Funding Resources header

Funding Resources

Plenty of employer support programs and funding options are available to help you Hire UWindsor! Contact us to help you find a program that fits your recruiting needs.  

Co-operative Education Tax Credit

The Co-operative Education Tax Credit is a refundable tax credit. It is available to employers who hire students enrolled in a co-operative education program at an Ontario university or college. The tax credit is based on salaries and wages paid to a student in a co-operative education work placement. Corporations can claim 25 per cent of eligible expenditures (30 per cent for small businesses). The maximum credit for each work placement is $3,000. Most work placements are for a minimum employment period of 10 weeks up to a maximum of four months.

Visit the Ontario Ministry of Finance to learn more about the refundable tax credit.

 

Student Work-Integrated Learning Program (SWILP)

SWILP is a new program administered by Employment and Social Development Canada to support the creation of quality student work-placements in the fields of science, technology, engineering, math and business.

Visit the Government of Canada to learn more about Student Work-Integrated Learning Program.

Eligible positions will receive 50%-70% of wage subsidies from the industry employer partners below:

More industry partners will be announced in the coming weeks.  Specific requirements may vary by industry partner; however, general guidelines include:
Funding details

  • Wage subsidies of up to 50 percent of the wage cost for the placement (up to a maximum of $5,000 per placement) and up to 70 percent (up to a maximum of $7,000 per placement) for under-represented students including first-year students, women in STEM, Indigenous students, persons with disabilities and newcomers.
  • Employer groups referenced above will provide wage subsidies.
  • The balance of the wages cannot be funded by another federal program but are eligible for the Co-operative Education Tax Credit. ​
  • Eligibility requirements 
  • STEM & business-related positions.
  • Full-time placements of 16 weeks in length.
  • Must be new positions.

 

First Nations and Inuit Skills Link Program

The First Nations and Inuit Skills Link Program supports activities that assist youth in acquiring the essential skills that will help them gain employment, function well in the workplace, and learn about job and career options. Activities may include career promotion, science and technology activities, co-operative education placements and internships and mentored work placements.

Visit the Government of Canada to learn more about the program.

 

Outside of Ontario

Please contact us to discuss programs outside of Ontario.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Career Focus

Career Focus provides funding to organizations for the creation of agricultural internships that provide career-related work experiences for recent graduates.

Visit Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to learn more about the Career Focus program.

 

Apprenticeship Tax Credit

The apprenticeship training tax credit is a refundable tax credit. It is available to employers who hire and train apprentices in certain skilled trades in apprenticeship programs that commenced on or before November 14, 2017.
For apprenticeship programs that commenced on or after April 24, 2015 and before November 15, 2017, eligible expenditures incurred during the first 36 months of the apprenticeship program qualify for the purposes of the credit.
For apprenticeship programs that commenced before April 24, 2015, eligible expenditures incurred after March 26, 2009, and during the first 48 months of the apprenticeship program, qualify for purposes of the tax credit.

Visit the Ontario Ministry of Finance to learn more about the Apprenticeship Tax Credit.

 

Canada Ontario Job Grant

The Job Grant will provide direct financial support to individual employers who wish to purchase training for their employees. It will be available to small, medium and large businesses with a plan to deliver short-term training to existing and new employees, and will:

  • Provide up to $10,000 in government support per person for training costs.
  • Require employers to contribute one-third of the total costs. There will be additional flexibility for small businesses to provide an in-kind contribution towards their share of the costs.
  • Require training to be delivered by an eligible, third-party trainer.

If you're an employer with a particular skills demand, the Canada-Ontario Job Grant might be right for you. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis.

Visit the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development to learn more about the job grant program.

 

Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) 

CSJ is an initiative of the Summer Work Experience program. It provides wage subsidies to employers to create employment for secondary and post-secondary students. Again this year, Canada Summer Jobs welcomes applications from small businesses, not-for-profit employers, public sector and faith-based organizations that provide quality summer jobs for students. CSJ provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer full-time 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.

Visit the Government of Canada to learn more about the Summer Work Experience program.

 

Career Connect

Mitacs Career Connect provides meaningful work experience for young graduates while helping companies find the talent they need to grow their business. We currently have opportunities for projects that aim to protect the environment, create positive environmental outcomes, or address an environmental or climate change-related challenge.

Interns must be between 15 and 30 years old, a post-secondary graduate, and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person who has been granted refugee status in Canada. Eligible hiring organizations must support a green project in the science, technology, engineering or math fields, for a six-month placement valued at $20,000 to $25,000, subsidized by Mitacs at 50%.

Visit Mitacs Career Connect to learn more about the program.

 

Digital Skills Youth Internship Program

Digital Skills for Youth (DS4Y) connects underemployed recent post-secondary graduates with small businesses and not-for-profit organizations where they can gain meaningful work experience to help them transition to career-oriented employment. Program participants will be able to use the skills acquired during their studies and apply them in a professional setting. Moreover, they will be able to upskill if required to better meet the demands of the labour market. The program will be administered by delivery organizations. A delivery organization is an independent third party responsible for the delivery of DS4Y who will partner with employers where interns will carry out their internships. Delivery Organizations will ensure that interns gain valuable work experience and have access to training.

