Hamilton Small Business Grants (2025): 23 Funding Programs to Help Hamilton Entrepreneurs

Hamilton is currently marketing itself a prime business centre, given its proximity to border crossings and international airports, and the number of Hamilton small business grants certainly don’t hurt!

In this complete guide we cover 23 programs that are available specifically for Hamilton entrepreneurs.

City of Hamilton Mandate

The City’s vision “To be the best place to raise a child and age successfully” reflects the kind of city Hamiltonians want to aspire to become. It means having an inclusive community, actively engaged in making Hamilton a better place for everyone. It is creating an accessible environment, supporting residents through all of life’s stages, and one that encourages positive development of children as they grow towards becoming healthy adults and seniors.

The City of Hamilton’s economic development mandate is to retain and create living-wage jobs, increase the non-residential tax base, and increase Hamilton’s attractiveness as “the best place to raise a child and age successfully”.

City of Hamilton Priorities

The City of Hamilton’s priorities include:

  • Climate change,
  • Multi-modal transportation,
  • Homelessness & affordable housing,
  • Equity, diversity & inclusion,
  • Integrated growth and development,
  • Trust & confidence in city government,
  • Fiscal health and financial management, and
  • A healthy, respectful and supportive workplace.

The City of Hamilton’s economic development priorities include:

  • Facilitating a skilled and adaptable workforce,
  • Enhancing digital infrastructure and services,
  • Growing business and investments,
  • Moving goods and people,
  • Revitalizing priority areas and placemaking, and
  • Building transformational projects.

You can learn about City of Hamilton’s economic development priorities by reading its 2021-25 Economic Development Action Plan.

What Can Hamilton Small Business Grants Be Used For?

Hamilton small business grants can be used to pay for many aspects of starting or running a business. Here are some of the uses that are covered by programs in our grants database:

  • Covering the costs of construction and or redevelopment of sustainable industrial, commercial, mixed-use and multi-unit residential buildings and land development in the urban area
  • Funding support for research and development, product development, mentorship, and coaching
  • Conserving and restoring heritage features of properties used for commercial, institutional, industrial, or multi-residential purposes

See the section below with a complete list of grants available for the small businesses in the City of Hamilton.

Am I Eligible for a Hamilton Small Business Grant? Common Eligibility Criteria

Two of the most common questions we get asked at Ontario Business Grants are “Am I eligible?” and “How do I qualify?”.

We analyzed the Hamilton small business grants in our grants database, and these are the most common qualifications we identified:

  • Have commercial units on properties zoned to permit commercial uses in the City of Hamilton
  • Have commercial units that are accessible to the public/customers and may include, but not be limited to, retail uses, artist studios/galleries containing a retail component and/or dine-in or take-out restaurants
  • Have met the goals of the Revitalizing Hamilton’s Commercial Districts Community Improvement Plan
  • Be developing, redeveloping or renovating lands and buildings within the Hamilton area
  • Be for-profit organizations in the City of Hamilton, registered and incorporated in Canada

Note: these are just the most common eligibility criteria – there are many grants with different requirements.

Hamilton Small Business Grants: Current Grants Available

In the table below we list the grants currently available to Hamilton small businesses.

To learn more about each program, just click the program name and you’ll be taken to a web page that provides detailed information on the program, including eligibility, the dollar amount of the program, and how to apply for the grant:

Trade Accelerator Program (TAP)

Amount:

no fixed amount

Type of Program:

Accelerator

Description:

The Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) is an innovative 4 week virtual and in-person initiative, designed to accelerate the strategic development of your business and to better prepare you for an expansion into international markets. The TAP program will connect your business with top industry experts, provide you with the necessary coaching needed to build a personalized export strategy, and equip you with the tools and resources to find success as you grow your business. Each cohort will have access to an e-learning platform that will facilitate networking with other participants, peer learning opportunities, inventory of learning materials, access to resources, and engagement with other TAP graduates.

More Info

Synapse Life Science Pitch Competition

Amount:

$50,000.00

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

Innovation Factory’s Synapse Competition is Ontario’s premier life science pitch competition. Designed to help move your innovative life science products and services out of the lab and into the market, the competition pairs innovators with business and entrepreneurship students, and provides the training, mentorship, and resources to be successful.

More Info

Start-up and Office Tenant Attraction (SOTA) Program

Amount:

$450,000

Type of Program:

Loan

Description:

The Start-up and Office Tenant Attraction (SOTA) Program is intended to provide
low-interest Loans or Forgivable Loans that will facilitate the undertaking of eligible leasehold
improvements to office space by property owners or authorized tenants in order to support the
creation of new office space and improve the marketability and attractiveness of existing office
space. This Program will serve as a tool to reduce office vacancy rates in Downtown Hamilton
and other eligible commercial areas and serve as a means of attracting new and expanding office
uses and businesses to Hamilton.

