Grants

Ontario Business Grants

Ontario Business Grants was founded to provide Ontario entrepreneurs with information on every current source of funding for their business, whether that be grants, loans, wage subsidies, tax credits, and more…all in one place! They are researchers first, and take pride in having the most comprehensive, up-to-date database of financial incentives for Ontario businesses.

Visit Ontario Business Grants to find the right Grant for your business! 

Canadian Digital Adoption Program

Technology and the pace of change has accelerated rapidly in the last few years. If you are having difficulty keeping up, or want to optimize the digital capacity of your business, consider applying for a Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) Boost Your Business Technology.

Boost Your Business Technology can help get your business online, give your e-commerce presence a boost, or digitalize your business' operations. These grants are designed to help Canadian businesses become more competitive.

In addition to helping your business scale up its technology, and become more resilient and competitive, the program also offers wage subsidies to hire youth to support the implementation of new technology and strategies.

More about Boost Your Business Technology:
        • Use a free digital assessment tool to evaluate your business’ digital readiness.
        • Get a grant of up to $15,000 to consult a digital expert and develop a digital adoption plan for your business.
        • Get up to $100,000 in interest-free loans from BDC to implement your digital adoption plan.
        • Leverage a subsidized work placement of up to $7,300 to bring on a youth to help with your digital transformation.

Apply Online Here
If you have any questions about the grant, please reach out to digitaladoption-adoptionnumerique@ised-isde.gc.ca.
If you have any questions about the wage subsidy, please reach out to boostyourbusiness@magnet.today.

 

Canadian Digital Adoption Program - Youth Boost

Youth Boost helps job seekers build the digital and human skills they need to succeed in the current job market.

Your free account gives you access to learning labs, resources, and courses from Magnet and our partners, all developed to help you understand and build the skills in demand by employers across different industries.

Our goal is to help you strengthen your portfolio of skills and projects so you can demonstrate your readiness and experience to employers. Wherever you are in your career, we can help you level up your skills and connections.

Want to know more? Here is how it works:
1. Get started today by creating a free Youth Boostaccount! Youth Boost is here to help you discover andprepare for your next opportunity!
2. Get growing: Choose from 20 learning labs from Prepr, each with a focus on different in-demand digital and human skills. Instantly access new and featured courses from diverse partners by choosing from our rotating carousel of courses when you sign-in
3. Get matched: Add new skills to your profile as you complete learning labs and courses to get matched with relevant job opportunities posted on Magnet.
4. Get Informed: Learning labs are developed with support and input from employers, industry leaders, and educators. You’ll complete projects based on real challenges, using real skills needed in your industry of choice.
5. Get Hired: Youth Boost will also connect users to paid placements offered through the Canadian Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) Boost Your Business Technology Grant, funded by the government of Canada. Participants will gain valuable experience implementing and managing technology solutions and strategies. Get started today! 

Regional Tourism Organization 7 (RTO7) Funding Programs

Regional Tourism Organization 7 (RTO7) provides strategic and collaborative leadership to build, sustain and grow tourism in BruceGreySimcoe (see map). We are one of 13 RTOs – independent, not-for-profit corporations - to which the Ontario government provides some $38 million in annual funding to lead tourism planning, marketing and development in their respective regions. Visit our website for more information www.rto7.ca. 

Operations Implementation Program

The Operations Implementation Program (OIP) is designed to assist tourism operators in BruceGreySimcoe with a $1,000 social media advertising campaign to promote their operations as part of RTO7’s 2023/24 Business Plan. Examples of eligible operational expenses that can be used to leverage marketing funds include property taxes, mortgage costs, insurance, inventory purchases, etc.

