Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP)
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Grants up to $215,000 per company or up to $50,000 per individual prospector for mineral exploration in Ontario, with an additional $15,000 Indigenous participation bonus. Supports early-stage exploration including drilling, geophysical surveys, and geochemical sampling on valid mining tenure.
Eligibility Requirements
- Junior mining companies or individual prospectors
- Must hold valid mining tenure (claims or leases) in Ontario
- Exploration activities must take place in Ontario
- Companies must be Canadian-incorporated or individual Canadian residents
- Project must involve eligible exploration activities (drilling, geophysics, geochemistry)
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $215,000 per company; up to $50,000 per prospector; +$15,000 Indigenous participation bonus
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Open (2025-2026 fiscal year)
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win OJEP — $19
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 9-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
Applying for OJEP? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipApply early in the fiscal year — funding is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and popular years see the $10M exhausted before year-end. The $15,000 Indigenous participation bonus is underutilized — genuine partnerships with Indigenous communities strengthen applications and add funding. Focus on critical minerals (lithium, cobalt, nickel, rare earths) as Ontario has signalled priority for these commodities.
Success Profile
Junior mining companies and independent prospectors conducting grassroots to early-stage exploration on Ontario properties. Most successful applicants are TSX-V or CSE-listed junior miners with defined exploration targets and experienced geological teams. Prospectors with proven track records also perform well.
Evaluation Criteria
First-come, first-served within each intake window. Applications reviewed for completeness and eligibility before funding allocation. Priority considerations include: valid Ontario mining tenure, eligible exploration activities, Canadian incorporation or residency of applicant, market capitalization under $100M for companies, and project targeting of critical minerals (lithium, cobalt, nickel, rare earths) for the Critical Minerals Stream. Applications missing valid tenure documentation or with ineligible activity descriptions are rejected without appeal.
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 6
Eligible Expenses 7
- Drilling costs (core drilling, rotary drilling)
- Geological labour (salaries and contractor fees for on-site geologists)
- Contractor and consultant fees for eligible exploration work
- Equipment rental and supplies for field exploration
- Transportation to/from remote exploration sites
- Meals and accommodation for field crews during exploration
- Indigenous capacity-building expenses (eligible for the $15,000 incentive)
Ineligible Expenses 6
- Development drilling on producing properties or mining leases
- Exploration activities outside Ontario
- Administrative overhead and office expenses
- Equipment purchases (rental is eligible, not purchase)
- Training costs unrelated to the specific exploration project
- Legal or financing fees
Intake Periods
Annual intake, typically opening in July each year. Sixth intake ran July 3–31, 2025. Fifth intake ran in fiscal year 2024–25. New fiscal year intakes typically open each summer. Monitor the Ontario OJEP page for exact dates — intake windows are short (approximately 4 weeks).
Deadline Notes
Open for the 2025-2026 fiscal year with $10M total funding available. Applications accepted until funds are exhausted. New fiscal year intake typically opens in April.
Open Application Portal →Ineligible Organizations
- Producing mining companies (not junior/exploration stage)
- Companies with market capitalization exceeding $100M
- Non-Canadian individuals or non-Canadian-incorporated companies
- Companies without valid mining tenure in Ontario
- Applicants proposing exploration activities outside Ontario
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Medium RiskHow OJEP Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario Junior Exploration Program (O... | Up to $215,000 | Easy | Reimbursement | Open (2025-2026 fiscal... |
| Mining Innovation Commercialization A... | Up to $500,000 | Moderate | Reimbursement | Periodic Calls for... |
| Critical Minerals R&D and Demonstrati... | Up to $5,000,000 per project | Hard | Milestone-Based | Between intakes — EOI... |
| Global Forest Leadership Program | $100,000–$1,500,000 | Hard | Reimbursement | Between intakes — March... |
| Indigenous Forestry Initiative | Up to $50,000 | Hard | Advance Payment | Check NRCan website |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about OJEP