Get up to $15,000 to cover 50% of the costs of participating in international activities that support your company’s growth. These include targeted sales trips and attendance at international market events.
Not currently accepting applications
Money
Successful applicants are eligible to receive up to $15,000 capped at 50% of the total costs for all activities.
Funding Limits
This program will cover a maximum of 50% of eligible costs.
Eligible Applicants
This program is open to interactive digital media content production companies. Ontario Creates IDM Fund – Global Market Development – File Established Companies must meet one of the following tests: at least 25% of the company’s revenue or 50% of the company’s expenditures over the previous two fiscal years comes from the creation of screen-based content products. They must also have at least one owner or full-time employee with a minimum full-time equivalent of three years of experience in the creation of professional, commercialized content for interactive platforms, networks or devices (video games, mobile content, websites, etc.)
In certain cases to support the growth and expansion of Ontario’s interactive digital media industry, applications will be accepted from New companies. A company is considered new if it has less than a year of operation or it has not yet released a product. New companies must:
- have an executive team including at least one owner or full-time employee with
- a minimum full-time equivalent of three years of professional experience in the creation of professional, commercialized content;
- be majority-owned by individuals that have a recent track record of working in Ontario.
- be prepared to incorporate immediately if their application is successful; and
- meet the relevant eligibility criteria for established companies on incorporation.
In addition, owner/operators must be able to demonstrate that they possess significant industry experience including previous attendance at key industry events. New companies should contact Ontario Creates in advance to determine their eligibility.
Work that is completed while enrolled in a post-secondary education program is not considered professional content creation.
Applications from all companies must also meet the following requirements:
be Ontario-based:
have a permanent establishment in Ontario which serves as head office and base of operations (i.e. applicant is eligible to pay corporate income taxes in Ontario; and Ontario address is listed as head office in T2 filing);
companies with more than 365 days of operation must be able to demonstrate that they had a permanent establishment in Ontario for at least one year prior to the deadline.
Be a Canadian-owned organization;
as defined in the Investment Canada Act (Canada).
Be incorporated in Ontario or federally or prepared to incorporate immediately if their application is successful;
- be in a sound financial position; and
- be in good standing with Ontario Creates at time of application submission.
The following companies are ineligible:
Ontario Creates IDM Fund – Global Market Development
- a company that is working exclusively on client-driven or fee-for-service
- a company that is primarily engaged in marketing, design, and branding service work for clients.
- private colleges and training institutions.
- a company that is delivering online services for individuals.
- a company that is not in good standing with Ontario Creates or one that is
- associated with an entity that is not in good standing with Ontario Creates.
- not-for-profit and public sector entities; and
- a company that holds a broadcast license or that has an ownership association with a company that holds a broadcast license.
Ontario Creates will only accept one application per company or associated company per fiscal year. Up to three representatives per company, per activity will be considered. At least one of the participating representatives at each activity must be a decision maker at the executive level within the applicant company. Companies are advised to choose the individual(s) best suited to take advantage of this opportunity. To be eligible, company representatives must:
- be a full time employee or owner of the applicant company (sales agents, external
- consultants, etc. are ineligible);
- be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants / permanent residents; and
- be Ontario residents.
Ontario Creates will consider providing support for a senior, long-term, part-time employee who has the authority to make key decisions for the company. If required, please contact Ontario Creates in advance of your application to determine if an exception would be allowed.
Eligible Activities
Eligible activities include virtual and in-person participation in key international industry markets and events, planned sales trips or media tours to key territories to meet with identified leads and participation in trade missions organized by industry associations and government agencies. Proposed activities must take place outside of Ontario. All activities, whether virtual or in-person must focus on international audience and business development opportunities.
Activities supported through this program must contribute to the applicant company’s business and market development goals related to their proprietary interactive digital media content projects. These projects must be intended to be experienced by an end user on an interactive digital media platform, network or device. The primary purpose of the projects must be to entertain, inform or educate the end user. The projects must also consist primarily of professional content that includes a combination of two of text, sound and images.
Proposed activities and market development goals must not be related to projects that are:
- primarily intended to sell products and/or services;
- primarily intended to promote companies and corporate and/or institutional agendas;
- primarily intended for use by corporations/businesses
- not primarily intended for a consumer audience or for use by students attending primary, secondary or post-secondary institutions;
- primarily intended for interpersonal communication;
- primarily catalogues and databases;
- primarily repurposed linear and streaming content (music, video, books,
- magazines) that have not been augmented or enhanced;
- primarily user generated content, social networking tools and/or distribution of licensed content projects provided by a third party;
- primarily technology, hardware, software, applications, tools, services, platforms,
- contrary to public policy in the opinion of Ontario Creates.
Companies may receive funding to attend the same activity year over year provided that they can demonstrate that they are pursuing new business and market development objectives. Companies that are submitting travel plans that include attendance at the activities with the same projects for more than two consecutive years must provide a case for further support and be able to demonstrate progress made with respect to business and market development objectives for relevant projects.
The number of eligible program activities is capped at five. In the event an applicant applies to the Global Market Development program with more than five activities, only the first five will be considered for funding purposes. Ontario Creates reserves the right to only relate to a portion of the business and market development plan submitted by the applicant company. Attendance at an event that is primarily for professional development, for training, to participate as a speaker, to receive an award, etc. will not be supported through this program.
While companies are strongly encouraged to submit carefully considered, realistic and well researched activity plans for the period covered by the Global Market Development program, Ontario Creates is open to adjustments to a participating company’s activities as required due to external pressures and unforeseen circumstances. ***NEW IN 2022-23 ***
Up to three activity changes are permitted over the course of the year for which the Global Market Development program applies. Prior to undertaking a new activity, recipients must notify Ontario Creates of the activity change and provide activity-specific information along with a revised budget that includes the costs associated with the new activity. Any changes, including attending additional activities, that are not approved by Ontario Creates in advance of traveling dates may not be accepted and may result in a reduction of the amount of support provided to the participating company.