Ontario — Marquee Event Program
Compared with the 242 other application forms we have read
- Winning means you must carry a named insurance policy. 3 ask that.
- Publishes the score sheet reviewers actually use. Only 30 do.
- States real length limits, about 83 words in total. Only 63 tell you how long to write.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Supports Ontario municipalities and organizations hosting large-scale, high-impact international events, covering up to 50% of eligible event cash operating expenses to a maximum of $3 million. For 2026-27 the program is invitation-only: everyone submits an Expression of Interest, and only events the ministry selects are permitted to file a full application in Transfer Payment Ontario.
Eligibility Requirements
- Applicant must be an Ontario-based legal entity that has been in existence for one year or longer as of the application submission date
- Eligible organization types are Ontario municipalities that have identified hosting major events as part of their tourism strategy, and for-profit or non-profit organizations that have event management and/or hosting as part of their mandate
- Applicant must have a Canadian bank account in the legal name of the applicant at a Canadian financial institution conducting business in Ontario
- Applicant must not be in default of the terms and conditions of any grant or loan agreement with any ministry or agency of the Government of Ontario
- Incorporation documents must be supplied with the full application (this requirement does not apply to municipalities)
- Applicant must provide its most recent audited financial statements, final versions prepared by a Chartered Professional Accountant
- The event must be a major international event in Ontario with cash operating expenses totalling $1 million or more (in-kind expenses do not count toward this figure)
- The event must be of a size and scope sufficient to draw tourists to Ontario and generate significant economic impact for the province
- The event must be of national and/or international prominence, attracting significant media exposure across Canada and/or globally
- The event must occur in the Province of Ontario during the 2026-27 fiscal year (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027)
- The event must be open to the public at large without membership in a club or group
- Proposals are expected to target a minimum of 10,000 visitors as a general benchmark
- Only one application per organization and event will be considered, including affiliated organizations — only one organization in a group of affiliated organizations is eligible to apply
- Events still in the bidding process are ineligible
- Amateur sporting events receiving funding under the Ontario Sport Hosting Program are ineligible
- Events that seek to attract only a special interest audience or recruit new members (for example religious or political gatherings and workshops) are ineligible
- Trade fairs and events of a primarily commercial nature (consumer shows, symposia, conventions, meetings and conferences, seminars and clinics) are ineligible
- For 2026-27 the program is invitation-only — a full application can only be submitted if the ministry invites the organization after reviewing its Expression of Interest
- Successful recipients must carry at least $2 million commercial general liability insurance naming the Province as additional insured before the agreement can be executed
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to 50% of eligible event cash operating expenses, not exceeding $3 million
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- No fixed calendar deadline — Expression of Interest accepted through the 2026-27 fiscal year; if invited, the full application is due at least 30 business days before the event start date
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Difficult — significant preparation needed
High competition — many applicants
Complex — detailed documentation needed
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipStart with the Expression of Interest and treat it as the real gate — for 2026-27 the ministry will only permit selected organizers to file a full application, and the EOI is scored on just four things: event description, anticipated performance measures, event status (one-time or annual), and the event cash budget excluding in-kind.
Rejection Pitfalls 9
- Event cash operating expenses below the $1 million minimum, or the budget relies on in-kind value to reach it
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 documents published by the Government of Ontario: the application form, the applicant guide and the judging criteria, condensed into one brief. Updated 2026-09-07.
6 funder documents
Sign in free: we show which checks your profile already answers and keep your document ticks.
What the Government of Ontario favours
Proven track record delivering large-scale events and reporting outcomes◦
“Strong organizational and leadership capacity with proven ability to deliver the event, including a track record of having produced successful large-scale events and reported on outcomes”
The form
Stage 1 — Expression of Interest
- 1Organization Informationshort answerno limit
- 2Organization Contact Informationshort answerno limit
- 3Event Informationshort answerno limit
- 4Event Descriptionwritten answer · 500 characters
Provide a brief, high-level description of your event (max 500 characters):
- 5Event statusyes/no + writtenno limit
New Event: Yes No; Annual Event: Yes No
- 6Performance Measurestableno limit
- 7Event Cash Budgetshort answerno limit
Stage 2 — Full application (invitation only)
- 8Organizational Capacitywritten answerno limit
- 9Event Description and Alignment with Program Objectiveswritten answerno limit
- 10Marketing Planwritten answerno limit
- 11Risk Managementwritten answerno limit
- 12Detailed event budgettableno limit
bar = length the funder allows, from its stated limits
Judged against
the Government of Ontario publishes its score sheet. in Premium
- 1
Is this a marquee-scale event worth inviting?
