Open
Source verified September 28, 2026
Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Northern Ontario — Liquidity assistance
Short-term tariff-related liquidity support for businesses
Funding available
$ 2,000,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Canada
Who can apply
Incorporated for-profit businesses located and operating in Northern Ontario
See full eligibility
Overview
Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Northern Ontario — Liquidity assistance supports incorporated for-profit businesses in Northern Ontario facing tariff-related financial pressures. It provides non-repayable funding of up to $2 million, covering up to 50% of eligible costs for up to 12 months to help maintain Canadian operations and employment.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Ensure financial sustainability
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 2,000,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- $ 1,000,000 minimum revenue
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 1
Activities funded
- Short-term liquidity assistance for businesses experiencing tariff-related financial pressures
- Support to maintain Canadian operations and employment while responding to trade disruptions
Documents Needed
- Corporate information and a business profile
- Financial statements for the past two years
- Evidence of tariff impacts, such as export sales information
- Payroll records and a quantified demonstration of liquidity needs, employment retention targets and operational obligations
- Information regarding other government funding received
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Incorporated for-profit businesses located and operating in Northern Ontario
- Current RTRI recipients may also be eligible for liquidity support
Who is not eligible
- Governments, including federal, provincial, territorial, municipal and Indigenous governments and their agencies, and Crown corporations
- Not-for-profit organizations seeking liquidity support for their own operating expenses
- Businesses that are unable to demonstrate direct or indirect tariff exposure
Eligible expenses
- Employee salaries and wages
- Essential recurring operating expenses related to rent or commercial lease payments, utilities, business insurance and property taxes
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Tariffs, customs duties, export taxes, penalties or similar government charges
- Other types of operating costs or lease payments, raw materials, inventory and other direct production inputs
- Capital purchases, debt principal repayments, interest expenses and other financial costs
- Dividends, shareholder distributions and costs unrelated to ongoing operations
- Costs already reimbursed through another government wage or operating support program
Eligible geographic areas
- Northern Ontario
Selection criteria
- Program criteria
- Demonstrated need
- The business’s proposed response to tariff impacts
- The business case and financial projections
- Issues that may impact project success
How to apply
- Review the Regional Tariff Response Initiative application guide before starting
- Contact a FedNor officer to discuss your project prior to submitting an application
- Submit the application through the FedNor self-service portal
Processing and Agreement
- All applications will be assessed as they are received
- Review includes the business case and financial projections
- Review also identifies any issues that may impact project success
- Applications may be shared with other government departments as appropriate
- Automated systems and/or artificial intelligence may be used to assist review and assessment of applications
Other components of this program
Explore related funding streams and grants that belong to the same program.
- FedNor — Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Northern Ontario — Pivot projectsFunding for Northern Ontario pivot projects that improve productivity, diversify markets or strengthen supply chains in response to tariff impacts.
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (Prairies) — Liquidity assistanceTemporary liquidity support for Prairie businesses
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) – Atlantic Canada — Pivot projectsSupport for tariff-affected Atlantic Canadian businesses and business-support organizations to implement pivot projects, improve productivity, diversify markets and strengthen supply chains.
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Atlantic Canada — Liquidity assistanceLiquidity support for businesses affected by tariffs
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — British Columbia — Liquidity assistanceHelp for businesses affected by tariffs
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — British Columbia — Pivot projectsFunding for B.C. pivot projects that strengthen productivity, competitiveness and supply chain resilience in response to tariffs.
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Northern Canada — Pivot projectsFunding for pivot projects by tariff-affected businesses and business-support organizations in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Yukon to improve productivity, diversify markets and strengthen supply chains.
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Prairie Provinces — Pivot projectsSupports tariff-affected Prairie businesses with pivot projects that improve productivity, develop markets and strengthen supply chains, and organizations helping these businesses adapt.
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Quebec — Liquidity assistanceSupport for Quebec businesses affected by tariffs
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) — Quebec — Pivot projectsFunding for Quebec pivot projects that improve productivity, diversify markets and strengthen supply chains in response to tariffs.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Northern Ontario — Liquidity assistance Program
What is the Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Northern Ontario — Liquidity assistance?
Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Northern Ontario — Liquidity assistance supports incorporated for-profit businesses in Northern Ontario facing tariff-related financial pressures. It provides non-repayable funding of up to $2 million, covering up to 50% of eligible costs for up to 12 months to help maintain Canadian operations and employment.
How much funding can be received?
Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Northern Ontario — Liquidity assistance Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $2,000,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The program is accepting continuous intake
Who is eligible for the Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Northern Ontario — Liquidity assistance program?
To be eligible for the Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Northern Ontario — Liquidity assistance program, you must:
The applicant must be an incorporated for-profit business located and operating in Northern Ontario.
The business must have a minimum of $1 million in annual revenue in one or both of its last two fiscal years.
The business must have been viable prior to March 21, 2025 and must demonstrate that it has been affected by ongoing trade disruptions, including U.S. tariffs, Canadian countermeasures or countervailing duties.
What expenses are eligible under Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Northern Ontario — Liquidity assistance?
Short-term liquidity assistance for businesses experiencing tariff-related financial pressures
Support to maintain Canadian operations and employment while responding to trade disruptions
Who can I contact for more information about the Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Northern Ontario — Liquidity assistance?
You can contact Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor).
Where is the Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Northern Ontario — Liquidity assistance available?
The Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Northern Ontario — Liquidity assistance program is available across Canada.