More Info

Southern Ontario Pharmaceutical & Health Innovation Ecosystem (SOPHIE) Program

Amount:

$100,000.00

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

Southern Ontario Pharmaceutical & Health Innovation Ecosystem (SOPHIE) Program brings together Innovation Factory’s commercialization services with the Synapse Life Science Consortium’s strategic network to leverage access to Hamilton’s unique life sciences capabilities and research expertise. This funding will support collaborative projects for Ontario-based life science firms in the later stages of commercialization and in need of financing to secure technology validation and first sale.

More Info

Revitalizing Hamilton Tax Increment Grant Program

Amount:

no fixed amount

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

The Revitalizing Hamilton Tax Increment Grant Program (the Program) is intended to provide a Grantto incentivize property owners within strategic commercial districts to develop,redevelop or otherwise improve properties and/or buildings (including designated heritage buildings) in a mannerthat will supportthe broader revitalization ofthe commercial district as well as generate new municipal property tax revenue through increased property assessments.

More Info

LiONʼS LAIR

Amount:

No fixed amount

Type of Program:

Competition

Description:

LiONʼS LAIR is an annual competition presented by Innovation Factory in partnership with the City of Hamilton Economic Development office, which brings together the entrepreneurship and innovation community in Hamilton. The competition gives up-and-coming entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their business to a panel of Hamilton’s top business experts for a chance to win cash prizes.

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LEED Grant Program

Amount:

no fixed amount

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

The intent of the LEED Grant Program is to provide an economic catalyst for the construction and or redevelopment of sustainable industrial, commercial, mixed-use and multi-unit residential (as defined in Part 3 (Group C) of the National Building Code) buildings and land development in the urban area. This program applies to the Hamilton LEEDING the Way Community Improvement Project Area (as such boundaries are presently defined).

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Investment Readiness program

Amount:

No funding involved

Type of Program:

In-Kind Support

Description:

The Founders Fast Track program helps your start-up with customer development, crafting a successful pitch, financial planning strategies, and understanding market trends. The program concludes with a speed pitching event with investors, and the top 10 start-ups are invited to compete for cash prizes at Innovation Factory’s LiONS LAIR competition.

More Info

Innovation Factory i.d.e.a. Fund

Amount:

$20,000.00

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

This program will provide specialized industry expertise to develop growth plans and related strategies in areas such as talent attraction, raising follow-on investment, product development and quantification of product benefits/market value propositions, commercialization of intellectual property, and market diversification. Each RIC will distribute up to a maximum of $20,000 in matching seed funding to select innovative businesses in various sectors.

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Hamilton Soft Landing

Amount:

No funding involved

Type of Program:

In-Kind Support

Description:

Companies looking to develop or acquire a new business, grow their customer base, open a satellite office, or develop distribution channels or partnerships are welcome to ‘land’ in Hamilton, Ontario – the gateway to possibility!

Book a 30-minute Discovery Call with our Global Hamilton Team to learn why Hamilton is the place for your business and gain access to relevant resources and connections to ensure a smooth transition.

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Hamilton Heritage Property Grant (HHPG) Program

Amount:

$150,000

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

The Hamilton Heritage Property Grant (HHPG) Program is intended to provide financial assistance in the form of a grant for structural / stability work required to conserve and restore heritage features of properties used for commercial, institutional, industrial or multi-residential purposes; the conservation and restoration of heritage features of properties; and for heritage studies/reports/assessments for properties that are designated under Parts IV or V of the Ontario Heritage Act.

More Info

Hamilton Heritage Conservation Grant Program (HHCGP)

Amount:

$5,000

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

The Hamilton Heritage Conservation Grant Program (HHCGP) is intended to provide financial assistance in the form of matching grants between $1,000 to $5,000 for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage resources. The objective of the Hamilton Heritage Conservation Grant Program is to assist in the on-going conservation of heritage properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act that are not eligible for the Hamilton Heritage Property Grant Program (HHPGP).

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Hamilton Ecosystem to Accelerate & Leverage Trials of Health Innovation (HEALTHI) Program

Amount:

$15,000.00

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

HEALTHI program provides an opportunity for Canadian life science firms to work directly with the Research Administration groups at Hamilton Health Sciences or The Research Institute at St. Joe’s Hamilton to create the pre-trial protocols and documents required to undertake a commercialization project or clinical trial in one of Canada’s leading research hospitals.

