The Rural Economic Development (RED) program aims to support rural communities in Ontario by opening doors to rural economic development. This program is a cost-sharing grant that advocates for activities that promote strong rural communities in Ontario.
Funding Categories
Economic Diversification and Competitiveness Stream
Funding is available to cover up to 50% of eligible costs, to a maximum of $150,000 for projects that:
- remove barriers to business and job growth
- support investment attraction
- strengthen sector and regional partnerships
- diversify regional economies in rural Ontario
Strategic Economic Infrastructure Stream
Funding is available to cover up to 30% of eligible costs, to a maximum of $250,000 for projects that:
- Focus on priority economic infrastructure projects that improve physical assets identified as strategically important to the community
- Rehabilitate and renew the assets to preserve the unique character of a community and quality of life and enhance it for future generations
Who can apply
- A municipality
- A not-for-profit entity
- An Ontario Indigenous community or organization
- A Local Services Board
What is funded
Economic Diversification and Competitiveness Stream
- Coaching/mentorship
- Business succession support
- Collecting business and market data
- Writing and implementing action plans
- Executing actions to support local businesses in the community
- Growing customer traffic
- Attracting business to locate in downtowns
- Organizational coordination efforts
- Core area promotion
- Community improvement plans
- Digital training
- Community engagement
- Improving development and planning approvals process
- Network development
- Skills training and development
- Collaborative marketing and outreach
- Sector/Value chain development
Strategic Economic Infrastructure Stream
- Restoration of a historical building or structure
- Trail rehabilitation
- Redevelopment of vacant and/or underutilized buildings, including:
- Development of an incubator or innovation hub
- Youth centre
- Agri-food hubs
- Wayfinding signage
- Beautification
- WiFi equipment/software for public use
Deadline
Feb. 22, 2023
