FedDev Ontario — Regional Tariff Response Initiative (Southern Ontario)
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Who actually receives this funding
101 businesses received this funding in 2025 — 105 awards since 2025. Typical award: $750K. Half of all awards fall between $647.1K and $1M. The advertised maximum is $10M — most awards land closer to $750K. 99% of recipients are for-profit businesses. Top sectors among classified recipients: Other fabricated metal products, Other motor vehicle parts, Iron and steel pipe and tube. Top provinces: Ontario 100%. Covers: FedDev Ontario RTRI contributions — all 105 rows; non-repayable stream is not separable from repayable stream in disclosure data (all agreement_type C). Source: Government of Canada proactive disclosure data · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Data through Q3 2026.
The typical FedDev Ontario award is $750K — the median of 105 awards since 2025, even though the program advertises up to $10M. In 2025, 101 businesses were funded; 99% were for-profit companies.
Source: Government of Canada proactive disclosure
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
One FedDev Ontario initiative for southern Ontario businesses impacted by U.S. and Chinese tariffs, with a single application and a choice of two instruments at question 22: non-repayable ($125,000-$1,000,000, up to 50% FedDev cost-share, once per business lifetime) or interest-free repayable ($125,000-$10,000,000, up to 75% FedDev cost-share). Same eligibility, same form, same attachments. Covers productivity enhancements, supply chain diversification, market expansion, and technology adoption. A portion of FedDev Ontario's investments prioritizes impacted businesses in the steel, automotive and food security sectors. Projects must address tariff impact through digitization, automation, reshoring, or market diversification. Costs may be retroactive up to 12 months before FedDev Ontario receives your signed application, but never earlier than March 21, 2025.
Eligibility Requirements
- For-profit business incorporated and registered in Canada or Ontario for at least 3 years
- Located and operating in southern Ontario with a physical business address (not P.O. box, co-working space, or residence)
- Minimum 5 full-time equivalent employees in southern Ontario (part-time counted proportionally at 35+ hours/week standard)
- Maximum 499 FTEs across the entire business
- Was a viable business before tariffs imposed (before March 21, 2025)
- Must demonstrate 25%+ sales in tariff-targeted markets OR documented direct tariff impact (cost increases, revenue loss, supply chain disruption)
- You may have an active project with FedDev Ontario, but the RTRI project must be distinct and separate — and you can only have ONE open application to FedDev Ontario at a time, across any of its open programs
- A business may only receive non-repayable RTRI funding once during the initiative's lifetime
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- $125,000-$1,000,000 non-repayable (50% cost share) or $125,000-$10,000,000 interest-free repayable (75% cost share) — chosen at question 22 of one application
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 75% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing — rolling intake until funds exhausted
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipExplicitly select 'Non-repayable RTRI' on the application form — failure to specify can result in being assessed for the repayable stream only.
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
Everything you need to win FedDev Ontario — Regional Tariff Response ...
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 13-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 7-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 13
Eligible Expenses 8
Ineligible Expenses 12
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Medium RiskHow FedDev Ontario — Regional Tariff Response ... Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FedDev Ontario — Regional Tariff Resp... | $125,000-$1,000,000 | Hard | Reimbursement | Ongoing — rolling intake... |
| Ontario Job Grant (formerly Canada-On... | Up to $10,000 per employee | Easy | Varies | Ongoing — year-round... |
| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
| Commercial Façade Improvement Grant P... | Up to $12,500 (50% of costs) | Easy | Reimbursement | Annual Intake |
| Creative Industries Funding | Varies | Moderate | Reimbursement | Ongoing (multiple... |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about FedDev Ontario — Regional Tariff Response ...