Open
Source verified July 27, 2026
Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Southern Ontario
Supports southern Ontario businesses impacted by international trade disruptions
Latest source updateLast Update: July 27, 2026Latest change: The RTRI application guide for businesses was substantially revised with new section-by-section instructions, updated attachment guidance, and expanded eligibility and sector details.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: July 27, 2026
Latest change: The RTRI application guide for businesses was substantially revised with new section-by-section instructions, updated attachment guidance, and expanded eligibility and sector details.
RTRI business guide updated
The Regional Tariff Response Initiative for businesses application guide now gives detailed question-by-question instructions for the funding application, including new guidance for authorized project and financial contacts, project information, project results, and budget sections. It also expands the attachment instructions and process guidance, including how to complete the form and what supporting material may be required. The guide also widens the program scope by explicitly adding food security as a priority impacted sector and by adding new physical-location restrictions for project activities. In addition, the guide updates support and compliance instructions, including contact guidance and lobbying-related application steps.
Funding available
$ 125,000 - $ 10,000,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Ontario, Canada
Overview
The Regional Tariff Response Initiative for businesses offers repayable contributions from $125,000 to $10 million or non-repayable contributions from $125,000 to $1 million for eligible southern Ontario businesses responding to tariff-related trade disruptions. Supported projects can adopt technology, expand markets, optimize supply chains, and strengthen domestic resilience.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Increase operational productivity
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 10,000,000 $
- Minimum amount : 125,000 $
- Up to 75% of project cost
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- 5-500 employees
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Canadians
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Economic, Social and Community Development
Target groups
- Business owners / entrepreneurs
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- All dimensions
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Digitizing, automating, or acquiring, adopting, or adapting technology to enhance productivity and competitiveness
- Market diagnostics, development and expansion activities, including joining trade missions, to find new customers and reduce tariff exposure
- Building strategic partnerships, optimizing supply chains, and ensuring compliance with standards to strengthen domestic or global presence
- Strengthening supply chains and facilitating internal trade to improve resilience and reliability in domestic markets
- Research and development mandates or bringing highly qualified personnel and expertise to southern Ontario, including activities previously conducted outside Canada
Documents Needed
- Annual financial statements for the last 2 fiscal years and the most recent interim financial statement
- Financial projections for the next 3 to 5 years, including the estimated project start and end dates
- Articles of incorporation or amendments, constating documents, by-laws, or similar documents
- Biographies of key management and technical staff, a diagram of the company’s structure, and a work plan or project schedule with major activities, milestones, and a detailed project budget
- The supplementary application form, and if applicable an intellectual property strategy, technical diagrams or photos, or documents supporting diversity, equity and inclusion outcomes
Official resources
Program guide
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- For-profit businesses located and operating in southern Ontario
- Indigenous businesses (First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples) located and operating in southern Ontario
- Businesses incorporated and registered to do business in Canada or Ontario for at least the past 3 years
- Businesses in all impacted sectors may be eligible for non-repayable financial support
Who is not eligible
- Businesses without a physical address where they conduct business activities
- Businesses operating from a P.O. box, co-working space, or residence or home
- Businesses submitting multiple or concurrent applications to this initiative or other FedDev Ontario programs
Eligible expenses
- New costs that are essential to the project and directly related to eligible activities
- Machinery, equipment, software, and project-related facilities or leasehold improvements needed to complete the project
- Incremental labour costs incurred in Canada and incremental fees for professional or technical expertise, consultants, engineers, or contractors
- Project-related marketing, outreach, training, course materials, external trainers, and other reasonable talent costs
- Direct materials used to complete the project, including configuring and testing production systems, prototypes, product testing, software, or other non-capital equipment
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Costs deemed unreasonable, non-incremental, or not directly related to project activities
- Land and building acquisition
- Entertainment or hospitality expenses
- Motor vehicle costs, including personal motorized vehicles and off-site equipment
- Refinancing existing debts, external consultant costs to prepare an application, and ongoing production or operating costs, including raw materials or inventory for regular operations
Eligible geographic areas
- Southern Ontario
Selection criteria
- Degree to which the company or sector is impacted by tariffs
- Degree to which the project supports new or expanded initiatives and helps boost productivity, catalyze growth, or diversify markets
- Expected results of the project
- Quality of the project plan and budget, including project readiness, ability to repay, and managerial, technical, operational, and financial capacity
- Degree of risk and mitigation measures, quality of Intellectual Property strategies for IP-intensive projects, and the breadth, representation, and diversity of projects considered for funding
How to apply
- Complete the online self-screening tool before starting the application.
