How much funding can be received?

The Aboriginal Participation Fund (APF) — Advanced Exploration and Development Support provides up to $15,000 annually to eligible Aboriginal communities in Ontario to enhance their capacity to process and respond to advanced mineral exploration and mine development notices. Eligible activities include community outreach, salaries, administrative expenses, and costs associated with meetings and site visits related to advanced exploration projects.

grant_single_labels|terms_and_conditions

Funding is available up to an annual maximum of $15,000 for a one-year term per project.
Recipients will receive a percentage of the total funding amount immediately upon signing the Transfer Payment Contribution Agreement (TPCA), with the exact percentage determined during negotiations; the balance is released according to the payment schedule outlined in the TPCA for incurred expenses.
Salary and wages may account for 50% to 60% of the budget, with a typical wage reimbursement range of $22.13-$29.00 per hour and mandatory employer-related costs (MERCs) capped at 17.5% of salary.

grant_single_labels|projects

Coordinating the review of advanced exploration and mine development project notices received from the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines (ENDM).
Facilitating and conducting community outreach activities such as meetings, presentations, and workshops related to advanced exploration and mine development projects.
Organizing and supporting meetings, site visits, or providing honoraria to Elders for participation in activities concerning advanced exploration and mine development where not otherwise covered by the project proponent.
Managing administrative tasks related to advanced exploration and mine development project review, including space and equipment rental, utilities, telephone or fax expenses, network charges, postage or courier expenses, photocopying, financial institution service fees, and office supplies.
Assisting the community in understanding technical issues and assessing potential impacts related to advanced exploration and mine development projects.
Coordinating formal responses to ENDM within regulated timeframes regarding advanced exploration and mine development notices.
Organizing and supporting site visits in collaboration with project proponents, on a case-by-case basis.

grant_single|admissibleProjectsExample

$ 14,800

Capacity building for Aboriginal mineral project negotiations

$ 14,500

Community workshop series on mine project assessments

$ 14,900

Digitalizing mine development response processes

$ 14,600

Enhancing administrative capacities in mineral project management

$ 14,700

Community engagement in advanced exploration projects

grant_single_labels|admissibility

The applicant must be an Aboriginal community located in Ontario.
The community must be situated in an area of high mineral development activity.
Funding is available to both communities without an existing Mineral Development Advisor (MDA) position (given priority) and those with an MDA if additional support is required due to workload.
The project must support the community's capacity to process and respond to notices from the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines (ENDM) regarding advanced exploration and mine development projects.
The application must be project-based and address coordination of advanced exploration and mine development project notices.

grant_eligibility_criteria|who_can_apply

Aboriginal communities located in Ontario in areas of high mineral development activity

grant_eligibility_criteria|eligible_expenses

Salary, wages, and mandatory employer-related costs (MERCs) for staff supporting the processing and response to notices regarding advanced exploration and mine development projects.
Community outreach expenses for activities such as community meetings, presentations, and workshops related to advanced exploration and mine development projects.
Costs associated with meetings, site visits, or honoraria to Elders in the context of advanced exploration and mine development, where not otherwise covered by the proponent.
Administrative expenses including space and equipment rental, utilities, telephone or fax charges, network fees, postage or courier expenses, photocopying expenses, financial institution service fees, and office supplies.

grant_eligibility_criteria|zone

Aboriginal communities in Ontario in areas of high mineral development activity.

grant_single_labels|criteria

Applicant Profile (30%): Includes identification of funds received from existing capacity funding sources (from ENDM, other Ontario ministries, and external sources), and evaluation of the level of advanced exploration and mine development activity in the area.
Stream Objectives and Proposed Work Plan (50%): Assessment of how the applicant will meet the stream objectives by participating in regulatory decision-making, detailing processes to respond to advanced exploration and mine development projects, and evaluation of the detailed proposed work plan for the funding year.
Proposed Budget (20%): Evaluation of the proposed budget’s reasonableness based on anticipated activities and adherence to cost guidelines.

grant_single_labels|apply

grant_single_labels|otherInfo

Successful applicants are required to sign a Transfer Payment Contribution Agreement outlining the terms and conditions for receiving funds.
Applicants must carry at least $2 million in commercial general liability insurance and add “Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario as represented by the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines” as a co-insured entity before the agreement can be executed.
Recipients must report back to the ministry within the specified timeframes using the ministry’s reporting forms.
The ministry reserves the right to verify and/or audit submitted information to ensure that funds are used for the intended purposes.
If funds are not used as intended or specified deliverables are not achieved, the ministry may recover transferred funds at a future date.
Any changes to the approved project after funding approval require prior approval from the ministry.
Applications must be submitted through Transfer Payment Ontario (TPON), and applicants using TPON for the first time should create a "ONe-key" account at least three weeks before the deadline, as accounts are registered at the individual level.
All applicants should be aware that the ministry operates under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Ontario), meaning application information may be subject to disclosure requirements.
Receiving this funding does not constitute acknowledgment by the Government of Ontario of Aboriginal or treaty rights, nor does it indicate a duty or commitment to specific consultation activities.