Life Sciences Scale-Up Fund (LSSUF)

• Completed TPON application form signed by an individual with authority to bind the company.
• Copy of the applicant’s Articles of Incorporation or Limited Partnership Agreement.
• Financial statements for the most recently completed two consecutive fiscal years, with the required format depending on whether total sales revenue exceeds $5 million.
• Quotes from contractors or vendors for eligible project cost items, with foreign currency amounts converted to CAD at the prevailing exchange rate.
• Letter of financial attestation from senior management and a corporate family tree showing parent, subsidiary, and affiliate relationships.

Who is eligible?

• Small and medium-sized life sciences enterprises
• Companies in the human health sciences industry
• Businesses based in Ontario or planning to relocate to Ontario

Who is not eligible

• Life science companies in the Food and Animal Sciences Sector

Eligible expenses

• Construction and facility modifications or upgrades approved by Ontario, including site servicing and power service upgrades.
• New hardware and software, equipment installation and maintenance, software licensing costs for the duration of the project up to the project completion date, and direct materials needed to complete the project.
• Incremental specialized expertise directly related to the project, including third-party engineering services, software development, and project management.
• Training and development for employees required for project roles, plus permits, inspections, and other fees directly attributable to the project.
• Purchases related to the project from suppliers located outside Ontario.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Preparation of the funding proposal, including personnel and consultants.
• Purchase of land or buildings, landscaping, parking lots, and vehicles or off-site equipment.
• Operational or financing costs, including routine maintenance, utility charges, debt service, taxes, surcharges, and insurance.
• Marketing, sales, distribution, lobbying, government relations, mergers and acquisitions, shareholder payments, and travel, hospitality, meals, and incidental expenses.
• Costs not directly associated with meeting the deliverables and milestones specified in the funding agreement, and costs of suppliers not engaged in Ontario.

Eligible geographic areas

• Ontario

• Applications are evaluated for completeness, clarity, and feasibility.
• Projects are reviewed for alignment with LSSUF objectives and provincial priorities, including life sciences investment, commercialization, healthcare adoption, domestic manufacturing capacity, and supply chain resilience.
• Reviewers consider the extent to which government support improves project outcomes or affects project scope or timelines, as well as job creation, regulatory approval feasibility, productivity, revenue growth, and project risk.
• Priority is given to projects identified through the Health Innovation Pathway (HIP) and/or made-in-Ontario products that support domestic procurement opportunities.
• For Round 2, proposals that incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, AI-related knowledge, or other innovative approaches are of interest.

• Read the LSSUF program guidelines.
• Complete the mandatory self-assessment eligibility screening form.
• Register with Transfer Payment Ontario (TPON) to create your Ontario.ca Login.
• Gather the required PDF documents.
• Submit the completed application through TPON before the application intake closing date.

• After the application deadline, a review committee made up of external technical and financial experts and ministry representatives evaluates and scores projects and makes funding recommendations.
• Successful applicants must enter into a funding agreement with the ministry.
• Once the funding agreement is fully executed, successful applicants must report on milestones and performance measures, and funds may be repaid if those commitments or other terms are not met.
• Interim progress reports and a final report must be received and approved before funds are released, and a post-project report is required one year after project completion.
• Applicants with outstanding compliance issues must resolve them before signing the funding agreement.

• The Life Sciences Scale-Up Fund (LSSUF) is a discretionary program, meaning there is no guarantee of funding even if an applicant fulfills all eligibility criteria and program objectives.
• Successful companies must commit to sustaining the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs during the project and for an additional 12 months post-project.
• There are specific obligations concerning job creation and retention outlined in the funding agreement, with potential clawbacks if commitments are unmet.
• Applicants will need to submit interim and final reports detailing project progress, expenses, and outcomes to receive fund disbursements.
• Costs incurred before the project start date or costs for which rebates, credits, or refunds can be received are ineligible.
• Approved projects receive funding disbursements only after the funding agreement is fully executed, and specific conditions such as proof of financing and insurance are met.
• Applications must include a Tax Compliance Verification number, and approved companies must subsequently provide an Ontario TCV certificate before fund release.
• LSSUF applications are processed through Transfer Payment Ontario (TPON) platform.
• Public announcements of approved projects include a project description, investment commitments, government support amounts, and progress reports.
• Information submitted may be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
• Companies must maintain financial records for seven years from their creation for audit purposes.
• There is no allowance for stacking with other provincial programs for the same project, except for specific situations like tax credits.
• A company’s employment footprint in Ontario must be maintained as per the funding agreement, with deviations considered an event of default.
• The program allows funding stacking with federal sources up to 67% of eligible project costs.
• Mergers and acquisitions, shareholder payments, and costs not directly associated with meeting funding agreement deliverables are ineligible.