WinterTech Development
Last Update: July 22, 2025
ON, Canada
Money to develop automotive winter weather related technologies.
WinterTech Development at a glance
Eligible Funding
- Max. $500,000
- Up to 33% of project cost
Timeline
- Open Date : April 3, 2023
- Closing date : November 7, 2023
Financing Type
Grant and Funding
Eligible Industries
- Transportation and warehousing
Grant Providers
- Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN)
Program status
Closed
Overview of the WinterTech Development program
Receive up to $500,000 in funding to validate, test and prototype your winter weather automotive technology and mobility solutions.
Eligible projects & activities
This grant is available for companies with registered operations in Ontario, Canada. All project activities must be carried out within the province unless approved otherwise.
- Organizations with registered operations in Ontario, Canada.
- Project activities must take place in Ontario, with few exceptions allowed with prior approval.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 450,000
Commercialize an intelligent ice road navigation system
$ 400,000
Pilot a winter tire monitoring system using real-time data analytics
$ 500,000
Develop and validate a new autonomous snow removal vehicle in severe winter conditions
$ 450,000
Validate a new thermal management system for electric vehicles
$ 450,000
Deploy a new winter weather electric vehicle battery
$ 450,000
Test and certify a new anti-icing technology for vehicles
Eligibility criteria of the WinterTech Development program
The eligibility criteria for this grant specify conditions that the applicant company must meet to qualify for funding.
- The applicant must be a small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) with fewer than 500 global full-time employees.
- The applicant may only participate in one R&D Partnership Fund project at a time.
- The applicant must have registered operations (R&D, manufacturing, product management, etc.) in Ontario.
- Applicants who have received over $500,000 of funding from OCI administered programs (excluding TalentEdge) in their lifetime are required to obtain OCI approval before starting a new funding application.
- The applicant is a co-signatory to the Funding Agreement.
Who is eligible?
This grant program is open to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 500 global full-time employees, which have registered operations in Ontario. The Applicant must partner with at least one Primary Partner to demonstrate market pull, such as a customer for their technology, and additional Secondary Partners to contribute matching funds. Projects must focus on the development or advancement of mobility products and services suitable for severe winter weather conditions in Ontario, involving technology demonstration and commercialization readiness.
Who is not eligible
This grant's eligibility criteria are focused on fostering innovation in transportation under severe winter conditions. Specific exclusions are not outlined in the available material; thus, it is assumed any general restrictions are typical to grant programs.
Eligible expenses
The grant is designed to support projects emphasizing technological advancements in adverse winter conditions, primarily targeting Ontario's transportation network. It aids in the advancement and exhibition of products and services that cater to specific mobility and infrastructure needs in severe winter weather.
- Development of mobility products and services designed for severe winter weather conditions.
- Validation and testing of transportation technologies in winter scenarios.
- Pilot and demonstration projects for mass light vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles under winter conditions.
- Commercialization of transit-supportive systems and intelligent transportation systems.
- Deployment of newly developed products and services within Ontario.
Eligible geographic areas
The grant covers specific expenses directly related to the development, testing, and commercialization of mobility products and services.
- Technology or product development costs.
- Validation and testing expenses.
- Piloting and demonstration costs.
- Commercialization expenses of mobility products and services.
- Deployment costs in severe winter weather conditions.
Eligibility criteria of the WinterTech Development program
There are evaluation and selection criteria for this grant. The criteria include:
- Commercialization of Ontario-made technologies
- Demonstration of Ontario-made technologies to potential customers
- Relationships with researchers to extend company R&D
- Marketable solutions to current challenges
- Public/private partnerships and collaboration
- Increased road safety
- Better road condition monitoring
- Better collection and analysis of transportation-related information
- Innovative new products and services to improve driver performance
- Reduced environmental and carbon footprint
How to apply to the WinterTech Development program
1
Client Intake Form Completion
- Access the OVIN Resource Documents on the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (ovinhub.ca) website.
- Complete the client intake form to register your interest in the funding.
- An OCI Business Development Manager (BDM) will contact you to assist with your Expression of Interest (EOI).
2
Expression of Interest (EOI) Submission
- Work with your BDM to develop your EOI.
- Submit your EOI through the AccessOCI web portal for internal and external review.
3
Full Application Invitation
- If selected by the EOI External Review Panel, receive an invitation to submit a Full Application.
- Ensure your BDM endorses your full application for eligibility and suitability.
4
Full Application Submission
- Complete the Full Proposal Questionnaire.
- Obtain and include a signed Letter of Support from contributing partner organizations.
- Negotiate intellectual property agreements with project partners prior to application submission.
- Submit the Full Application through the AccessOCI web portal.
5
Proposal Presentation
If your Full Application meets the minimum scoring threshold, prepare to present your proposal in person or via video conference to the EOI External Review Panel.
6
Await Funding Decision
- The EOI External Review Panel makes funding recommendations to OCI’s Internal Review Panel.
- OCI’s Internal Review Panel makes the final decision on funding.
- Successful applicants receive notification and an outline of conditions for project activation, while unsuccessful applicants receive feedback upon request.
7
Execute Funding Agreement
Upon approval, complete and execute the OCI Funding Agreement within 30 days to activate the project.
Additional information
Here are additional relevant details for this grant:
- Applicants and Partners are required to disclose all sources of funding being applied for and/or received for the project.
- Funding recipients are required to demonstrate their projects through public showcases and communications, which require prior approval from the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI).
- All project activities must be performed within Ontario unless exceptional approval is granted by OCI.
- The OCI holds a discretionary right to an advance payment of up to 10%, which is released upon activation of the project.
- Applicants must retain all documentation of expenditures for reporting and reimbursement purposes.
- A rigorous reporting process is mandated, including quarterly interim progress reports, a final report, and retrospective surveys post-project completion to evaluate ongoing impacts.
- Funding agreements must be executed within 30 days of the project award announcement, or else the offer may be retracted.
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