Who is eligible:
Tourism Operators

  • defined as a consumer facing organization that has direct access to the tourism consumer and relies directly on that consumer for their income
  • Must have been in business one year from the date of application
  • Must:
    • be currently serving the tourism consumer within BruceGreySimcoe, OR
    • have served the tourism consumer at some point since April 2021, OR
    • be planning to serve the tourism consumer within 45 days of the application date (e.g. a seasonal business)
  • Tourism Operators are permitted to apply for other similar programs from other assistance programs
  • Available on a “First Come, First Served” basis until funds are allocated
  • You may access this program (and vice-versa) if you have benefitted from RTO7’s Consumer Confidence Video or Image (under Resources) or Operations Implementation Program (under Programs), however you cannot be reimbursed for the same expense twice
  • You may only apply once for this program

What can you expect:

  • RTO7 will match your investment in operational expenses (i.e. mortgage payments, rent, insurance, inventory purchases, etc.) with a $1,000 (plus HST and fees) social media advertising campaign. You must be able to prove these expenditures by providing proof of payment (e.g. cancelled cheque or e-transfer confirmation) for the expenditure with the final report. Please ensure that expenses are only used once for RTO7 programs. Aside from the operational expenditures invested, there is no cost to the operator. RTO7 will cover the cost of the media spend, additional agency fees, and HST.

What’s expected of you:
Stakeholders interested in the Operations Implementation Program will be required to demonstrate the following:

  • You have an active Meta/Facebook PAGE and are actively engaged on the platform (i.e. post at a regular frequency and respond to comments within 24 hours).
  • You need to be the Facebook page owner or have access to this individual in order for our social media Agency of Record to schedule the ads to run on your platforms (this can be found under page roles in your page settings).
  • You must have current collateral (produced in the last 3 years); high-resolution images (Min 1MB) and/or 1-3 videos (60 seconds or less) that can be used in a social media campaign. See Resource Guide for best practices.
  • Your website is mobile friendly and must be up to date, reflecting your current offerings, hours of operation, and contact information.
  • Partners will need to have a landing page consistent with what is portrayed in the video/imagery (i.e. a campaign promoting ice fishing should have a related video and direct traffic to an ice fishing landing page or at minimum, a page outlining a variety of winter activities, of which ice fishing is one).

If you require more information or have any questions, contact Robyn Hewitt, rhewitt@rto7.ca / 647-549-2983 or Kim Clarke at kclarke@rto7.ca / 519-379-2506
 

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until January 31, 2024 or until the program is fully subscribed.

APPLICATION FORM

Partnership Programs

Regional Tourism Organization 7 (RTO7) is accepting applications for the 2023/24 Partnership Program which reflects RTO7’s 2023/24 Business Plan.  In the past, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport has provided the organization with additional funding, providing matching dollars can be raised from tourism partners. RTO7 will also contribute additional funds from its base funding towards these partnerships.

Strong partnerships and a coordinated, collaborative approach to product development, regional planning and marketing are essential to the future sustainability and increased competitiveness of tourism across BruceGreySimcoe.  Partnership projects will support RTO7’s business plan goals of improving profitability and preserving the environment and social fabric in and around our communities and as a result, where possible, RTO7 will integrate "Plan Ahead/Book Ahead" messaging into all program criteria.

Partnership Program Guidelines and Applications can be found below.  Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the relevant application deadlines below or until available funds have been allocated to approved projects (please note that for maximum leverage it is critical to get your application in as soon as possible! (even if the project will not occur until later in the year). Note that application approval is based on merit and alignment with RTO7 business goals.  Applications will be reviewed in the order received.  Please anticipate up to several weeks review time through the spring period. RTO7 reserves the right to limit the number of programs/funds that one stakeholder may receive per year.
 

GUIDELINES & APPLICATION FORMS
Partnership Program Guidelines

Video/Image Development Application
Experience Development / Consumer Research / Workforce Development Application
Storytelling Application
Social Media Advertising Application
Digital Advertising Application
Tourism Wayfinding, Trails & Cycling Signage Application
French Translation Services Application
Trade Show Booth Space Reimbursement Application

If you have any questions or would like to discuss an idea for partnership, please contact Alex at ahogan@rto7.ca.

Recruitment Implementation Program

The Recruitment Implementation Program (RIP) has been designed to offer additional support to BruceGreySimcoe tourism operators in their workforce recruitment efforts as part of RTO7’s 2023/24 Business Plan. Examples of eligible operational expenses that can be used to leverage marketing funds include property taxes, mortgage costs, insurance, inventory purchases, etc. The term ‘tourism operator’ is defined as a tourism, festival, heritage, cultural and sport, consumer-facing organization that has direct access to the consumer and relies on that tourism consumer for their income.  Franchises, DMOs, BIAs, and Chambers will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If you fall into one of these categories, please contact RTO7 staff BEFORE applying.

