INVEST North Program — Investment — Grow Stream
Fuel your Northern Ontario expansion with up to $400,000 in contribution covering 20% of eligible costs, plus an optional $600,000 loan. You pay first and get reimbursed for the grant portion, while the loan is repaid over time. Verified against the official source on July 2, 2026; applications are open.
How we verify funding records →
“Funding in the form of a conditional contribution only of up to 20% of total eligible costs to a maximum of $400,000.”
Before you spend a dollar
Apply and get approved before you spend: this is a competitive, pre-approval program with a required detailed business plan, and costs are reimbursed only after acceptance, so do not start your project counting on this funding.
At a glance
Subject to program rules, available funding, and approval. Confirm current details with the official program administrator.
Not sure if you qualify?
Get a free, 2-minute read on whether this program fits your business. No obligation.
Check your fit →Is this for you?
- You run a product-based or B2B business in Northern Ontario, such as manufacturing or eligible tourism, and have a concrete growth project planned.
- You can cover roughly 80% of the project costs yourself or through other sources, since this is a reimbursement-style contribution.
- You are ready to prepare a detailed business plan and apply during one of the scheduled competitive rounds.
- You are planning eligible capital expenses like new construction, leasehold improvements, or equipment-related ICT.
Probably not the right fit if
- You operate a retail store, restaurant, cafe, salon, or other business that serves individual consumers directly, as these are explicitly excluded.
- You are outside Northern Ontario, or your project involves working capital, inventory, land purchase, vehicles, or refinancing an existing business.
- You need cash upfront before spending, because you must pay the costs first and receive the contribution reimbursement later.
How much you'd realistically get
The grant (called a conditional contribution) covers up to 20% of your total eligible costs, capped at $400,000, so the dollar amount depends on the size of your project and you must fund the rest. A separate optional term loan of up to 30% of eligible costs (to a maximum of $600,000) may also be offered; that portion is financing that is repaid over time, not a grant. Marketing and third-party training costs are each capped within the project (marketing is limited to 20% of other eligible costs or $75,000, whichever is less). Confirm current rates and caps on the official page.
What may be supported
- New construction or building expansion (capital construction)
- Leasehold improvements to your business space
- Land servicing costs for a project site
- Technology and IT (ICT) investments tied to the project
- Marketing for new products or new business initiatives (capped within the project)
- Training delivered by a third party (capped within the project)
What's excluded or restricted
- Retail and consumer service businesses that primarily earn revenue by providing products and services directly to individuals
- Ongoing operating costs including maintenance
- In-kind contributions
- Restructuring or refinancing of existing business operations
- Accommodation & food service businesses and related business activities
- Businesses that are primarily involved in wholesale activities
- Business plans / strategic plans / feasibility studies etc.
- Assets acquired through operating leases
- Research and development
- Land purchase/lease
- Rolling stock (e.g. cars, trucks & boats and motors)
- Project management costs / consulting costs / administration costs
- Mineral exploration, mine development and milling operations
- Working capital
- Cost of inventory
- Cellular and internet service projects
- Capital projects or leasehold improvements to residential or personal properties
- Acquisitions and buy-outs of existing businesses
- Electricity generation projects
How applying works
Effort: involvedExpect a full application with a detailed business plan, project costing, and a competitive review round, not a quick form.
- 01Confirm eligibility first: check that your business is in Northern Ontario and is not a retail, consumer-service, accommodation, food-service, or wholesale operation, and that your project costs are on the eligible list.
- 02Define your project and itemize the eligible costs (for example capital construction, leasehold improvements, ICT, or eligible marketing/training), and gather quotes.
- 03Prepare a detailed business plan, since the program is evaluated in competitive rounds and the plan is central to the review.
- 04Submit your application and business plan to NOHFC ahead of the relevant round deadline (business-plan deadlines fall on Apr 30, Jul 31, Oct 31, and Jan 31; confirm current dates).
- 05Wait for the competitive review and a funding decision before starting or committing to project spending.
- 06If approved, complete the project and submit proof of your eligible expenses to receive the contribution as a reimbursement.
Documents commonly required
- A detailed business plan for the project
- Itemized project cost estimates and supplier quotes for the eligible expenses
- Proof your business operates in Northern Ontario
- Business financial statements or other financials showing you can fund the matching share
- Receipts and proof of payment for eligible expenses at the reimbursement stage
How BBN Labs helps
- BBN coordinates your new construction or interior build-out, bringing in the right trades so you deal with one team instead of five contractors.
- BBN sets up the technology your grant funds, a website, e-commerce store, modern POS and automation, to run your expanded space efficiently.
- BBN runs your marketing campaign for new products or initiatives, using paid ads and digital outreach to drive sales as you grow.
- BBN sets up your Local SEO and Google Business Profile so customers find your expanded Northern Ontario operation first when they search.
What to know before you count on it
- It is reimbursement-style cost-share: you pay the costs and provide your matching share (roughly 80% of the project), then the contribution is paid against approved eligible expenses.
- It is competitive and discretionary: applications are evaluated in scheduled rounds, so meeting the basic rules does not guarantee funding, and a detailed business plan is required.
- The optional term loan portion is a loan, not a grant: it is repaid over time, so treat that part as financing, not free money.
- The exclusion list is long and strict: retail/consumer services, accommodation and food service, wholesale, R&D, working capital, inventory, land purchase, vehicles, consulting/admin costs, and residential property are all out, so confirm your costs qualify before you plan around it.
What are your odds?
This is a selective, competitive program judged in rounds, so approval is not guaranteed even if you are eligible; a strong, well-documented business plan and a clearly eligible project improve your standing.
Frequently asked questions
Is this free money?
No. The grant portion is a conditional contribution that reimburses up to 20% of eligible costs after approval, so you fund most of the project yourself. There is also an optional term loan of up to 30%, and a loan is repaid over time. Confirm current terms on the official page.
I run a restaurant or shop in the North. Do I qualify?
Most likely not. The program explicitly excludes retail and consumer-service businesses, as well as accommodation and food service, because they earn revenue mainly by serving individuals directly. It is aimed at product-based and business-to-business operations. Confirm your specific situation on the official page.
Can I start my project now and apply later?
Plan as if you cannot. It is a pre-approval, competitive program with a required detailed business plan, and costs are reimbursed only after acceptance. Starting early risks making your costs ineligible, so confirm timing on the official page before committing.
How much do I have to put in myself?
A significant share. The contribution covers up to 20% of eligible costs, so you must fund the remainder through your own resources or other sources. Matching funds are required, and in-kind contributions do not count. Confirm the current cost-share rules on the official page.
Related BBN services
Business Websites
Fast, search-ready websites your customers can actually use. Built, hosted and maintained by one accountable team.
E-commerce & Online Catalogues
Online stores and product catalogues that sell. Shopify, WooCommerce or custom, with payments, shipping and training.
Branding, Print & Promotional Materials
Logos, brand guidelines, menus, cards and print that match your storefront. One consistent identity everywhere.
Automation & AI Workflows
Follow-ups, reminders, lead routing and reporting that run themselves. Practical automation without the AI theatre.
What you can combine it with
Funding programs generally will not pay twice for the same cost and may cap how much total public funding a project can receive, and this program excludes refinancing of existing operations. If you are combining it with other support, confirm the rules on the official page first; BBN can help you check before you apply.
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Worth reading before you apply
Get alerted when this changes
Programs open and close, budgets run out, rules change. We send one short email when something changes that matters for this program.
Record last updated July 3, 2026; last verified July 2, 2026 against the official source. Source: official program page.