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Hamilton Community Heritage Fund

Amount:

$50,000

Type of Program:

Loan

Description:

The Hamilton Community Heritage Fund will be the source of funding for this loan program. The purpose of the loan is to act as a catalyst for stimulating the rejuvenation of designated heritage properties within the City of Hamilton.
Acting as a lender, the City provides financial support for the program and ensures that conservation and development activity arising from the program within the City is consistent with sound principles of managing and protecting designated heritage properties.

More Info

Foreign Direct Investment

Amount:

No funding involved

Type of Program:

In-Kind Support

Description:

The members of Hamilton’s Economic Development team are equipped to provide you with personalized service for your business. Hamilton’s Foreign Direct Investment plan and its Business Attraction Program have successfully generated awareness of the city as a premiere North American business hub where local and international businesses can grow.

More Info

ERASE Tax Assistance (ETA) Program

Amount:

no fixed amount

Type of Program:

Tax Credit

Description:

The ERASE Tax Assistance (ETA) Program is intended to reduce the tax increase resulting from the remediation and redevelopment of a brownfield site in order to mitigate costs required to remediate historical environmental contamination on brownfield sites in support of their redevelopment/reuse. The tax cancellation provided under this Program enables brownfield sites to be viable candidates for redevelopment relative to non-contaminated sites, supports the intensification/infill of existing vacant and underutilized sites, reduces the need for greenfield lands to accommodate future population and employment growth, and generates new property tax revenue through increased property assessments.

More Info

ERASE Redevelopment Grant (ERG) Program

Amount:

no fixed amount

Type of Program:

Grants

Description:

The ERASE Redevelopment Grant (ERG) Program is intended to provide tax increment-based Grants towards costs required to remediate historical environmental contamination on brownfield sites in support of their redevelopment/reuse. By providing Grants to mitigate these financial impediments, the Program enables brownfield sites to be viable candidates for redevelopment relative to non-contaminated sites, supports the intensification/infill of existing vacant and underutilized sites, reduces the need for greenfield lands to accommodate future population and employment growth, and generates new municipal property tax revenue through increased property assessments.

More Info

ERASE Commercial District Remediation Loan (ECDRL) Program

Amount:

$400,000

Type of Program:

Loan

Description:

The ERASE Commercial District Remediation Loan (ECDRL) Program provides low-interest Loans which are intended to overcome barriers owners may face obtaining traditional financing for costs required to remediate historical environmental contamination on brownfield sites in support of their redevelopment/reuse. Specifically, this Program is intended to work in concert with broader efforts to support the revitalization of strategic commercial districts and corridors, including those programs and initiatives established under the Revitalizing Hamilton’s Commercial Districts Community Improvement Plan.

More Info

Downtown and Barton/Kenilworth Housing Opportunities Program

Amount:

$4,000,000

Type of Program:

Loan

Description:

The Downtown and Barton/Kenilworth Housing Opportunities Program (the Program) is
intended to provide financial assistance in the form of a low-interest Loan to promote the
development of multiple dwelling units that will create new housing opportunities and support
robust local commercial district populations that add vibrancy and support demand for local
commercial businesses/services. Activities supported by this program include:
– The creation of at least 10 new dwelling units through the development of a multiple
dwelling on vacant land, surface parking areas or the redevelopment of existing
buildings;
– A building addition containing at least 10 new dwelling units; and/or,
– The conversion of existing non-residential space into housing consisting of at least 10
new dwelling units

More Info

Commercial Vacancy Assistance (CVA) Program

Amount:

$10,000

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

The Commercial Vacancy Assistance (CVA) Program will provide financial assistance in the
form of a Grant to new permanent or ‘pop­up’ commercial tenants of a presently vacant at, or
below grade, commercial space so as to make permanent interior improvements for the
purposes of improving the attractiveness and usability of the space for the intended
commercial use. To be eligible, the intended commercial use must be accessible to the public/
customers and may include, but not be limited to, retail uses, artists studios/galleries
containing a retail component, personal service businesses, microbreweries, commercial
entertainment uses, commercial recreation uses and/or dine-in or take-out restaurants

More Info

Commercial District Revitalization Grant Program

Amount:

$12,500

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

The Commercial District Revitalization Grant Program is intended to provide
Grants that will support long-lasting and predominantly exterior physical improvements to the
appearance, accessibility and environmental sustainability of commercial or mixed-use
commercial properties located within strategic commercial districts, including Business
Improvement Areas (BIA), whose visibility and long-term success contributes to Hamilton’s
image for both residents and visitors. Activities supported by this program include:
• Exterior building façade improvements;
• Exterior/interior improvements that achieve Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities
Act (AODA) standards;
• Exterior building/property improvements which improve appearance or functionality
including those that enhance environmental sustainability of the building/property; and
• Limited interior mechanical/ventilation improvements for restaurant uses