Show them Give the event concept, scale and audience, its status, and attendance and cash-budget numbers in the EOI, keeping the description within 500 characters.◦
In the funder’s words · 4
- Event Description
- Anticipated Performance Measures
- Event Status (one-time or annual)
- Event Cash Budget (anticipated event cash budget excluding in-kind contributions).
- 2
Can this organization deliver a national-calibre event?
What to show, and the funder’s 2 criteria behind it in Premium
- 3
Will tourists come, spend and stay longer?
What to show, and the funder’s 2 criteria behind it in Premium
- 4
Are the numbers and risks credible?
What to show, and the funder’s 2 criteria behind it in Premium
Where applicants fail
“Do not include websites or non-mandatory attachments for reference purposes in your application. Websites and non-mandatory attachments will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation process.”
“If your application is incomplete or missing any mandatory documents, it will not be considered.”
“An invitation to complete the full program application does not guarantee acceptance or funding.”
Premium · the rest of this brief
See all 3 rules run against your profile, every criterion the reviewer scores, and your draft laid out in this form. On every programme you match.
6 more criteria · 10 more prompts · the score sheet
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Your organisation
Legal entity operating 1+ years
A legal entity, in existence for one year or longer as of the application submission date, including municipalities and for-profit or not-for-profit organizations.
The project
Ontario public event in 2026-27
The event must occur in Ontario during the 2026-27 fiscal year, be open to the public at large without membership in a club or group, and meet the ministry’s definition of a Marquee Event.
Marquee Event: $1M+ cash expenses
Marquee Events are large-scale, high-impact events with national and/or international reputation, and have cash operating expenses totaling $1 million or more.
1 thing this funder says you do NOT need, in Premium.
Documents to attach
Ticks are kept on this device.
The money
Maximum award50%, capped at $3 million
Up to 50 per cent of eligible event cash operating expenses, to a maximum of $3 million
Your shareUp to 50% of eligible event cash expenses
Up to 50 per cent of eligible event cash operating expenses, to a maximum of $3 million
StackingMarquee supersedes Experience Ontario terms if both approved
If approved under Marquee and Experience Ontario 2026, the Marquee agreement supersedes Experience Ontario terms and flowed Experience Ontario funding may be offset against Marquee funding
Costs before approvalExpenses April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027
Eligible expenses must be incurred between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027
What it pays for · 1
- Expenses must be linked to programming activities and other services that are accessible to the public (i.e., not for expenses benefiting VIPs or invitation-only guests).
What it does not pay for · 1
- In-kind contributions are not eligible expenses.
From application to money
- Consult the program teamConsult program team or Regional Advisor
- Submit Stage 1 EOISubmit Stage 1 EOI via Central Forms Repository
- Stage 2 if invitedStage 2 full application if invited
- Event and eligible expensesExpenses April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027
- Report after the eventReport within 90 days after event
In the funder’s words · 5
- Consult the program team
- Consultation with the Marquee Event Program team or a Regional Development Advisor is recommended.
- Submit Stage 1 EOI
- Submit the expression of interest through the Ontario Central Forms Repository; the ministry reviews the event description, anticipated performance measures, one-time or annual status and cash budget.
- Stage 2 if invited
- Invited organizations submit the full application in Transfer Payment Ontario at least 30 business days before the event start date.
- Event and eligible expenses
- Eligible expenses must be incurred between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027.
- Report after the event
- Report on the use of funds, service deliverables and outcomes achieved using the Marquee Event Program final report form.
Every quotation is the Government of Ontario’s own wording; lines marked ◦ are our reading of it. Brief updated 2026-09-07.
Everything you need to win Ontario — Marquee Event Program
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 9 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 7-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 9-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 2-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 7
Eligible Expenses 10
Ineligible Expenses 10
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Medium RiskHow Ontario — Marquee Event Program Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario — Marquee Event Program | Up to 50% of eligible event cash... | Hard | Milestone-Based | No fixed calendar... |
| Experience Ontario | Up to $125,000 (50% of costs) | Moderate | Reimbursement | Annual intake... |
| SSHRC Partnerships | Up to $2.5M | Hard | Advance Payment | Partnership Grants:... |
| Canada Media Fund | up to $250K | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing (multiple... |
| Canada Council for the Arts Grants | Varies | Moderate | Milestone-Based | Multiple annual cycles.... |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Ontario — Marquee Event Program