The SDF Program (an EO initiative) launched in February 2021 as a response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The SDF Program has continued to focus on investing in enhancements to training, workforce development, and program delivery for workers in Ontario. The SDF Program aims to ensure a resilient workforce by supporting access to the labour market and/or the retention and capacity building of workers in emerging and in-demand sectors and sectors experiencing labour market challenges.

Building on the success of the original Operating Stream of the SDF Program, the Government of Ontario has established the SDF Capital Stream to provide major capital investments to build new training centres, upgrade existing training centres or convert existing facilities into training centres with state-of-the-art design and technology. This includes facility renovations, retrofits, expansions, conversions, repairs and building construction. The SDF Capital Stream supports projects that enable education and skills development, enhance training capacity and delivery, and facilitate economic growth in emerging and in-demand sectors of Ontario’s economy and sectors experiencing labour
market challenges.

The design principles of the SDF Capital Stream support capital investment and the use of risk management strategies to ensure prudent use of public funding.

The following are SDF Capital Stream design principles:

The Ontario Forest Biomass Program has been developed to enable the province to achieve the objectives set out in Sustainable Growth: Ontario’s Forest Sector Strategy and the provincial Forest Biomass Action Plan (FBAP). In particular, the program will focus on supporting initiatives that secure and increase long-term wood utilization across the province, focusing on underutilized species and forest biomass.

The establishment of the program is part of Ontario’s commitment to the development and use of wood and forest biomass to deliver economic benefits to Ontarians while helping to reduce emissions and address climate change.

The program has four streams that will position Ontario as a growing circular and green economy leader.

• Indigenous bioeconomy partnerships stream: Increase Indigenous participation in forest biomass opportunities and benefit from bioeconomy development.
• Exploring biomass pathways stream: Improve public and private sector understanding of the technical, financial, scientific and operational considerations for use of forest biomass.
• Innovative bioproduct manufacturing stream: Deploy innovative bioproducts and facilitate increased use of forest biomass as a feedstock in manufacturing, infrastructure, energy services and resource extraction sectors.
• Modernization stream: Support forest sector transformation, competitiveness, and participation in emerging bioeconomy opportunities through use of forest biomass.

The Rural Transit Solutions Fund seeks to help Canadians living in rural and remote areas get around their communities more easily for their day-to-day activities, and connect with other communities nearby.

People living in rural, remote, Northern, and Indigenous communities often depend on private vehicles for transportation and often lack access to transit options. Additionally, people without access to private vehicles or who are unable to drive are isolated from essential services or are unable to travel with ease within their own community or to visit nearby communities.

The Rural Transit Solutions Fund is the first federal fund to target the development of transit solutions in rural and remote communities. Launched in 2021, the Fund provides $250 million in federal funding over 5 years to support the development of locally-driven transit solutions that will help people living in rural communities get to work, school, appointments, and to visit loved ones.

Apply for a Capital grant to help improve the infrastructure your community needs to thrive through the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Whether it’s purchasing equipment, building a new space, completing renovations, retrofits or repairs, Capital grants offered through the OTF support projects that will positively impact your community.

Projects that are supported will 

• Improve access to community spaces, facilities, programs, activities and services, and facilitate community members’ full participation in the life of the community
• Improve and build community spaces
• Make programs and services better and more efficient
• Make better use of technology

Organizations can request funding for multiple capital improvements within one facility, e.g., touchless entry and widening of doorways at local community centre, or they can request funding for the same capital improvements at multiple facilities, e.g., HVAC retrofits at 3 municipal arenas.

The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) program aims to provide financial support to local governments across Canada in hopes to encourage the implementation of initiatives that will boost housing development and increase supply. The HAF will also support the development of complete, low-carbon and climate-resilient communities that are affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse. 

The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF) aims to support the arts, heritage, culture and creative innovation through physical needs such as equipment, renovation, and construction projects. The intention of the CCSF is to invest in local creative hubs because they provide Canadian creative talent with access to shared space, equipment and other resources needed to develop skills which will lead to success in and contribution to the creative economy.