Who is eligible:
Tourism Operators


What can you expect:

  • RTO7 will match your investment in operational expenses (i.e. mortgage payments, rent, insurance, inventory purchases, etc.) with a $1,000 or $2,500 (plus HST and fees) social media advertising campaign for recruitment. You must be able to prove these expenditures by providing proof (receipts) of the expenditure with the final report. Please ensure that expenses are only used once when accessing RTO7 programs. RTO7 will cover additional agency fees and HST.
  • Eligible partners with less than 100 employees will receive the following per new investment:
    • $1,000 of social media advertising directed to the operator’s website home page or Facebook page through Facebook/Instagram sponsored posts
  • Eligible partners with 100 or more employees will receive the following per new investment:
    • $2,500 of social media advertising directed to the operator’s website home page or Facebook page through Facebook/Instagram sponsored posts


What’s expected of you:
Stakeholders interested in the Recruitment Implementation Program will be required to demonstrate the following:

  • You have an active Facebook PAGE and are actively engaged on the platform (i.e. post at a regular frequency and respond to comments within 24 hours).
  • You must have current collateral (produced in the last 3 years); high-resolution images (1MB minimum) and/or video (60 seconds or less) that can be used in a social media campaign. See Resource Guide for best practices.
  • Your website is mobile-friendly and should provide employment information outlining the available opportunities and clear instructions for the employment application process.  If you do not have an employment page on your website, you MUST post job opportunities on your Facebook business Page.
  • You must carry liability insurance of at least $2,000,000 and provide RTO7 with a certificate of insurance.
  • You need to be the Facebook page owner or have access to this individual to allow our social media Agency of Record to create and schedule the ads to run on your platforms (this can be found under page roles in your page settings).


Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until January 31, 2024 or until the program is fully subscribed. Please note that we require 2 to 3 weeks lead time from when you have submitted your application to the start date of your program.  This will allow sufficient time for the setup and launch of your digital marketing campaigns.

Recruitment Implementation Program Guidelines
Recruitment Implementation Program Application
 

If you require more information or have any questions, contact Kim at kclarke@rto7.ca / 519-379-2506 or Robyn at rhewitt@rto7.ca / 647-549-2983.
 

Sustainability Inclusivity Program 

The Sustainability Inclusivity Program (SIP) is designed to assist tourism operators in BruceGreySimcoe to promote a new sustainable product, experience, initiative, or inclusive business practice they’ve invested in by supporting a $2,500 social media advertising campaign. Examples of initiatives that would qualify for SIP include the development of a new experience in the shoulder season, the implementation of a green initiative to combat climate change, or the development of an experience that instills a sense of community pride.  New inclusive business practices include participation in programs like Rainbow Registered.

  • The initiative must achieve at least one of the following:
    • Improve sustainability (environmental, social, financial)
    • Reduce seasonality
    • Increase visitor yield and revenue
    • Increase the length of stay or encourage return visits
    • Implement more inclusion practices in your place of business
       

What’s expected of you:
Stakeholders interested in the Sustainability Inclusivity Program will be required to demonstrate the following:

  • You have an active Meta/Facebook PAGE and are actively engaged on the platform (i.e. post at a regular frequency and respond to comments within 24 hours).
  • You need to be the Facebook page owner or have access to this individual in order for our social media Agency of Record to schedule the ads to run on your platforms (this can be found under page roles in your page settings).
  • You must have current collateral (produced in the last 3 years); high-resolution images (Min 1MB) and/or 1-3 videos (60 seconds or less) that can be used in a social media campaign. See Resource Guide for best practices.
  • Your website is mobile friendly, must be up to date, and reflect your current offerings, hours of operation, and contact information.
  • Partners will need to have a landing page consistent with what is portrayed in the video/imagery (i.e. a campaign promoting Pride festivities should include folks from the 2SLGBTQ+ community).

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until January 31, 2024 or until the program is fully subscribed.

Sustainability Inclusivity Program Guidelines
Sustainability Inclusivity Program Application

If you require more information or have any questions, contact Robyn Hewitt, rhewitt@rto7.ca / 647-549-2983 or Kim Clarke at kclarke@rto7.ca / 519-379-2506.

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