Visit the Government of Canada to learn more about the Digital Skills Youth Internship program.

 

Employment and Social Development Canada Career Focus

Career Focus provides funding for employers and organizations to design and deliver a range of activities that enable youth make more informed career decisions and develop their skills.

Visit the Government of Canada to learn more about Employment and Social Development Canada Career Focus funding.

 

Environmental Youth Corps

Our program gives eligible employers who work in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) or natural resources up to 50% of a candidate’s salary (up to $15,000) for new full-time environmental jobs. Employers may use this program to fund multiple new positions.

Visit Eco Canada to learn more about the program.

 

Export Market Access

Export Market Access (EMA) is a $5 million initiative, jointly sponsored by the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC). It is designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises SMEs) increase their access to global markets. Expenses incurred by companies undertaking activities in the following four areas may be eligible for funding:

  1. Direct Contacts: participation in international trade shows, fairs, exhibitions, and incoming and outgoing trade missions, supported by a recognized third party such as governments or trade related organizations. 
  2. Marketing Tools: development of electronic media, promotional materials, and generic branding material.
  3. Market Research: to enable more precise international market targeting.
  4. Foreign Bidding Projects: intended for providers of professional services (engineering, consulting, constructions, etc.) bidding on foreign projects against foreign competition.

Visit the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to learn more about the program.

 

First Nations and Inuit Summer Work Experience Program

Projects under the First Nations and Inuit Summer Work Experience Program allow youth to learn about career options and earn an income that may contribute to university or college education.
Successful proposals:

  • include plans to offer wage subsidies to private sector and non-profit employers so they may hire eligible First Nations and Inuit youth
  • help First Nations and Inuit secondary and post-secondary students obtain summer employment and prepare for entry into the labour market
  • enable First Nations and Inuit youth to earn wages

The proposals will support work experience opportunities for First Nations and Inuit secondary and post-secondary students, between May 1st and the beginning of the student’s fall academic term. Proposals are accepted for each fiscal year.

Visit the Government of Canada to learn more about the program.

 

Jobs and Prosperity Fund

Businesses, business associations and entrepreneurs can get funding for projects to enhance productivity and help them compete in the global marketplace.

  • New Economy Fund - Funding that can help you build research and development capacity, improve productivity, boost competitiveness and gain access to global markets.
  • Food and Beverage Growth Fund - Funding for strategic investments in the food and beverage processing, and bioproduct sectors.
  • Forestry Growth Fund - Funding for manufacturers and processors of wood products across Ontario.

Visit the Ontario website to learn more about funding for projects.

 

Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit

The Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit (OIDMTC) is a refundable tax credit based on eligible Ontario labour expenditures and eligible marketing and distribution expenses claimed by a qualifying corporation with respect to interactive digital media products.

Visit the Ontario Media Development Corporation to learn more about the refundable tax credit.

 

Science and Technology Internship Program

Green jobs are the future in a world that is increasingly valuing sustainable practices as part of the transition to a low-carbon economy. To help young Canadians get started in a green career, Natural Resources Canada is investing more that $16 million to create 1,200 jobs through our Green Jobs - Science and Technology Internship Program (STIP).

Visit Natural Resources Canada to learn more about the program.

 

Science Horizons Youth Internships Program

Science Horizons supports green jobs for youth by providing wage subsidies to eligible employers to hire interns in environmental and clean technology sectors. Interns must be recent college or university graduates eligible to work in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM).

Visit the Government of Canada to learn more about the internships program.

 

SMART Program for Advance Technologies for Global Growth

Through FedDev Ontario’s Investing in Business Growth and Productivity (IBGP) initiative, the SMART Advanced Technologies for Global Growth (ATGG) program is designed to assist Southern Ontario manufacturers in adopting new technologies that have the potential to improve productivity and increase competitiveness in the global economy. Advanced Technology Adaptation/ Adoption Projects that will focus on improving productivity through the adaptation or adoption of new or upgraded advanced technologies, materials or processes, create jobs and increase global competitiveness. Advanced technology projects will be eligible for funding of 35% of eligible costs to a maximum non-repayable contribution of $100,000.

Visit the SMART Program to learn more about the program.

 

Southwestern Ontario Development Fund

The Southwestern Ontario Development Fund gives money to businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in southwestern Ontario. The fund supports projects that:

  • create jobs
  • encourage innovation, collaboration and cluster development
  • attract private sector investment

Visit the Ontario website to learn more about the funding program.

 

The Skills Link

The Skills Link program helps youth overcome barriers to employment, develop a broad range of skills and knowledge in order to participate in the current and future labour market and to promote education and skills as being key to labour market participation. These barriers include, but are not limited to, challenges faced by recent immigrant youth, youth with disabilities, single parent youth, youth who have not completed high school, Indigenous youth, and youth living in rural or remote areas.

Visit the Government of Canada to learn more about the program.

MITACS Accelerate

Solve your research challenges with university expertise, leveraged funding, and one-to-one support from Mitacs. Internships start at four months and can scale up as much as you need.

