Open
Source verified August 8, 2026
Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project loans
Support for business growth in eastern Ontario
Latest source updateLast Update: August 20, 2026Latest change: The program’s project-eligibility guidance now explicitly excludes additional primary-production activities and training costs supported by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: August 20, 2026
Latest change: The program’s project-eligibility guidance now explicitly excludes additional primary-production activities and training costs supported by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development.
Eligibility and cost rules updated
The Project eligibility and criteria page now explicitly lists mining extraction, agriculture crop growing and harvesting, and forestry lumber harvesting as ineligible primary-production activities. It also clarifies that training costs supported by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development are ineligible in the cost-category appendix. The updated guidance also refines how eligible and ineligible project types and cost categories should be interpreted for this grant.
Funding available
$ 5,000,000
Deadline
September 23, 2026
Opened June 30, 2026
Location
Ontario, Canada
Who can apply
For-profit businesses (legal entities) registered to carry out business in Ontario
See full eligibility
Overview
The Eastern Ontario Development Fund offers up to 15% of eligible project costs to for-profit businesses registered in Ontario for expansion and investment projects in eastern Ontario. Eligible activities include equipment and technology investments, training and talent development, and business expansion that introduces new products, services or markets.
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Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop a new product or service
- Increase operational productivity
- Develop workforce skills
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 5,000,000 $
- Up to 15% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- 5 employees minimum
Audience
- All groups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Investments in equipment, new technologies, talent and training to enhance business productivity and competitiveness, leading to growth
- Investment in new operations in Eastern or Southwestern Ontario
- Investment in existing operations that lead to business expansion and introduction of new products or services, or new markets
Documents Needed
- Completed application form, including Part 1: Eligibility Checklist and Part 2: Application Form
- Cash flow with sufficient detail on receipts and payments during the project period and the four-year loan repayment period
- Copy of articles of incorporation and/or letters patent
- Corporate family tree showing the parent, affiliates and related entities of the applicant and their relationships
- Financial statements from the last three fiscal years, audited or prepared as review engagement financial statements; grant applicants with revenues under $5 million may submit compilation engagement financial statements at the application stage
Official resources
Program guide
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- For-profit businesses (legal entities) registered to carry out business in Ontario
Who is not eligible
- Start ups
- Companies related to a current recipient through a parent or ownership
- Applications submitted by a third party on behalf of an applicant will not be considered
Eligible expenses
- Construction, project facility modifications or upgrades, and site servicing or power service upgrades required to execute the project
- Equipment and machinery necessary for the successful completion of the project, including new technology and new high-performance equipment and machinery
- One-time labour directly related to project costs and incremental specialized labour directly related to the project
- Direct materials necessary for the completion of the project, including materials used for configuring and testing production processes and systems, training employees, and prototypes
- Specialized expertise, skills training and related training materials or infrastructure, and permits, inspections, and other fees directly attributable to the project
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Ongoing operations including maintenance and capital replacement, and ongoing operational or production labour costs
- Refinancing existing business operations, acquisitions and buyouts, restructurings, relocations to other jurisdictions within Ontario, and mergers and acquisitions
- Projects in primary production, retail, construction, personal services, consulting, electricity generation, waste management, recycling, information and communication services, academic research, and stand-alone restaurants and hotels unless transformative and considered a regional priority
- Purchase of land or buildings, landscaping and staff parking lots, and the purchase, lease, or operation of vehicles or off-site equipment
- Materials used for regular production of saleable items, wages of staff while receiving training, training costs supported by Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, and non-project costs such as proposal preparation, travel, hospitality, debt service, taxes, and legal fees
Eligible geographic areas
- Frontenac, Haliburton, and Hastings
- Kawartha Lakes, Lanark, and Leeds and Grenville
- Lennox and Addington, Muskoka, and Northumberland
- Ottawa, Peterborough, and Prescott and Russell
- Prince Edward, Renfrew, and Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
Selection criteria
- Alignment with the fund’s goals of investment attraction and job creation
- Economic benefits such as job creation, contribution to the region or sector development
- Project achievability, including financing, project management structure and experience to implement the project
- Extent to which government support improves project outcomes or affects the project’s scope or timelines
- Projects that generate regional economic impacts beyond the company will receive priority
How to apply
- Complete the online self assessment tool for the Business Stream.
- Contact a regional advisor for help with your application.
- Register for Transfer Payment Ontario (TPON).
- Work with your regional advisor to complete the application form and submit the application on TPON along with the required supplemental information.
Processing and Agreement
- Applicants will be notified of decisions within approximately 60 business days of the application deadline.
- If approved, the applicant must enter into a funding agreement with the Province of Ontario before any payments are made.
- Before funding is disbursed, the company must provide evidence of project financing, proof of insurance with a minimum of $2 million, and meet any other disbursement conditions.
- Disbursements are made in arrears in annual instalments subject to an annual cap, and Ontario may make an initial payment of up to 20% of the support at its sole discretion once disbursement conditions are met.
- Recipients must meet annual reporting requirements, and funding agreements may require full or partial repayment or reductions to the forgivable portion of a loan if performance commitments are not achieved.
Additional information
- A project must be a distinct undertaking, separate from ongoing operations, that will result in benefits to the organization such as business growth or access to new markets.
- Complementary Services and Supports are available when you submit a complete application through the Regional Development Program and remain available for the duration of the project regardless of the funding outcome.
- This is a discretionary, non-entitlement program, so submitting an application or being encouraged to apply does not guarantee funding or services.
- Working with an external firm to prepare an application has no bearing on the success rate of an applicant.
Contacts
Other components of this program
Explore related funding streams and grants that belong to the same program.
- Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness (AMIC)Support for advanced manufacturing investments in Ontario
- Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grantsSupport for regional economic growth in Eastern Ontario
- Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Community economic development projectsSupport for economic growth in eastern Ontario
- Southwestern Ontario Development Fund — Community economic development projectsSupport for business and community economic development
- Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business Project GrantsSupport for business and community economic development
- Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loansSupport for regional business and community growth
Frequently Asked Questions about the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project loans Program
What is the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project loans?
The Eastern Ontario Development Fund offers up to 15% of eligible project costs to for-profit businesses registered in Ontario for expansion and investment projects in eastern Ontario. Eligible activities include equipment and technology investments, training and talent development, and business expansion that introduces new products, services or markets.
How much funding can be received?
Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project loans Funds up to 15% of admissible expenses, capped at $5,000,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline for this grant program is September 23, 2026. Applicants must submit their complete application before this date to be considered for funding.
Who is eligible for the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project loans program?
To be eligible for the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project loans program, you must:
For-profit business registered to carry out business in Ontario
At least 10 FTEs, or 5 FTEs in a rural community
Minimum of three years of substantive operating experience
What expenses are eligible under Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project loans?
Investments in equipment, new technologies, talent and training to enhance business productivity and competitiveness, leading to growth
Investment in new operations in Eastern or Southwestern Ontario
Investment in existing operations that lead to business expansion and introduction of new products or services, or new markets
Who can I contact for more information about the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project loans?
You can contact Government of Ontario by email at eodf@ontario.ca or by phone at +14163148880.
Where is the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project loans available?
The Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project loans program is available the province of Ontario.