Employer funding

Funding information for employers

Funding	Summary
Canada Business Ontario	Types of wage subsidies available in Ontario include: Canada-Ontario Job Grant, FedNor youth internships, Housing Internship Initiative for First Nations and Inuit Youth, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, and the Youth Employment Strategy Programs.
Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) WIL Digital Program	ICTC’s WIL Digital Program subsidizes student work placements to develop talent for emerging ICT sectors, supporting Canada’s digital economy. Subsidies are available to eligible Canadian companies creating paid work opportunities for students in IT-related, business development, digital marketing or technical sales positions. Employers can receive subsidies of up to 50% of a student’s wages paid for a period not exceeding 4 months (capped at $5,000) or up to 70% of wages (capped at $7,000) if the student is from an under-represented group (i.e. women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); Indigenous students; recent immigrants (arrived within last 5 years); persons with disabilities; or first-year students). Funding for this initiative is provided through the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP).
IRAP (Industrial Research Assistance Program)	IRAP will provide funding to SMEs looking to grow and generate profits through development and commercialization of innovated, technology-driven new or improved products, services or processes in Canada. Funding may apply to developing technology or hiring new graduates.
ITAC – Career Ready Program	As part of the Government of Canada’s Student Work Integrated Learning Program, we are matching students with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to help them on the path to a bright career. Current post-secondary students who are studying in the areas of Business Technology Management (BTM), Computer Science, Computer Systems Technology, Computer Engineering or alike programs qualify for the Career Ready program. We work closely with the work term department staff at the post-secondary institutions to help students and employers bridge the school-to-work transition. The program provides up to 50% (to a maximum of $5,000) of a work term student’s pay in wage subsidies to employers. Employers that hire students from underrepresented groups including women in STEM, indigenous students, recent immigrants, persons with disabilities, and first-year students may also qualify for additional funding (up to 70% or $7,000).
Magnet Student Work Placement Program	The program provides employers with wage subsidies to hire post-secondary students for paid work experiences. Employers hiring students can receive up to $7,000 in wage subsidies. Students, in turn, benefit from quality work experience so they can secure employment in their chosen fields of study. Employer applications are now being accepted.
Employment and Social Development Canada	Funding programs from Employment and Social Development Canada are government grants and contributions that help support jobs, training, and social development. Grants are unconditional transfer payments that the government provides to individuals or organizations for activities that meet eligibility criteria set by the funding program. Contributions are similar to grants, except that, in order to receive funding and be reimbursed for specific costs, recipients need to meet certain performance conditions. The government can also audit the recipients' use of funding.
ICTC – WIL Digital	ICTC believes in the importance of developing a highly skilled, educated and motivated ICT/digital workforce that will drive Canada’s economic growth and innovation. In partnership with the Canadian industry, government, not-for-profits and the education sector, ICTC strives to define critical competencies and standards; build education and employment pathways for youth and adult learners to increase digital literacy/skills; provide educators with tools and resources to enhance learning, and connect youth to jobs.
MaRS	Early-stage capital can be critical to your venture’s success. MaRS offers a range of products and services to help you find the funding you need to grow your business such as: Ontario Scale-Up Vouchers Program, Embark Funding Program, Embedded Executive Funding Program, Funding Portal Search Tool, ArcTern Ventures, Investment Accelerator Fund, MaRS Catalyst Fund.
Career Edge	Since 1996, Career Edge has helped connect thousands of skilled and qualified talent with employers of all sizes, from all sectors – and we’ve done it all through paid internships. Internships offered to recent graduates, students with disabilities, international students, and Canadian Armed Forces Reservists.
CICan Career Launcher Internship	The Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Career-Launcher Internship program connects employers with skilled grads by providing up to $15,000 towards an intern’s salary. CICan's Career-Launcher Internships currently offer two programs focused on the green economy: Clean Tech Internships and Natural Resources Internships, both of which are funded by the Government of Canada as part of the Youth Employment Strategy.
Green Jobs Science & Technology Internship Program	Green Jobs Science & Technology Internship Program (STIP) is funded by Natural Resource Canada. Green Jobs STIP provides wage subsidies for hiring organizations in the natural resource sectors to host eligible interns for six to 12-month internships. Eligible employers will be provided with salary support of up to 80% of an intern’s salary, to a maximum of $10,000. The application deadline to submit a proposal is typically in mid-April.