Visit MITACS to learn more about the program.

 

National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Programs

NRC IRAP provides firms with funding under two different Youth programs: the Youth Employment Program (YEP) and the Youth Employment Program – Green (Youth-Green) program.

Visit National Research Council Canada page to learn more about the programs.

 

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

Canada's federal funding agency for university-based research and student training in natural sciences and engineering. Its vision is to help make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for the benefit of all Canadians. NSERC offers students Industrial Undergraduate Student Research Awards (IUSRAs) in order to stimulate interest in research in the natural sciences and engineering and to encourage students to undertake graduate studies in order to pursue a research career in these fields. There are many parallels between the requirements for the Industrial Undergraduate Student Research Award and the Co-operative Education program at the University of Windsor for those employers that hire undergraduate Science and Engineering co-op students. In fact, students may hold these Research Awards during co-op placements, so you may therefore be able to access both this funding and the co-op tax credit to help fund the work term. Read additional information.

Visit Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to learn more about fundings.

 

Ontario Centers of Excellence Collaboration Voucher Program

This program gives companies quick and easy access to the expertise and knowledge at Ontario’s universities, colleges and research hospitals to address industry challenges and improve productivity, performance and competitiveness. Eligible Ontario companies receive a voucher, which is a credit that they can redeem from research institutes. Visit Ontario Centres of Excellence to learn more about the program.

Three types of vouchers are available: 

Voucher for Innovation and Productivity (VIP) helps established companies, in partnership with academia, develop innovative products, processes and services with a focus on expanding export markets. 

Visit Ontario Centres of Excellence to learn more about the VIP program.

Voucher for E-Business (VEB) connects companies with the expertise and resources at Ontario colleges to help their business scale up the development, adoption and implementation of online tools and other technologies to drive innovation. 

Visit Ontario Centres of Excellence to learn more about the VEB program.

Voucher for Industry Association R&D Challenge (VIA) connects industry associations or consortia with Ontario’s publicly funded academic research institutions to address sector-wide research and development challenges.

Visit Ontario Centres of Excellence to learn more about the VIA program.

 

Ontario Centers of Excellence Smart Seed Fund

The SmartStart Seed Fund is an exciting new opportunity for Ontario's next generation of entrepreneurs to access much-needed funding to take their start-up to the next level. Open to young entrepreneurs from the ages of 18 to 29 and entrepreneurs from the age of 30+, the program provides both seed financing and financing for entrepreneurship skills training to help recipients grow their start-up and make them investment and customer ready.

Visit Ontario Centres of Excellence to learn more about fundings.

 

Ontario Innovation Tax Credit
Qualifying corporations can claim a refundable tax credit for qualified expenditures on scientific research and experimental development performed in Ontario. A corporation can claim the tax credit, if the corporation:

  • has a permanent establishment in Ontario
  • carries out scientific research and experimental development in Ontario during the year
  • is eligible to claim the federal investment tax credit under section 127 of the federal Income Tax Act (Canada)
  • is not exempt from corporation income tax, and
  • has filed a scientific research and experimental development expenditures claim on federal form T661 for the tax year.

Visit the Ontario Ministry of Finance to learn more about refundable tax credits.

 

Scientific Research and Experimental Development Program

The program offers tax incentives that encourages and supports scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED). The program does this by letting you deduct your SR&ED costs from your income for tax purposes. Also, the program gives you an investment tax credit that you can use to reduce your income tax.

Visit the Government of Canada to learn more about the program.

 

Talent Edge Internship Program

Ontario’s TalentEdge Internship Program (TIP) provides support for current college and university students (specifically current graduate students and final year undergraduate students), and recent Masters graduates (within three years of graduation), to work on industry-driven research and development projects. Companies can tap into world-class talent coming out of Ontario's publicly-funded post-secondary institutions and strengthen their capacity to develop new products, services, and processes.  

TalentEdge internships are intended to provide interns with an experiential learning opportunity and hands-on industry experience. All internships must be project-based with clearly defined activities, milestones and outcomes. Projects must have a clearly-defined R&D component, where R&D is defined by the discipline and is inclusive of all areas of specialization and disciplines. Each four-month internship is valued at $20,000 as follows:

  • $10,000 contribution from OCE
  • $5,000  company cash contribution
  • $5,000 company in-kind contribution

Visit Ontario Centres of Excellence to learn more about the internship program.

Workforce WindsorEssex WEsearch Tool for Employers and Job-Seekers

Help navigating the various supports available to employers in Windsor-Essex, including grants, loans and wage subsidies.

Visit Workforce Windsor Essex to learn more about the tool.

Employment Ontario

Employment Ontario can help you get training, build skills or find a job. We connect people looking for work with employers looking for workers. Employment Ontario offers many provincial programs that may be of assistance to you. 

Visit the Ontario website to learn more about employment support.

Ontario Business Program Guide

This online directory of provincial tax incentives, tax credits and government support programs for business has many additional programs that may be of assistance to you.

Visit the Ontario Business Programs Guide to use the interactive search tool.