Grant
Provincial
Active
Ontario Creates — IP Fund (Linear Content)
Ontario Creates
Maximum Funding
Development: up to $25,000; Production (feature film): up to...
September 22, 2026 (next intake)
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. Applications are accepted September 22, 2026 (next intake).
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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. Next deadline: September 22, 2026.
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
Industries
Business Stage
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
- September 22, 2026 (next intake)
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Sep 22, 2026
Approval
Moderate
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 TipHave 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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The pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win Ontario Creates — IP Fund (Linear Content)
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 9-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 5-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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6 steps
9 docs
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 (Fall 2026: September 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET; Spring 2026 intake has already passed). 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 — upcoming). Fiscal year April–March.
Deadline Notes
Two annual intakes: April 21, 2026 (5 PM ET) and September 22, 2026. 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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5 partners
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
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Clawback Risk
Medium Risk
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How Ontario Creates — IP Fund (Linear Content) Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario Creates — IP Fund (Linear Con... | up to $25,000 | Moderate | Milestone-Based | September 22, 2026 (next... |
| 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)
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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 next intake closes September 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET. 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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Full Playbook: Ontario Creates — IP Fund (Linear Content)
6 steps · 9 docs · reviewer insights