Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program — Collaboration projects

The eligibility criteria for the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program grant in Ontario are as follows: Business projects: - Projects must have at least $3 million in eligible costs. - Support is available for for-profit manufacturers and processors of wood and forest biomass across Ontario, including saw mills, pulp and paper mills, secondary wood manufacturers, and bio-economy projects. - Harvesting and resource extraction projects are not eligible for funding. Collaboration projects: - Projects must have at least $3 million in eligible costs and involve collaborations among forest sector for-profit businesses, not-for-profit research organizations, forest industry associations, and academia. - The collaborations should aim to develop, diversify, and transform Ontario's forest sector through innovation in technology, process, and/or products. - A minimum of three partners are required, including at least one Ontario-based for-profit forestry/wood products company. These are the main eligibility criteria for business and collaboration projects under the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program grant in Ontario.

- Projects must demonstrate strong alignment with the program's objectives, including enhancing productivity and competitiveness, increasing innovation, creating greater market access for Ontario firms, improving the competitiveness of Ontario's broader forest sector, and strengthening regional economies. - Projects must show a need for government financial support to complete the project and have sufficient funding to complete the project when combined with proposed support from the FSIIP. - Projects need to pass a two-stage project evaluation process, including a project overview to determine eligibility criteria and alignment with program objectives, as well as a competitive, rounds-based project evaluation process involving financial and technical due diligence.

To apply for the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program (FSIIP) grant, follow these steps: 1. Visit the Transfer Payment Ontario website. 2. Complete the Stage I Eligibility Checklist and Application Form. 3. Submit the Stage I application before the current deadline to be considered for the upcoming round of evaluations. 4. If your Stage I application is successful, proceed to Stage II by submitting a fully completed Stage II Business Plan and all required supplemental documents by the Stage II deadline. 5. Ensure all required information is provided as incomplete or missing information may result in your application being declined or deferred to a following round. For further assistance or questions, contact the Business Development Branch by calling 1-844-573-9017 or emailing FSIIP@ontario.ca.

- The Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program provides funding for strategic investments in the forest sector to improve productivity, innovation, competitiveness, and market access. - Support is available for business projects and collaboration projects in Ontario, with minimum eligible costs of $3 million. - Business projects can receive up to 30% of eligible costs as a performance-based loan, with potential for up to 50% forgiveness, while collaboration projects can receive up to 30% in grant funding. - Stacking of funding with other provincial programs is not allowed, but stacking with other government support (federal or municipal) is permitted up to a maximum of 50% or 75% of eligible project costs. - Projects must align with program objectives, demonstrate need for financial support, and go through a two-stage evaluation process for funding approval. - Applications can be submitted through a competitive rounds-based process, with varying deadlines for different rounds. - Further information and application guidelines can be found on the FSIIP program website, and inquiries can be directed to the Business Development Branch.