Biotalent Canada	The Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) is an initiative to increase the job-readiness of students registered in STEM or business programs at Canadian post-secondary institutions. The program’s co-op wage subsidies help reduce the cost barrier, by covering the cost of a co-op student’s salary by 50% up to a maximum of $5,000 and 70% up to a maximum of $7,000 for first-year students and under-represented groups including: Women in STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Women in business Indigenous students Persons with disabilities Newcomers
Co-operative Education Tax Credit	The Co-operative Education Tax Credit is a refundable tax credit for Ontario-based co-op employers who hire students enrolled in a co-operative education program at an Ontario university or college. Corporations can claim 25% of eligible expenditures (30% for small businesses), for up to a maximum credit of $3,000 per co-op term. Most co-op terms range from a minimum period of ten weeks up to a maximum of four months. Eligible corporations can claim the tax credit on Schedule T2SCH550 of their T2 Corporation Income Tax Return.
ECO Canada – Wage Subsidy Program	ECO Canada's new CO-OP Program provides a wage subsidy of up to 50% to a maximum of $5000 to employers hiring students in an environmental role. As part of Canada's Work-Integrated Learning strategy, we are matching students with employers in the environmental sector to help them on the path to a bright career. Employers: ECO will provide up to 50% of a Co-op student’s pay in wage subsidies. Employers must be able to provide full-time work (minimum 30 hrs per week) for a 12 to 16-week term duration in an environmental capacity to be eligible for funding.
MIHRC	MiHR has completed research on the workforce barriers and opportunities facing three specific labour supply groups - Aboriginal peoples, immigrants to Canada and women. This research gathered a range of perspectives and experiences and the findings tell a compelling story. MiHR is proud to launch its Green Jobs program aimed at helping post-secondary graduates gain relevant and meaningful work experience in the mining sector. The objective of the program is to provide 120 meaningful internship opportunities in the mining sector related to science, technology, engineering and math. These jobs should have a focus on clean technology and innovation as well as provide an environmental benefit to Canada. Funding for this initiative is provided by the Government of Canada through Natural Resources Canada’s Green Jobs – Science and Technology Internship Program, as part of the Youth Employment Strategy. MiHR was selected as a delivery organization through a competitive process to deliver 120 jobs to post-secondary graduates over the next two years. The Green Jobs Program is designed to help new graduates' transition to long-term employment or to pursue advanced studies, through work experience and mentorship provided by approved hiring organizations.
Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)	Through SWPP, employers can receive subsidies of up to 50% of a student’s wages, up to a maximum of $5,000. If the student is from an under-represented group (first-year students, women in STEM, Indigenous students, persons with disabilities and newcomers), the wage subsidy is up to 70% or to a maximum of $7,000.
Canada Summer Jobs	Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create summer job opportunities for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year.
Young Canada Works in Both Official Languages	Young Canada Works in Both Official Languages is a summer job program that allows eligible employers to benefit from wage subsidies and access to a pool of talented youth with innovative ideas and competitive skills. Positions last up to 16 weeks and students must work 30 to 40 hours per week. The program may contribute up to 50% of the student's employment costs for private and public sector organizations and up to 70% of the student's employment costs for non-profit organizations. The application deadline for summer work terms is typically due in mid-February.
Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations	Benefit from wage subsidies and access to a pool of talented youth with innovative ideas and competitive skills. Positions last up to 16 weeks and students must work 30 to 40 hours per week. The program may contribute up to 75% of the student’s employment costs to a maximum of $8,000 per job and $50,000 per employer. The application deadline for summer work terms is typically due in early February.
Employment Ontario	Take advantage of funding, programs and federal tax incentives to help hire and train employees for your business, not-for-profit or public-sector organization.
Government of Canada	A wage subsidy or other assistance program can help you hire and retain the right talent. We offer wage subsidies and other assistance programs.
Mitacs Accelerate	Mitacs Accelerate is a research internship program that supports collaborative research projects between Canadian colleges or universities and the organizations that benefit from their expertise. Businesses can solve their research challenges with academic expertise, leveraged funding, and one-to-one support from Mitacs. Internships start at four months and can scale up as much as needed, with employer financial contributions starting at $7,500.

Not sure where to start? Innovation Canada has created a digital platform to help businesses determine which government-based programs they may qualify for.

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Funding for small and medium-sized businesses

Grants and contributions

Information and communications technology programs

Internship funding - green, diversity & inclusion

Student work placement programs

Summer job funding

Tax credits and incentives

Funding information for employers