Get a repayable contribution to increase efficiency, modernize your facilities or increase export sales for your SME manufacturing business.
FedNor is committed to supporting Northern Ontario’s economy by encouraging businesses to become more innovative, productive and competitive. Through its Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program, FedNor can help existing Northern Ontario manufacturers upgrade and improve capital equipment used in manufacturing processes, including information and communications technology, to improve their competitiveness and productivity.
Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are established manufacturers located in Northern Ontario, with 500 or fewer employees. For further clarity, established manufacturers means firms currently operating, whose primary line of business is the manufacture of a commercial product and that are planning for growth.
Eligible Project Activities
- Activities that aim at improving and modernizing the manufacturing process, leading to increased productivity and competitiveness.
Eligible Project Costs
- Eligible project costs include all expenses directly related to the project and deemed reasonable and necessary for its execution. Costs may include:
- plant equipment purchases, including digital hardware and software that are a direct part of the manufacturing process;
- installation and commissioning of new equipment;
- training on the use of new equipment;
- implementation of recommendations from an Operational Assessment, such as lean manufacturing, ISO certification, quality controls, information and communications technology or other operational and managerial improvements; and
- modernizing the production facility through upgrades to existing production equipment (e.g., automation, robotics, ancillary systems).
- Eligible costs must be for arm’s-length purchases.
Ineligible Costs
Certain activities and costs will not be considered eligible, including:
- land, building, vehicles, marketing, studies, overhead, depreciation and salaries.
Funding Conditions
- Assistance available for SMEs is repayable.
- Generally, FedNor will contribute up to 33% of eligible capital costs and up to 50% of eligible non-capital costs.
- If applicants incur costs to implement their projects prior to approval of funding, these costs will not be considered eligible for reimbursement unless written consent is provided by FedNor.