Closed
Source verified August 11, 2026
Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loans
Support for regional business and community growth
Latest source updateLast Update: July 31, 2026Latest change: The SWODF page now shows newer application periods through early 2028 and marks older intake periods as closed.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: July 31, 2026
Latest change: The SWODF page now shows newer application periods through early 2028 and marks older intake periods as closed.
SWODF intake periods updated
The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund page now shows four newer application periods, including submission windows, deadlines, and notification dates through April 5, 2028. Several older periods were converted to closed notices, changing the live intake schedule shown to applicants. The application guidance about consulting a regional advisor and registering on TPON remains visible, and there is no visible change to eligibility, funding terms, or contact details. A related CFR form listing was also cleaned up, with the page title/header removed but no change to the form content or submission information.
Funding available
$ 5,000,000
Deadline
Closed
Location
Ontario, Canada
Overview
The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund supports business and community economic development projects in southwestern Ontario, offering up to 15% of eligible project costs for business projects and up to 50% for community economic development projects. Funding supports business growth, productivity, innovation and skills development, new markets, community infrastructure, and regional development strategies.
Find open grants for your business
Explore open funding programs that match your business and project.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop a new product or service
- Develop workforce skills
- Access new markets
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 5,000,000 $
- Up to 15% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- 5 employees minimum
Audience
- All groups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Investments in equipment, new technologies, talent, and training to enhance business productivity and competitiveness.
- Investment in new operations in southwestern Ontario.
- Investment in existing operations that lead to business expansion and the introduction of new products or services, or new markets.
- Community economic development projects that invest in infrastructure.
- Community economic development projects that implement strategies to advance regional economic development priorities.
Documents Needed
- For business applications, a cash flow forecast covering the project period and the four-year loan repayment period
- For business applications, articles of incorporation and/or letters patent
- For business applications, a corporate family tree showing the parent, affiliates, related entities, and their relationships
- For business applications, financial statements from the last three fiscal years
- For business applications, letters of support from project partners and financial institutions, including financial commitments, if available
Official resources
Program guide
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Existing businesses carrying out business projects
- Municipalities leading community economic development projects
- Not-for-profit organizations for economic development projects
- Economic development organizations leading community economic development projects
- Sector organizations leading community economic development projects
Who is not eligible
- Start ups
- Companies related to a current recipient through a parent or ownership
- Businesses in primary production, retail, construction, personal services, consulting, electricity generation, waste management or recycling, information and communication services, or academic research
- Stand-alone restaurants and hotels, unless transformative and considered a regional priority
Eligible expenses
- For business projects: construction and project facility modifications or upgrades, site servicing, and power service upgrades required to execute the project.
- For business projects: equipment and machinery, one-time labour, direct materials, and specialized expertise directly related to the project.
- For business projects: skills training, training materials or infrastructure, recruitment or HR support within program limits, and project-related permits or fees.
- For community economic development projects: municipal economic infrastructure and business attraction costs, including investor presentations and information or promotional materials.
- For community economic development projects: project facility improvements, equipment and machinery, non-recurring labour, materials, specialized expertise, training-related costs, and permit or inspection costs.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Ongoing operations, including maintenance and capital replacement.
- Refinancing of existing business operations, acquisitions and buyouts, and restructuring or relocation to other jurisdictions within Ontario.
- Projects in primary production such as mining, agriculture, and forestry.
- Projects in retail, construction, personal services, consulting, electricity generation, waste management or recycling, information and communication services, and academic research.
- Stand-alone restaurants and hotels, unless transformative and considered a regional priority.
Eligible geographic areas
- Southwestern Ontario: Brant, Bruce, Chatham-Kent, Dufferin, Elgin, Essex, Grey, Haldimand, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex, Niagara, Norfolk, Oxford, Perth, Simcoe, Waterloo, and Wellington
Selection criteria
- Alignment with the fund’s goals of investment attraction and job creation in the regions.
- Economic benefits such as creating jobs, contributing to the region, or developing the sector.
- Project achievability, including the necessary financing, project management structure, and experience to implement the project.
How to apply
- Complete the Regional Development Program Business Stream or Community Economic Development Stream eligibility self-screener.
- If eligible, discuss your project with the Business Advisory Services Team or a regional advisor.
- Access Transfer Payment Ontario (TPON) using the link provided and open your file.
- Download the application form in TPON and complete all required sections, including Part 1 – Eligibility Checklist and Part 2 – Application Form.
- Upload the completed application in TPON, ensuring the TPON case number matches the case number on the form.
- Submit the completed application during an intake period before the application deadline.
Processing and Agreement
- Applicants are notified of decisions within approximately 60 business days of the application deadline.
- If approved, applicants must enter into a funding agreement with the Government of Ontario.
- No payments are made until the funding agreement is signed and disbursement conditions are fulfilled.
- Before any disbursements are made, sources of project financing and proof of insurance of at least $2 million must be in place.
- Recipients must meet annual reporting requirements, including providing financial statements.
Additional information
- Complementary Services and Supports are available when you submit a complete application through the Regional Development Program.
- These services are available for the duration of your project regardless of the funding outcome.
- For business projects, complementary assistance may include advisory services, environmental compliance approvals, access to skills and talent, and information on available tax credits.
- For community economic development projects, complementary assistance may include advisory services and navigation support for land-use planning and workforce development.
Contacts
Other components of this program
Explore related funding streams and grants that belong to the same program.
- Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness (AMIC)Support for advanced manufacturing investments in Ontario
- Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project grantsSupport for regional economic growth in Eastern Ontario
- Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Business project loansSupport for business growth in eastern Ontario
- Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) — Community economic development projectsSupport for economic growth in eastern Ontario
- Southwestern Ontario Development Fund — Community economic development projectsSupport for business and community economic development
- Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business Project GrantsSupport for business and community economic development
Frequently Asked Questions about the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loans Program
What is the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loans?
The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund supports business and community economic development projects in southwestern Ontario, offering up to 15% of eligible project costs for business projects and up to 50% for community economic development projects. Funding supports business growth, productivity, innovation and skills development, new markets, community infrastructure, and regional development strategies.
How much funding can be received?
Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loans Funds up to 15% of admissible expenses, capped at $5,000,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loans program?
To be eligible for the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loans program, you must:
Business applicants need at least 3 years of operations or financial statements.
Business applicants need at least 10 employees, or 5 in rural Ontario, and must commit to creating at least 5 new jobs or a 30% workforce increase if they have fewer than 15 employees.
Community economic development projects must be led by municipalities, economic development organizations, or sector organizations and invest more than $100,000 with private sector support.
What expenses are eligible under Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loans?
Investments in equipment, new technologies, talent, and training to enhance business productivity and competitiveness.
Investment in new operations in southwestern Ontario.
Investment in existing operations that lead to business expansion and the introduction of new products or services, or new markets.
Community economic development projects that invest in infrastructure.
Community economic development projects that implement strategies to advance regional economic development priorities.
Who can I contact for more information about the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loans?
You can contact Government of Ontario by email at swodf@ontario.ca or by phone at 416-314-8880.
Where is the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loans available?
The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loans program is available the province of Ontario.
Is the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loans a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Southwestern Ontario Development Fund (SWODF) — Business project loans is a Loans and Capital investments