More Info

Commercial District Housing Opportunities Program

Amount:

$600,000

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

The Commercial District Housing Opportunities Program (the Program) is intended to provide
financial assistance in the form of a low-interest Loan and Grant to promote the improvement
or development of dwelling units that will create new/improved housing opportunities support
robust local commercial district populations that add vibrancy and support demand for local
commercial businesses/services. Activities supported by this program include:
– Converting existing non-residential spaces into dwelling units where permitted in accordance with the applicable City zoning by-law;
– Undertaking renovations to existing dwelling units;
– Creation of new dwelling units, including accessory Dwelling Units, via building additions or new detached accessory buildings, including laneway housing; and/or
– Creation of new dwelling units through development of vacant land, surface parking lots or redevelopment of existing buildings.

More Info

CAMEDA Program — Canadian Medtech Alliance​

Amount:

$100,000.00

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

The Canadian Medtech Alliance (CAMEDA) program brings together leading Ontario contract design and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) with Innovation Factory’s commercialization services to catalyze medtech manufacturing in Canada. While also leveraging the Synapse Life Science Consortium’s strategic network, CAMEDA recipients have access to the unique life science capabilities and research expertise of the Hamilton ecosystem and beyond.

This funding will support collaborative projects for Ontario-based life science firms in the later stages of commercialization and in need of financing to advance regulatory approvals, conduct clinical trials, and undertake initial batch manufacturing.

More Info

Barton / Kenilworth Tax Increment Grant (BKTIG) Program

Amount:

no fixed amount

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

The Barton/Kenilworth Tax Increment Grant Program is intended to provide a Grant to incentivize property owners located along the Barton Street East and Kenilworth Avenue North commercial corridors to develop, redevelop or otherwise improve properties and/or buildings (including designated heritage buildings) in a manner that will support the broader revitalization of these districts as well as generate new municipal property tax revenue through increased property assessments.

More Info

Barton / Kenilworth Revitalization Grant (BKRG) Program

Amount:

$50,000

Type of Program:

Grant

Description:

The Barton / Kenilworth Revitalization Grant Program is intended to support the development
of properties as well as the maintenance, functionality, viability, accessibility and aesthetics of
existing commercial, mixed use commercial, multi-residential or institutional use buildings
within the Barton Street and Kenilworth Avenue North commercial corridors which were the
subject of the Barton and Kenilworth Commercial Corridors Study.

More Info

Barton / Kenilworth Planning and Building Fees Rebate (BKPBFR) Program

Amount:

$50,000

Type of Program:

Rebate

Description:

The Barton/Kenilworth Planning and Building Fees Rebate (BKPBFR) Program is intended to provide grants that will serve as a rebate of specific Planning and Building application fees for
approved development-related applications which will support the redevelopment of underutilized properties as well as further facilitate the undertaking of works that will improve the
maintenance, functionality, viability, accessibility and aesthetics of existing commercial, mixed
use commercial, multi-residential or institutional use buildings within the Barton Street East and
Kenilworth Avenue North commercial corridors which were the subject of the Barton and
Kenilworth Commercial Corridors Study.

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Artist in Residence (AIR) program

Amount:

No fixed amount

Type of Program:

In-Kind Support

Description:

The Artist in Residence (AIR) program provides a selected recipient with access to free studio space and associated benefits of being absorbed in the creative ecology of The Cotton Factory, with support provided by the Women’s Art Association of Hamilton. The AIR program is designed to enhance individual artistic practices and support professional aspirations of emerging and mid-career artists/creatives in Hamilton. Recipients are selected by an adjudication panel of Hamilton-based arts professionals and previous AIR recipients.

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The Bottom Line

Here’s the bottom line, Hamilton entrepreneurs: there are so many more programs available to help you start, grow, or maintain your business than you may have thought.

From incentives to encourage you to become more energy efficient and save money on your hydro bills, to intensive incubator programs that could explode your business plus give you access to investors, to grants to help you restore that heritage property you love, you’ll find something that works for you at the municipal level.

And before you even begin to wade through the financial incentive programs available only to those business owners in Hamilton, remember to sift through all the available provincial and federal programs too!

But wait. Don’t forget to join your Chamber of Commerce, the Hamilton Business Centre, the Innovation Factory, and your local BIA to add even more tools to your entrepreneur tool belt.

City of Hamilton Contact

Hamilton City Hall:

71 Main Street West, 7th Floor
Hamilton, Ontario L8P 4Y5
Phone: 1-800-868-1329

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