Financial Assistance and Incentives

• Study and/or Predevelopment Costs
• Building and/or Property Improvements
• Tax and/or Development Charge Relief 

The program was designed to offer maximum assistance to those investing in their business and property. Grants can be used together to assist with costs throughout the redevelopment process and in the years following completion.

Development Charges are collected to assist in financing capital costs associated with new infrastructure and municipal service expansion needed to support growth. View the Current Municipal Fees and Rates. 

The Town of Gravenhurst is working hard to be the best place to do business.  In an effort to be businesses friendly we are offering Zero Municipal Development Charges on new and existing Commercial and Industrial Developments.  To further assist, the District of Muskoka has also significantly reduced their non-residential development charges.

Development Charges are payable prior to the issuance of a building permit.  These include separate District of Muskoka Development Charges and School Board Development Charges which the Town collects on behalf of these regional levels.

Background

In April 2014, the Town released a Development Charges Background Study conducted by Hemson Consulting Ltd. to support new charges.

The Town of Gravenhurst adopted Development Charges By-law 2014-75 on August 19, 2014.  Rates imposed under the by-law came into effect on August 20, 2014 and are indexed annually on January 1^st in accordance with Statistics Canada Quarterly Construction Price Indexes reporting guidelines. View the Notice of the Passing.

This contest was administered by the Gravenhurst Business Improvement Area and awarded the winner a year's worth of Free rent for a new storefront in Downtown Gravenhurst.

While this program is not currently active, keep your eyes open for what's coming next!

• BEAM - grants up to 75% of the cost to design, develop and implement a new or existing website, content, mobile applications and operational business applications. The PMCN BEAM 4 contribution is limited to $4,000 per business.
• STAMP - covers 75% of the assessment cost (up to a maximum of $3,750) and 50% of the costs to acquire products and services identified in the consultant's report (up to a maximum total grant of $6,250).
• Founders Circle - $10,000 winner-take-all prize to be awarded to an individual or group with an innovative idea that will help improve the local economy.

YMCA Wage Subsidy Program is designed to support employers who help unemployed workers enter or re-enter the workforce and maintain employment, employers may receive financial support for on-the-job training, including apprenticeship training, and work experience opportunities.

MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF)

MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund targets seed stage investors in Ontario, investing in IT, health and clean tech companies. Up to $500,000 for early-stage companies and up to $250,000 for Youth IAF.

Summer Company Program

The Summer Company Program provides up to $3,000 to young entrepreneurs between 15 and 29 years old start and run their own summer business.  This program is administered by the Muskoka Small Business Centre

Canada Small Business Financing Program

Need financing?  The Canada Small Business Financing Program makes it easier for small businesses to get loans from financial institutions by sharing the risk with lenders.

 Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports

Supports the delivery and marketing of high quality tourism and cultural experiences to Ontarians and visitors to Ontario through information, resources and funding, including:

• Grants Ontario
• Celebrate Ontario

Business Development Bank of Canada

The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) promotes entrepreneurship by providing financing, consulting and venture capital services to Canadian Entrepreneurs, with special focus on small and medium sized enterprises.

IION - Innovation Initiatives Ontario North

Works with high-potential innovative entrepreneurs and established businesses at all stages of innovation; idea through to commercialization and scale.

• Step Forward Entrepreneurs Program
• Innovative Manufacturing and Facilitation Program
• Youth Entrepreneurship Placement Program

 MentorWorks Ltd

The Mentor Works team have a wealth of knowledge and expertise in Canadian government funding. Our team works directly with clients to discover solutions customized to their industry and current business challenges.

 Industrial Research Assistance Program

The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) provides technical and business advisory services and potential funding to SMEs in Canada to develop technologies and successfully commercialize them in a global marketplace. 

 Canada Business Network

The Canada Business Network provides aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses with the resources needed to grow and prosper, including a wide range of information on Government services, programs and regulations, including:

• Agri-Innovation
• Agri-Invest
• Collaboration Voucher Program
• Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation 

Eastern Ontario Development Fund - Business Stream

The Eastern Ontario Development Fund gives money to businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in eastern Ontario.

• Small Community Program: Businesses with 5-10 employees located in small communities may be eligible for funding from the Small Community Program.
• Business stream provides up to 15% of eligible project costs for a maximum grant of $1.5 million.
• Regional stream provides up to 50% of eligible project costs for a maximum grant of up to $1.5 million.

FedNor (Northern Ontario Development Program)

Program funding for projects that support community economic development, business growth and competitiveness, and innovation. 

• Innovation, research and development
• Manufacturing Initiative
• Youth Internship
• Women Entrepreneurship
• Angel Investors Network

 Futurepreneur Canada

Futurepreneur provides collateral-free loans at better interest rates than most banks. But we can't do it alone. We're able to finance up to $15,000 per business.

Co-operative Education Tax Credit

The Co-operative Education Tax Credit is a refundable tax credit of a maximum of $3,000. It is available to employers who hire students enrolled in a co-operative education program at an Ontario university or college.

Canada Summer Jobs

Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses (50 or fewer employees) to create summer job opportunities for full-time students aged 15 to 30 years.

Canada-Ontario Job Grant

The Canada-Ontario Job Grant provides 2/3 of the cost, up to $10,000, in government support per employee for training costs to small or medium-sized businesses (50 or less employees).