Protect Ontario Financing Program
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Term loans starting at $250,000 for Ontario businesses in the steel, aluminum, copper, and automotive sectors facing working-capital shortfalls due to U.S. Section 232 tariffs. Interest up to prime rate, repayable over up to 72 months with potential 12-month grace period. Part of the $5B Protecting Ontario Account.
Eligibility Requirements
- For-profit business registered in Ontario
- Operating in sectors subject to U.S. s.232 tariffs: steel, aluminum, copper, automotive
- Minimum $2,000,000 annual revenue
- Minimum 10 FTE employees in Ontario
- Minimum 3 years of operations with financial statements
- Facing material working capital challenges due to U.S. tariffs
- Must have first explored/exhausted federal financial support options
- The applicant business must have at least 3 years of operations with audited financial statements
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Minimum $250,000 (no stated maximum; part of $1B envelope)
- Type
- Loan
- Level
- Provincial
- Financing share
- Up to 100% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing (launched August 2025)
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to secure Protect Ontario Financing Program
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 5-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 5-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 lenders look for
How to qualify
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipYou must demonstrate you've explored federal support options first — this is explicitly a 'last resort after federal' program.
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 5
Eligible Expenses 2
Ineligible Expenses 4
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Not-applicable RiskHow Protect Ontario Financing Program Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Protect Ontario Financing Program