOT need, in Premium.
Documents to attach
Ticks are kept on this device.
The money
Pre-Production request$15,000–$50,000 per request
Pre-Production: $15,000 minimum request, $50,000 maximum request.
Production request$50,000–$500,000 by track record
Production: $50,000 minimum request; maximum variable and dependent on the applicant's track record — $250,000 for new companies, Futures Forward workshop alumni and existing companies without a recently released project; $400,000 for existing companies with a recently released project; $500,000 for existing companies with a recently released project that has achieved commercial success, or submitting a project that has secured at least 25% financing from a channel partner, with consultation with Ontario Creates staff required for requests at this level.
Contribution capup to 50% of eligible expenses
The program will provide a non-repayable contribution of up to 50% of eligible Ontario expenses.
Your cash shareminimum 10% from non-Ontario Creates source
A minimum 10% of the total project budget is required as a cash contribution from a source other than Ontario Creates.
Payment schedule60%, 15%, 15%, 10% at milestones
60% on execution of the Ontario Creates agreement; 15% on delivery of an interim report; 15% on completion of all funded activities and delivery of a final report; and 10% on delivery of financial reporting documents.
Your shareRequest capped at 50% of Ontario Spend
Total request cannot exceed 50% of Ontario Spend
StackingLast-in participant in project financing
The IP Fund – Interactive Content program is a last-in participant in project financing.
Costs before approvalSpend within 90 days of decision notice
The applicant must begin incurring expenses no later than 90 days after notification of Ontario Creates’ decision.
What it pays for · 2
- Ontario expenditures include goods or services provided by Ontario-based individuals or corporations in the course of carrying on their businesses at their principal place of business in Ontario.
- Successful applicants who are Deaf or disabled may be eligible for supplementary funds for accessibility expenses required to complete their project deliverables.
What it does not pay for · 6
- Expenses incurred prior to submission of the application are not eligible.
- PROJECT PROPOSAL PREPARATION - N/A - INELIGIBLE EXPENSE
- Costs of activities already receiving support through other Ontario Creates programs for the same activities
- Expenses associated with activities that typically occur outside of the project phase for which the application is being submitted (Pre-Production or Production)
- Corporate mark-up, overhead fees, or pro-rata equipment costs inside a labour rate
- Rights paid to the applicant or a related party
From application to money
- Talk to program staffStaff consultations close two weeks before deadline
- Submit by the deadlineDeadlines April 13 and September 14, 2026
- Decision within 16 weeksDecision within 16 weeks
- Start spending in 90 daysBegin spending within 90 days
- Complete the funded phase15 months, extendable by 6 months
- Interim, final and financial reportsWritten interim, final and financial reports
In the funder’s words · 6
- Talk to program staff
- Ontario Creates staff will be available for online and phone consultations until two weeks prior to the deadline.
- Submit by the deadline
- Two deadlines per fiscal year, both 5:00 PM ET.
- Decision within 16 weeks
- Decisions will be communicated to applicants within 16 weeks of the deadline.
- Start spending in 90 days
- The applicant must begin incurring expenses no later than 90 days after notification of Ontario Creates’ decision.
- Complete the funded phase
- Pre-Production - within 15 months of notification of the decision (12 months for Pre-Production activities and 3 months for preparation of financial reporting documents) with a possible extension of up to 6 months.
- Interim, final and financial reports
- Successful applicants will prepare written interim reports on the progress of their project.
Quoted lines are word for word from the source documents; lines marked ◦ are our reading of them.
Everything you need to win Ontario Creates IP Fund
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 10-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 7-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 10
Eligible Expenses 7
Ineligible Expenses 4
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
- 6 more application steps
- 8 more required documents
- 7 eligible expenses
- 4 ineligible expenses
- Intake periods
- Deadline notes
- Ineligible organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Stacking partner data not yet available.
Clawback Risk
Medium RiskHow Ontario Creates IP Fund Compares
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Ontario Creates IP Fund