- Review the Application guide, then download the Application for Funding and the supplementary form to your computer.
- Open the application in Adobe Acrobat Reader 10 or later, not in a web browser.
- Complete the application and supplementary form by following the Application guide, including the instructions for question 22.
- Use the Add Attachments button to attach all mandatory documents and any relevant additional documents.
- Ensure the submitting individual is authorized to bind the company, then submit the application and keep the confirmation message for your records.
Processing and Agreement
- You will receive an email acknowledging the time and date of your application.
- Any activities and related costs incurred before a formal decision is made are at the applicant’s own risk.
- If approved, you must confirm all matching funding sources and sign a contribution agreement within 30 calendar days of being notified.
- Funding is reimbursed based on approved costs incurred and claimed throughout the project’s duration.
- If approved, FedDev Ontario may request additional documentation for the contribution agreement, including insurance coverage, conflict of interest, financial management, project expenditures, performance measurement and reporting, and recipients must submit project performance reports and statements.
Additional information
- FedDev Ontario may consult external experts during the assessment process and share applicant information with them.
- Any confidential or proprietary information should be clearly marked as such.
- Information submitted is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.
- FedDev Ontario may modify these guidelines at any time without notice and may waive certain requirements on an exceptional basis.
Contacts
Other components of this program
Explore related funding streams and grants that belong to the same program.
- FedNor — Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI)Helps Northern Ontario SMEs respond to tariff impacts
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) – Atlantic CanadaSupports Atlantic SMEs affected by tariffs
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — British ColumbiaSupports B.C. businesses facing tariff disruptions
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Northern CanadaSupports Canadian businesses facing trade disruptions
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Prairie ProvincesSupports Prairie organizations facing tariff disruptions
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — QuebecSupport for Quebec manufacturing SMEs impacted by international tariffs
Frequently Asked Questions about the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Southern Ontario Program
What is the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Southern Ontario?
The Regional Tariff Response Initiative for businesses offers repayable contributions from $125,000 to $10 million or non-repayable contributions from $125,000 to $1 million for eligible southern Ontario businesses responding to tariff-related trade disruptions. Supported projects can adopt technology, expand markets, optimize supply chains, and strengthen domestic resilience.
How much funding can be received?
Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Southern Ontario Funds up to 75% of admissible expenses, capped at $10,000,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Southern Ontario program?
To be eligible for the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Southern Ontario program, you must:
The business must be located and operating in southern Ontario, and be incorporated and registered to do business in Canada or Ontario for at least the past 3 years.
The applicant must be a for-profit business with at least 5 full-time equivalent employees in southern Ontario and fewer than 500 full-time equivalent employees overall.
The business must have been viable prior to March 21, 2025 and must either have at least 25% of sales in markets targeted by the tariffs or show direct impacts from ongoing trade disruptions.
What expenses are eligible under Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Southern Ontario?
Digitizing, automating, or acquiring, adopting, or adapting technology to enhance productivity and competitiveness
Market diagnostics, development and expansion activities, including joining trade missions, to find new customers and reduce tariff exposure
Building strategic partnerships, optimizing supply chains, and ensuring compliance with standards to strengthen domestic or global presence
Strengthening supply chains and facilitating internal trade to improve resilience and reliability in domestic markets
Research and development mandates or bringing highly qualified personnel and expertise to southern Ontario, including activities previously conducted outside Canada
Who can I contact for more information about the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Southern Ontario?
You can contact Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev) by email at indigenous-autochtones@feddevontario.gc.ca or by phone at 1-866-593-5505.
Where is the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Southern Ontario available?
The Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Southern Ontario program is available the province of Ontario.
Is the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Southern Ontario a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Southern Ontario is a Grant and Funding