You could get a grant of up to $3 million to cover 30% of eligible costs when you collaborate with at least 2 partners on projects designed to diversify and transform Ontario’s forest sector.
The Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program (FSIIP) provides funding for strategic investments in the forest sector that:
- improve productivity and innovation
- enhance competitiveness
- support new market access
- provide benefits to Ontario’s broader forest sector
- strengthen regional economies
Support is available under two project categories – business projects and collaboration projects.
Eligibility
Business projects
Support is available for projects with at least $3 million in eligible costs undertaken by for-profit manufacturers and processors of wood and forest biomass across Ontario, including:
- saw mills
- pulp and paper mills
- secondary wood manufacturers
- bio-economy projects
Harvesting and resource extraction projects are not eligible for funding.
Collaboration projects
Support is available for Ontario-based projects with at least $3 million in eligible costs undertaken through a collaboration of:
- forest sector for-profit businesses
- not-for-profit research organizations
- forest industry associations
- academia
Eligible collaborations should develop, diversify and transform Ontario’s forest sector through innovation in technology, process and/or products.
A minimum of three partners are required (including at least one Ontario-based for-profit forestry/wood products company).
Funding amounts
Business projects
You can receive funding support of up to 30% of eligible costs in the form of a performance-based loan (of which, up to 50% may be forgivable).
Grants of up to 15% of eligible costs may be considered in exceptional situations at the discretion of the province.
Stacking with other provincial funding programs is not allowed. Stacking with other government support (for example, federal or municipal) is allowed to a maximum of 50% of eligible project costs.
Collaboration projects
You can receive funding support of up to 30% of eligible costs in the form of a grant to a maximum of $3 million.
Stacking with other government funding programs (for example, federal, provincial and municipal) is allowed to a maximum of 75% of eligible project costs.
Selection process
To be selected for funding, projects must:
- demonstrate strong alignment with the program’s objectives, which are to:
- enhance productivity and competitiveness
- increase innovation
- create greater market access for Ontario firms
- improve the competitiveness of Ontario’s broader forest sector
- strengthen regional economies
- demonstrate need for government financial support to complete the project and have sufficient funding to complete the project (when combined with proposed support from FSIIP).
- pass a two-stage project evaluation process:
- Stage I: project overview to determine whether project meets eligibility criteria and assessment of how well the project aligns with the objectives of the program
- Stage II: competitive, rounds-based project evaluation process, including financial and technical due diligence
Funding is approved through a competitive rounds-based process. Although a project may meet all program objectives and criteria, there is no guarantee it will be approved, as there may be other projects submitted that more effectively meet program objectives and criteria.