Closed
Grid Innovation Fund
Supports Ontario electrification projects for grid flexibility
Last Update: April 9, 2026
Funding available
$ 1,000,000 - $ 4,750,000
Timeline
- Open Date : May 27, 2024
- Closing date : July 22, 2024
Location
Ontario, Canada
Overview
Up to C$4.75M per project is available for Ontario pilots that help manage rising electricity demand and improve grid flexibility. Eligible activities include electric vehicle aggregation, managed charging, vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-home/building solutions, heating and thermal storage, HVAC load management, and related energy management tools.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Develop a new program or service
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 4,750,000 $
- Minimum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Timeline
- Open Date : May 27, 2024
- Closing date : July 22, 2024
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Utilities
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Public administration
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Research
- Environment
- Economic, Social and Community Development
- Employment and Training
- Business Associations
- Professional Associations
Target groups
- Rural / Remote communities
- Business owners / entrepreneurs
- Nonprofits / charities
- Academia / students
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Provincial
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Electric vehicle aggregation projects using managed charging, vehicle-to-grid, vehicle-to-home, or vehicle-to-building
- Space and water heating projects using heat pumps, thermal storage, or related control solutions
- Large-scale heating systems with thermal storage for significant customer loads
- Non-residential HVAC load aggregation and control programs
- New energy management tools for visibility, dispatching, telemetry, and system integration
Documents Needed
- Completed Proposal Templates Part A, Part B, and Project Brief Template
- Certificate of incorporation
- Most recent audited financial statements
- Signed letters of support from all project partners
- Project team CVs and, if applicable, proof of no duplicate funding for the same tasks
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Non-profit incorporated entities
- For-profit incorporated entities
- Local distribution companies
- Technology companies and consulting firms
- Fleet owners/operators, academic institutions, and public sector organizations
Who is not eligible
- Individuals, including incorporated individuals
- Sole proprietorships
- Trusts
- Joint ventures
- Most electricity generation, transmission, and distribution technology projects
Eligible expenses
- EV charging equipment, bi-directional chargers, smart inverters, and related infrastructure upgrades
- Heat pumps with thermal storage, project-specific materials, and other necessary equipment
- Software integration, licensing, telemetry, monitoring, verification, and data analysis
- Direct labour and professional, engineering, scientific, technical, management, and contracting services
- Participant incentives, training and communications, and other project implementation costs
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Personal-use light-duty EVs, uni-directional EVSE, stand-alone residential heat pumps, smart thermostats, and fossil-fuel heating equipment
- Supplementary generation assets, including stationary storage
- System Impact Assessment and Connection Impact Assessment costs
- Costs incurred before approval or after project completion, budget deficits, and real estate purchases
- Overhead, hospitality, travel, incidental or food expenses, and consultant or contractor work over C$50,000 without a competitive process
Eligible geographic areas
- Ontario
Processing and Agreement
- Applications are first screened for eligibility
- Eligible proposals are reviewed and scored by an internal Technical and Financial Review Committee, with external experts as needed
- Highly ranked applicants may be invited to refine their proposals with the committee
- Final recommendations are brought forward for IESO executive approval, with applicants likely notified in Q4 2024
- Successful applicants sign the non-negotiable Contribution Agreement and receive funding on a milestone basis
Additional information
- The OEB Innovation Sandbox may provide regulatory guidance or temporary relief support for selected projects.
- The IESO may share submitted proposals with the OEB on a non-confidential basis for regulatory support.
- Successful applicants may be included in IESO communication activities and public announcements.
- Project deliverables and public materials must comply with accessibility requirements.
Documents and links
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Grid Innovation Fund Program
Here are answers to the most common questions about the Grid Innovation Fund. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.
What is the Grid Innovation Fund?
Up to C$4.75M per project is available for Ontario pilots that help manage rising electricity demand and improve grid flexibility. Eligible activities include electric vehicle aggregation, managed charging, vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-home/building solutions, heating and thermal storage, HVAC load management, and related energy management tools.
How much funding can be received?
Grid Innovation Fund Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $4,750,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline for this grant program was July 22, 2024.
Who is eligible for the Grid Innovation Fund program?
To be eligible for the Grid Innovation Fund program, you must:
Ontario-based project
At least three partners
Stream 1 requires an LDC partner
What expenses are eligible under Grid Innovation Fund?
Electric vehicle aggregation projects using managed charging, vehicle-to-grid, vehicle-to-home, or vehicle-to-building
Space and water heating projects using heat pumps, thermal storage, or related control solutions
Large-scale heating systems with thermal storage for significant customer loads
Non-residential HVAC load aggregation and control programs
New energy management tools for visibility, dispatching, telemetry, and system integration
Who can I contact for more information about the Grid Innovation Fund?
You can contact Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) by email at gridinnovationfund@ieso.ca or by phone at 416-967-7474.
Where is the Grid Innovation Fund available?
The Grid Innovation Fund program is available the province of Ontario.