funding

The Government of Canada has launched the Tourism Relief Fund, to be delivered through FedDev and FedNor Ontario. The Tourism Relief Fund supports tourism businesses and organizations to adapt their operations to meet public health requirements while investing in products and services to facilitate their future growth. This fund has a $500 million budget (ending March 31, 2023) and will focus on product development and destination development. The fund will empower businesses to create or enhance tourism experiences and products to attract visitors and to help the sector provide the best Canadian tourism experiences. 

Contributions to businesses will be either non-repayable contributions up to $100,000 for up to 50% of eligible costs OR fully repayable contributions up to $500,000 for up to 75% of eligible costs. 

The fund will offer a minimum of $50 million to support Indigenous tourism initiatives and $15 million will be dedicated to national initiatives that support the advancement of national tourism priorities. Eligible applicants include tourism entities that cater mainly to visitors, such including businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and band councils or other Indigenous organizations and cooperatives.  

To be considered eligible for this fund, applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria: 

• Be a key supplier or operator in the visitor experience; 
• Be part of a defined tourism cluster or a tourism dependent community, including supporting downtown cores; or 
• Provide an anchor product or service in a tourism destination. 

For more information on eligibility and how to apply, please consult the Tourism Relief Fund – Application guide - FedDev Ontario  or Tourism Relief Fund - FedNor

This Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) aims to help communities across Canada build and improve community infrastructure projects so they can rebound from the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. With a national investment of $500 million over two years (ending March 31, 2023), the Fund’s purpose is to support not-for-profit organizations, municipalities Indigenous communities, and other community groups: 

• build new community infrastructure and revitalize existing assets 
• bring people back to public spaces safely as health measures ease 
• create jobs and stimulate local economies 

The maximum contribution amount per project shall not exceed $750k and applications are strongly advised to be submitted by July 23, 2021. The Fund will provide support for adapting and reimagining/re-envisioning community spaces and maintaining accessibility standards so that they may safely be used by communities; and building or improving community infrastructure through the expansion, improvement or creation of community spaces to encourage Canadians to re-engage in and explore their communities and regions. 

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There are 4 priorities that have been identified for the CCRF: Downtown core and main street, Outdoor space, Green projects, and Accessibility.  

Eligible costs include those already eligible under current program authorities and include all costs deemed reasonable and necessary for carrying out eligible projects that contribute to achieving the Fund’s objective. Max contribution rate for eligible project costs shall not normally exceed 75%; for assistance provided to an Indigenous not-for-profit organization or a band, the maximum contribution rate for eligible costs may go up to 100%. 

Financial assistance will be non-repayable contributions. The maximum contribution amount per project shall not exceed $750K. The actual contribution amount will be based on the minimum amount required to carry out the project. 

Disbursement of Funding an initial Advance Payment will be issued based on the cost forecast and the final claim will be required to reconcile the advance payment and to allow release of the balance of funds, as required. 

Application Process There is a two-phase application process and assessment of applications will begin on July 23, 2021. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications by this date. Should there be remaining funding after the scheduled intake period, applications will continue to be accepted and funded on a continuous intake basis over the next two years or until such a time as the allocated funding is fully distributed. 

FedDev Applicants 

To start your application please visit Canada Community Revitalization Fund - Application guide - FedDev Ontario 

FedNor Applicants 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact FedNor to discuss their project with a FedNor Program Officer, for more information and how to begin the application process, please visit Canada Community Revitalization Fund application form and instructions - FedNor. 

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), in collaboration with Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO), and the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC), are now accepting applications for A Three Fires Collaborative Quest Program - a program designed to support recovery and growth of the province’s Indigenous tourism workforce by building the labour pool and filling critical gaps within the industry.

The program, aptly named A Three Fires Collaborative Quest, will be executed in three phases - each managed by one of the three aforementioned partners respectively.

Indigenous tourism businesses will receive one-on-one coaching and support from ITO’s Indigenous Business Advisory (IBA) Program to assist in getting them market ready for the reopening. The structured content delivered to participants of the IBA Program will address all areas of a tourism operation required for business sustainability and success and will follow market-ready standards established specifically for the Indigenous tourism industry.

The second fire will be managed by OTEC who will design and execute workshops to provide customized frontline training for 100+ Indigenous tourism employees as well as the IBA group.

The third fire, executed by TIAO, is an employee-to-employer matching event designed to bridge the gap between the other two fires by helping Indigenous tourism employees find employers, and conversely, tourism businesses (both Indigenous and non-Indigenous) find employees.

To apply for the program as a potential employee, you must self-identify as Indigenous. You will have the opportunity to participate in training workshops facilitated by OTEC and you will be matched with tourism employers to complete a paid job placement.

To apply for the program as an employer, you must be a tourism business in Ontario, and you must be willing to support your new employee’s training and development in collaboration with the program. After completing the program you will be eligible to receive a wage subsidy of 30%, to a maximum of $3,000 per employee hired.

To apply, click here. 

The Government of Ontario is providing a one-time $10 million grant in 2021 to help wineries and cideries with on-site stores whose business were impacted by COVID-19 safety measures.  

The new Winery Agri-Tourism COVID-19 Relief Initiative will provide a one-time grant to eligible wineries and cideries with on-site retail stores in September 2021. Eligible businesses will receive a payment this fall based on their sales of wine in 2020-2021 in their on-site store.  

Eligibility 

To be eligible, businesses that were in operation prior to March 17, 2020 will need to attest to either a revenue decline in at least one line item of business, such as decreased tourism, tours, events and tastings or increased expenses to comply with public health safety measures for COVID-19. They must also be licenced to sell wine products at an on-site retail store, be a licenced winery or corporation with a controlling interest in one or more Affiliated Licenced Wineries and comply with tax collection and remittance obligations to the Ministry of Finance.  

Agricorp will send applications directly to eligible wineries/cideries on July 20, with a deadline to apply by August 6, 2021. 

For more information, please visit Ontario Supporting Wineries, Cideries and Agri-Tourism Industry with Relief Initiative | Ontario Newsroom