Ontario Forest Biomass Program
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- States real length limits, about 13,328 words in total. Only 64 tell you how long to write.
- The work here is mostly writing long answers. For 59%, the job is assembling documents instead.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
A $60M provincial initiative (2024-2027) funding innovation, modernization, and Indigenous participation in Ontario's forest bioeconomy across four streams: Exploring Biomass Pathways (50% to a maximum of $100,000 for a for-profit with no partner; 70%/$120,000 with academic, non-profit or municipal partners; 80%/$130,000 with substantial Indigenous involvement), Indigenous Bioeconomy Partnerships (80%, up to $250,000), Innovative Bioproduct Manufacturing (50%, up to $5M, TRL 5+), and Modernization (35%, up to $10M for existing wood products manufacturers).
Eligibility Requirements
- Project must be Ontario-based and expand forest biomass use
- Exploring stream: for-profit or non-profit in feasibility/exploration phase
- Indigenous stream: Indigenous communities or 51%+ Indigenous-owned organizations
- Manufacturing stream: for-profit companies operating in Ontario that produce bioproducts using forest biomass — or that will adopt forest biomass in their bioproducts production — at TRL 5+; also Canadian not-for-profit organizations that can help facilitate investments in Ontario's forest bioeconomy
- Modernization stream: an existing wood products manufacturing facility operating in Ontario that plays a key role in regional harvesting and/or supply chains and currently consumes significant quantities of forest biomass (mill residues and/or forest biofibre) as a primary feedstock
- Modernization stream: must provide a modernization plan and undergo an independent third-party financial and technical due diligence assessment
- Manufacturing and Modernization projects may not stack with any other provincial funding program on the same project
- Must demonstrate financial, technical, and operational capacity
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $10,000,000 depending on stream — Exploring Biomass Pathways to $100,000 (50%), $120,000 (70% with academic/non-profit/municipal partners) or $130,000 (80% with substantial Indigenous involvement); Indigenous Bioeconomy Partnerships to $250,000 (80%); Innovative Bioproduct Manufacturing to $5M (50%); Modernization to $10M (35%)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 80% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Rolling intakes; next: October 15, 2026
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Moderate — standard application process
Moderate competition — prepare a strong application
Moderate — standard requirements
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipFour distinct streams with very different targets: Exploring is for feasibility studies, Indigenous requires 51%+ Indigenous ownership, Manufacturing needs TRL 5+, and Modernization is only for existing wood products manufacturers.
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
How the Government of Ontario judges your application
What the reviewer scores, what gets applications rejected, and what to write.
Distilled from 6+ source documents, condensed into one brief. Sources as of 2026-09-07.
6 of the sources
- Ontario Forest Biomass Program ontario.ca
- Application for the Indigenous Bioeconomy Partnerships and… forms.mgcs.gov.on.ca
- Application for the Innovative Bioproduct Manufacturing and… forms.mgcs.gov.on.ca
- CFR dataset ON00534 forms.mgcs.gov.on.ca
- CFR dataset ON00535 forms.mgcs.gov.on.ca
- Forest Biomass Action Plan ontario.ca
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What the Government of Ontario favours
Advance partnerships, innovation, diversification and modernization in Ontario's forest sector◦
“Contribute to advancing partnerships, innovation, diversification and modernization of Ontario’s forest sector”
The form
Programme stream
- 1Program Stream Selectionselectionno limit
Applicant and partners
- 1Legal Name of Applicantshort answerno limit
- 6Applicant organization descriptionwritten answer · 5,000 characters
6. Please provide description of the organization or entity responsible for implementing the project in this application by including relevant details such as type of organization, profile, and/or operating history (including in Ontario, Canada and globally). Ensure that details are provided on any recent change(s) in ownership or operational status (maximum 5000 characters):
- 7Previous projectswritten answer · 5,000 characters
7. Please describe 2-3 previous projects undertaken in the last 10 years by the applicant organization and/or project partners by including a project description with value, funding sources, and outcomes, etc. (maximum 5000 characters):
- 8Project partnerstableno limit
- 9Partner delivery capacitywritten answer · 5,000 characters
Project
- 12Project Nameshort answerno limit
- 15Project descriptionwritten answer · 5,000 characters
- 16Project coststableno limit
- 17Sources of project financingtableno limit
- 18Activities and milestonestableno limit
Form A — impacts and need
- 19Form Awritten answer · 5,000 characters
- 13Form Awritten answer · 5,000 characters
- 23Form Awritten answer · 5,000 characters
- 29Need for provincial funding — Form Awritten answer · 5,000 characters
- 31Form Awritten answer · 5,000 characters
Form B — sector impact and competition
- 20Form Bwritten answer · 5,000 characters
- 18Forest sector and supply-chain impact — Form Bwritten answer · 5,000 characters
- 27Form Bwritten answer · 5,000 characters
- 28Form Bwritten answer · 5,000 characters
- 30Competitive position — Form Bwritten answer · 5,000 characters
- 37Funding impact and incrementality — Form Bwritten answer · 5,000 characters
- 39Form Bwritten answer · 5,000 characters
Supporting documents and declaration
- 24Supporting Documentationlistno limit
- 25Declarationcheckboxno limit
bar = length the funder allows, from its stated limits
Judged against
- 1
Does the project fit this stream's objectives?
