REGI — Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) - Northern Ontario

• Financial assistance is generally repayable and normally up to a maximum of $500,000 per project for SMEs.
• Up to 50% of eligible and supported project costs may be covered.
• Total government funding cannot exceed 75% of eligible non-capital costs and 50% of eligible capital costs.
• Applicants must secure at least 50% of the balance of eligible project costs through other sources.

• The applicant must be an incorporated small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) or an Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) business or organization.
• The applicant must demonstrate a sustainable business model, normally supported by at least two years of operations.
• The applicant must be a legal entity capable of entering into legally binding agreements.
• The applicant must operate in Northern Ontario and the project benefits must accrue to Northern Ontario.
• The applicant must demonstrate financial, managerial, technical, and operational capacity to complete the project and repay the contribution.

Who is eligible?

• Incorporated small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Northern Ontario
• Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) businesses and organizations in Northern Ontario

Who is not eligible

• Retail businesses.
• Service-based businesses.
• Smaller startups and entrepreneurs (these may be eligible under separate Regional Innovation Ecosystems streams).

Eligible expenses

• Project-specific salaries and benefits for labour directly involved.
• Purchase of machinery, equipment, and infrastructure for the project.
• Incremental and measurable operating costs directly related to the project.
• Professional, advisory, and technical services fees required for project delivery.
• Intellectual property-related costs.
• Preproduction expenses such as technological development and commercial demonstrations.
• Commercialization costs related to bringing products or services to market.
• Expenses for expanding or maintaining access to new or existing markets.
• Subcontracting costs directly linked to the project.

Eligible geographic areas

• Northern Ontario

• Demonstrated sustainable business model, typically supported by at least two years of operations.
• Financial capacity to complete the project and fully repay the contribution.
• Managerial, technical, and operational capacity to achieve the project's objectives in a timely manner.
• Clear demonstration of market or industry demand and the potential for market growth or export diversification.
• Viable project plan with achievable outcomes, substantiated by verifiable cost estimates.

• The program currently faces limited budget availability due to high demand.
• Applicants are encouraged to consult a tax professional regarding the tax implications of financial assistance.
• FedNor will assess applications as they are received, with funding approval subject to both merit and available budget.
• Completing an application does not guarantee funding approval.