Retail Business Grants in Ontario: 12 Funding Programs Currently Available
If you’re looking for retail business grants, you’re in the right place!
Because we have the most comprehensive, up-to-date guide on grants and other types of funding for entrepreneurs running retail businesses.
In this guide you’ll learn what’s available, eligibility requirements, how much you can get, and much more!
What Can Retail Business Grants Be Used For?
Retail 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:
How Much Grant Money Can I Get for My Retail Business?
In our database we currently have grants ranging from $2,400 to $100,000.
Am I Eligible for a Retail 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 retail business grants in our grants database, and these are the most common qualifications we identified:
Note: these are just the most common eligibility criteria – there are grants with different requirements.
Retail Business Grants for Ontario: Current Grants Available
In the table below we list the grants currently available to Ontario Retail 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:
$5,000,000.00
Grant
The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund provides support for projects and investments to existing businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in southwestern Ontario. The objective of the program is to provide financial support and services to help growing companies in southwestern Ontario make investments to:
1. Grow their businesses
2. Improve productivity
3. Invest in innovation and skills development
4. Pursue new markets
5. Generate broad positive regional economic impact
6. Create new good, sustainable jobs
A project is a distinct undertaking, separate from ongoing operations, that will result in benefits to the organization such as business growth or access to new markets.
$20,000.00
Grant
The Skode Program will match 3 Finalists with a mentor and provide a $5,000 non-repayable financial contribution to advance their new Indigenous culinary tourism ideas to the next level.
no fixed amount
Grant
The Save on Energy Retrofit program offers businesses in Ontario incentives to upgrade equipment, reduce energy bills, lower their carbon footprint and increase productivity. The incentives are designed to help businesses speed up their payback on energy-efficiency equipment upgrades. The program offers incentives in two streams:
– Custom stream for larger, more complex retrofit projects to capture greater energy savings;
– Prescriptive stream for targeted retrofit projects focusing on commonly used products and technologies.
$10,000
Grant
Small retail businesses are the heart of Toronto’s main streets, employ thousands of residents, and are a key driver of the city’s prosperity.
This program provides access to retail training, advisory services and mentoring opportunities. In addition, it offers a micro grant valued at $10,000 to help retail businesses develop and expand.
No fixed amount
Subsidy
Nutrition North Canada is a Government of Canada program that helps make nutritious food and some essential items more affordable and more accessible.
NNC subsidizes a list of nutritious eligible foods, as well as certain non-food items such as diapers and soap, hand-sanitizers and personal hygiene products, sold by registered retailers, suppliers, and country food processors.
$50,000.00
Competition
The HardTech Pitch Competition, held in partnership by ventureLAB and the Regional Municipality of York, is open to small and medium enterprises incorporated in Canada developing hardware innovations. Finalists will have the opportunity to pitch for their chance to take home a collective $50,000 in cash and showcase their breakthrough products and innovations in hardware technology to a broad audience including industry, investors, government, media, and more!
$125,000.00
Grant
The Grow Ontario Market Initiative provides funding to primary producers, processors and industry organizations to find and develop domestic or export market opportunities.
You may use the funding to grow your business through:
1. Marketing analysis and planning
2. New product development
3. Marketing activities
$150,000
Grant
The Food Safety and Growth Initiative (the Initiative) provides funding to small agri-food businesses to:
– modernize their food safety systems
– adopt new food safety and traceability equipment, technologies and standards
– stimulate growth in the agriculture and food sector
Funding for the Initiative comes from the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year (2023 to 2028) investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments. Up to $5 million has been allocated for the Initiative.
No fixed amount
Grant
Downtown Kitchener is a hub of activity, and downtown businesses want to make a lasting impression on visitors. Our façade grant program can help.
We offer grants to eligible downtown property owners and tenants who want to make street-facing building façade improvements.
$200,000
Grant
The Boilers program is designed to provide system upgrade, expert help and incentives to improve boiler energy efficiency and saves money. Without proper system design, boilers can waste energy and increase operational costs. Enbridge Gas’ Energy Solutions Advisors can help eligible customers identify projects and take advantage of incentives through the following programs:
1. Affordable Multi-Family Housing Program;
2. Commercial Custom Retrofit Program;
3. Industrial Custom Engineering Program.
No fixed amount
Grant
The Economic Development and Growth in Employment (EDGE) Incentive Program supports new construction or major renovation of buildings in targeted employment sectors. The program provides tax increment equivalent grants, whereby the City refunds a portion of the increase in property taxes that results from new development or redevelopments.
$5,000,000.00
Grant
The Eastern Ontario Development Fund provides support for projects and investments to existing businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in eastern Ontario. The objective of the program is to provide financial support and services to help growing companies in eastern Ontario make investments to:
1. Grow their businesses
2. Improve productivity
3. Invest in innovation and skills development
4. Pursue new markets
5. Generate broad positive regional economic impact
6. Create new good, sustainable jobs
A project is a distinct undertaking, separate from ongoing operations, that will result in benefits to the organization such as business growth or access to new markets.
$35,000
Grant
The Circular Food Innovators Fund supports local small businesses (both for-profit and not-for-profit) to implement reuse systems that replace single-use and takeaway items with reusable foodservice ware that is collected and redistributed for further use.
No fixed amount
Investment
The $500 million Growth Venture envelope continues and expands on the mandate of the previous Funds I and II. It targets late-stage, innovation-based businesses that are at an inflection point and show strong potential for meaningful scale. Our team and network give entrepreneurs the structure and strategies to build markets worldwide.