Wage subsidies for employers who hire youth aged 15 to 30 for summer jobs. Not-for-profits can get up to 100% of the provincial or territorial minimum wage; public employers and private businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees can get up to 50%. Applications for summer 2027 are open until December 3, 2026 at 11:59 pm Pacific.
Hiring and wages: grants and funding in Ontario
6 current programs, 4 open now, ordered by deadline. Always check the funder’s page before you apply.
Includes federal programs open to applicants in Ontario. All of Canada
Current programs6
Open now4
Only for Ontario2
Funders3
Current programs
Up to $5,000,000
Ontario funding for businesses expanding in eastern Ontario (at least 3 years operating, 10+ employees or 5 in rural areas, creating at least 5 jobs, investing at least $500,000 or $200,000 rural): interest-free loans of up to 15% of costs to $5 million, with grants in some cases. Community projects can get grants of up to 50%, to $1.5 million. The next application deadline is January 21, 2027.
Up to $5,000,000
Ontario funding for businesses expanding in southwestern Ontario (at least 3 years operating, 10+ employees or 5 in rural areas, creating at least 5 jobs, investing at least $500,000 or $200,000 rural): interest-free loans of up to 15% of costs to $5 million, with grants in some cases. Community projects can get grants of up to 50%, to $1.5 million. The next application deadline is January 21, 2027.
Up to $5,000
Wage subsidies of up to $5,000 per work placement for employers anywhere in Canada who hire post-secondary students. Employers apply year-round through one of 18 delivery partners (such as Technation, ECO Canada, BioTalent Canada and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce); some partners may be at capacity.
Research internships with graduate students and postdocs, co-funded by Mitacs. A partner organization (business, not-for-profit, hospital or municipality) contributes from $7,500 per 4- or 6-month internship and Mitacs matches it, for a $15,000 research award. Applications are taken on a rolling basis; talk to a Mitacs advisor first.
Business strategy internships with a post-secondary student: a $10,000 award per 4- or 6-month internship, of which the partner organization pays $5,000 (or a $15,000 model with at least $7,500 from the partner). Businesses, not-for-profits, hospitals and municipalities can apply at any time through the Mitacs portal.