Ontario Accepting Applications for Renewed Rural Economic Development Program

February 8, 2017

Ontario

Ontario’s Rural Economic Development (RED) program helps rural communities remove barriers to community economic development. The RED program provides cost-share funding to rural communities, Indigenous communities and organizations, and not-for-profit organizations.

The objective of the RED program is to support:

  • Evidence-based planning projects
  • Implementation of projects that contribute to economic competitiveness

Apply now to the Rural Economic Development program

Applications will be accepted during the following timeframes:

  • From January 30, 2017 (12:00 p.m.) to March 31, 2017 (5:00 p.m. Eastern)
  • From July 31, 2017 (9:00 a.m.) to September 29, 2017 (5:00 p.m. Eastern)

Communities can use this support to remove barriers to local economic growth through initiatives such as developing a downtown revitalization plan or implementing a tourism-related marketing and promotion strategy to attract businesses, investors and visitors to their city.

Since 2013, the Rural Economic Development program has committed more than $8 million towards almost 160 community economic development projects, generating over $25 million in new economic activity and creating and supporting more than 600 jobs.

In 2016, the government approved 38 RED community projects representing a total investment of up to $1.7 million.

Click here to find out if your community or region meets the definition of rural Ontario as outlined above.