Initiatives Overview

The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) was announced in Canada's Economic Action Plan and officially launched on August 13, 2009. The Agency was created to meet the unique needs and realities of southern Ontario, a region suffering the hard-hitting effects of the global economic recession.

In the past year FedDev Ontario has committed more than half a billion dollars in community and economic development funding to projects all across southern Ontario. This has created new jobs, increased business activity and provided economic stability to the region.

FedDev Ontario is creating new opportunities and a stronger economy for southern Ontario.

We are:

• Investing in projects across the region
• Setting the course for growth by creating new jobs and supporting renewal of businesses and communities
• Stimulating economic growth by making southern Ontario more competitive, innovative and diversified

Through a series of initiatives launched this year, the Government of Canada has taken steps to make the most of the potential that exists in southern Ontario – in our ideas, resources, technologies, products, services, and people. We want to ensure our businesses and communities have the tools they need to innovate so the economy can grow now and in the future.

We have launched a series of new initiatives designed to help create a Southern Ontario Advantage, including the Applied Research and Commercialization Initiative, Technology Development Program, Graduate Enterprise Internship, Scientists and Engineers in Business, Investing in Business Innovation, Prosperity Initiative, and the Youth STEM Initiative.

Through these new initiatives, as well as existing programming, FedDev Ontario is promoting innovation and commercialization and helping position southern Ontario for success on the global stage.

For more information about FedDev Ontario or our initiatives, please visit feddevontario.gc.ca or call us at 1-866-593-5505.

To order brochures about our initiatives please email publications@feddevontario.gc.ca.

Applied Research and Commercialization Initiative is a pilot initiative aimed at addressing the gap between research and commercialization in southern Ontario and encouraging collaboration between small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and post-secondary institutions.

Technology Development Program provides financial support to encourage research and innovation organizations, the private sector, post-secondary institutions and not-for-profit organizations to work together to accelerate the development of large-scale, advanced technologies that will result in new market opportunities for southern Ontario businesses.

Graduate Enterprise Internship provides financial support to eligible not-for-profit organizations and post-secondary institutions in southern Ontario to arrange internships with structured mentoring opportunities for graduate students and recent graduates of programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics with small- and medium-sized companies in southern Ontario.

Science and Engineers in Business provides financial support to help recent graduates and graduate students in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields develop their business skills so they can bring innovative ideas to market and help grow the southern Ontario economy.

Investing in Business Innovation provides funding to boost private sector investment in start-up businesses to accelerate the development of new products, processes and practices and bring them to market. Funding is also available for angel investor networks and their associations to attract new investment and support the growth of angel investment funds.

Prosperity Initiative encourages businesses, not-for-profit organizations and post-secondary institutions in southern Ontario to undertake projects that will result in a more productive, diversified and competitive economy in the region.

Youth STEM Initiative provides financial support to eligible not-for-profit organizations to expand, enhance and coordinate the reach and impact of educational outreach programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) for children and youth in kindergarten through grade 12.