Support Programs

How Canadians do business has changed. To stay competitive and grow, small and medium-sized businesses need to adopt new digital tools.

The new Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP), which will provide $4 billion over four years to support up to 160,000 small businesses and create good middle-class jobs across the country, including thousands of jobs for young Canadians.

Under the CDAP, Canadian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be able to assess their digital readiness and apply for grants and loans online. This funding will help them: leverage e-commerce opportunities, upgrade or adopt digital technologies, and digitize their operations to stay competitive and meet their customers’ needs in the digital marketplace.

Funding opportunities

• Grow Your Business Online
  Apply for a micro-grant and access e-commerce advisors to help you go digital and take advantage of e-commerce opportunities.
  
  Apply Now

Apply now for the Canada Summer Jobs wage subsidy help creating quality summer work experiences for young people aged 15 to 30 years. 

The Government of Canada program provides wage subsidies to employers from not-for-profit organizations and the public sector, as well as private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees. 

Canada Summer Jobs is a program under the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, which aims to provide flexible and holistic services to help all young Canadians develop the skills and gain paid work experience to successfully transition into the labour market. The earliest job start date is April 22, 2024. The latest job start date is July 22, 2024. The latest job end date is August 31, 2024.

Applications are due by January 10, 2024.

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My Main Street is a $15-million investment to foster the stabilization and revitalization of main streets across southern Ontario. The program will offer streamlined direct-to-business supports and complementary programming for community projects that will encourage growth and economic prosperity. There are two streams for the program:

Business Sustainability: 

The My Main Street Business Sustainability stream will provide non-repayable contributions for businesses located on main streets across southern Ontario that provide a business case on how the funding will strengthen their existing capacity and support growth. Funding will be made available to businesses that employ between 1 and 50 staff, have demonstrated revenue growth, and provide a business case on how the funding will strengthen their existing capacity and support their growth. Applications open February 22, 2024 and close March 31, 2024. 

Community Activator: 

The My Main Street Community Activator stream will support local, high-impact placemaking projects including events and festivals, community enhancements, and streetscape improvements designed to draw visitors and increase local vibrancy. Funding will be allocated to provide non-repayable contributions up to $250,000 to support community not-for-profit projects. Applications open February 22, 2024 and close March 31, 2024. 

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Aimed squarely at the tourism and hospitality sector, the Propel Student Work Placement Program is helping the hardest-hit sector recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic.

Funded by the Government of Canada’s Student Work Placement Program, Propel offers post-secondary students opportunities to develop the work-ready skills required to secure meaningful employment upon graduation. Propel offers registered Canadian businesses, startups, and not-for-profits related to the tourism and hospitality sector a subsidy on each qualifying student’s wages.

The wage subsidy is available for employers who hire students enrolled at a recognized post-secondary institution for a paid position to fulfil the co-op or internship component of their program. The wage subsidy can be accessed by businesses from all facets of the visitor economy: accommodations, food and beverage services, recreation and entertainment, transportation, and travel services.

How Does It Work?

Employers register on the Propel online portal, post the position they wish to fill, hire a student, and then apply for a wage subsidy.

The goal is to accelerate the integration of new graduates with high-growth job prospects, as well as foster improved and sustainable partnerships between employers and the post-secondary education system.

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The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) is now accepting applications for the Tourism Workforce & Sustainability (TWSP) program - a program designed to build a truly sustainable workforce by introducing tangible tools, including Ontario Living Wage top-ups, to attract and retain workers from underrepresented groups: BIPOC (black, Indigenous, person of colour), Indigenous Peoples, Justice Involved Individuals, New Canadians, Persons with Disabilities, Racialized Groups, Women, & Youth (15-29). 

The Tourism Workforce Sustainability Program aims to expand and diversify Ontario’s tourism workforce while helping employers retain employees for the long-term sustainability of their businesses and the industry. TIAO will support employers in attracting and retaining 200 new tourism employees across the province. All tourism industry employers and positions are eligible. Employees in the program will also have access to unique mentorship opportunities to support their individual lifestyle and career goals.

Who is eligible?

Employers who register for the program will receive tools and support to fill vacant positions, targeting job-seekers from new, diverse and inclusive labour pools.  Once an eligible person is hired, participating employers will:

• Offer the new hire a roadmap to career advancement as a guide, (template is available)*
• Pay the Ontario Living Wage applicable in the region (the gap between the historic wage for the position and the Ontario Living Wage will be reimbursed by TIAO for 6 months, and we also accept applicants that are only hiring seasonally; additional financial support is available in limited quantity for Indigenous employees through the Three Fires program)*
• Offer access to skills development and training resources offered through the program by OTEC and other TIAO partners
• Participate in financial coaching and training to build the capacity to sustain higher wages in the long term

The Intake period for employers is now open.

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