Show them Tie your objectives and workplan to the program stream and to the Forest Sector Strategy or Forest Biomass Action Plan.◦
In the funder’s words · 1
- How well the project aligns with the objectives and criteria of the program and relevant program stream.
- 2
Can they deliver it, and what could go wrong?
What to show, and the funder’s 1 criterion behind it in Premium
- 3
Would the project happen without provincial money?
What to show, and the funder’s 1 criterion behind it in Premium
Where applicants fail
“Applicants should not take any action, or incur any costs related to the program, that is predicated on receiving funding from the ministry until an application is approved and all parties have entered into a funding agreement acceptable to the ministry.”
Premium · the rest of this brief
See all 4 rules that can reject you and every criterion you are judged on. Then we draft your application for you.
2 more rules that can reject you · 2 more criteria · 21 more prompts
Do you pass?
Each one can rule you out. Tick the ones you meet.
You
IBP: Indigenous ownership or community
Eligible IBP stream applicants are Indigenous communities, Indigenous not-for-profit and for-profit organizations and businesses (51% or greater control and ownership by an Indigenous community or communities, organization or person(s)).
The project
IBP: TRL 5 or higher
This stream will support projects at minimum Technology Readiness Level 5 (Demonstration).
Documents to attach
Ticks are kept on this device.
The money
IBP supportup to 80%; $250,000
IBP: up to 80%/$250,000
EBP support50%–80%; $100,000–$130,000 by composition
EBP: up to 50%, 70% or 80% and $100,000, $120,000 or $130,000 depending on applicant/partner composition
IBM supportup to 50%; $5 million
IBM: up to 50%/$5 million
MOD supportup to 35%; $10 million
MOD: up to 35%/$10 million
In-kind staff capcapped at 10% of eligible costs
The value of total in-kind staff salary or remuneration contributions cannot exceed 10% of total eligible costs.
How payments workReimbursement after milestones; limited discretionary advances
Reimbursement over the life of the project following milestone, incurred-and-paid cost, and other required documentation; limited discretionary advances may be considered.
Stackingup to 100%; 70%–100% EBP; 75% IBM, MOD
Stream-specific: IBP up to 100%; EBP 70%-100% depending on composition; IBM and MOD up to 75% with municipal and federal programs and no other provincial program for the same project.
What it pays for · 3
- professional, technical and legal services
- salaries, wages and benefits, excluding post-employment benefits such as severance
- capital costs, including purchase and installation of equipment and machinery
What it does not pay for · 4
- land purchases
- working capital
- labour costs for any person that owns 10% or more of the applicant business or organization
- vehicle lease or purchase, such as trucks or cars
From application to money
- Talk to programme staffTalk to programme staff first
- Submit by intakeSubmit Form A or B by intake deadline
- Completeness and eligibilityMinistry checks completeness and eligibility
- Sign funding agreementSign Conditional Contribution Agreement
- Reimbursement paymentsReimbursement after milestones and paid costs
In the funder’s words · 5
- Talk to programme staff
- Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry programme staff are the recommended first contact before you apply.
- Submit by intake
- Complete Form A or Form B with supporting documents and email the package to [email protected] before the intake deadline; there are two intake periods per year.
- Completeness and eligibility
- The Ministry checks completeness and eligibility before evaluation.
- Sign funding agreement
- Approved projects are defined in a Conditional Contribution Agreement covering eligible costs, milestones, activity completion dates, performance commitments and reporting.
- Reimbursement payments
- Costs are reimbursed over the project following milestones, incurred-and-paid evidence and required documentation.
Quoted lines are word for word from the source documents; lines marked ◦ are our reading of them.
Everything you need to win Ontario Forest Biomass Program
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 4-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 6
Eligible Expenses 5
Ineligible Expenses 5
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskHow Ontario Forest Biomass Program Compares
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Ontario Forest Biomass Program