Ontario Launches $50 Million Trade Fund to Boost Domestic Business Growth

The Ontario government is stepping up efforts to strengthen the province’s trade security and support local businesses with the launch of the $50 million Ontario Together Trade Fund (OTTF).

The new initiative is designed to help Ontario-based companies expand their reach across Canada, develop new markets, and rebuild domestic supply chains disrupted by U.S. trade actions. The fund aims to encourage near-term investments that will allow businesses to scale up and become more competitive within interprovincial markets.

Through a combination of grants and loans, the OTTF will provide up to $5 million per project, depending on its assessed impact. Funding is intended to support businesses looking to diversify their sales portfolios, invest in advanced technologies, increase manufacturing capacity, and secure supply chains by sourcing more equipment and supplies from within Ontario and Canada. The fund also prioritizes projects that will create or retain jobs in the province.

To qualify, applicants must be Ontario-based businesses that have been operating for at least three years and employ a minimum of five full-time equivalent staff. Projects must involve a minimum investment of $200,000 in eligible costs and must be completed within two years.

Applications for the Ontario Together Trade Fund open on April 23, 2025. The program will accept submissions on a continuous basis while the fund remains open.

More information, including eligibility details and application guidelines, is available on the Ontario government website at:
www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-together-trade-fund.