An independent registry of Northern Ontario funding Data updated Aug 17, 2026 · CC-BY-4.0
Northern Ontario Grants

Grants in Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay's funding landscape runs in three layers. At the municipal level, the Strategic Core Areas Community Improvement Plan pays grants of up to $25,000 for building and façade work in the north and south downtown cores, and a newer Growth CIP targets industrial and commercial development city-wide. The Thunder Bay CEDC is the city's economic development office and hosts the Thunder Bay & District Entrepreneur Centre, the local Small Business Enterprise Centre, which delivers Starter Company Plus training grants (reported up to $5,000). Thunder Bay Ventures, the local Community Futures corporation, provides repayable small-business loans and free counselling. On top sit the regional heavyweights: NOHFC's Invest North streams and FedNor's NODP and REGI, plus NADF for First Nations entrepreneurs.

Local programs

Open, continuous intakePartly repayable, check terms

NOHFC Invest North, Investment: Launch

Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation

Up to $200,000

no fixed deadline; approvals on the funder's cycle

myportal.nohfc.ca · Last verified Aug 16, 2026 · Reported, verification pending

Open, continuous intakePartly repayable, check terms

NOHFC Invest North, Investment: Grow

Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation

Up to $1,000,000

no fixed deadline; approvals on the funder's cycle

myportal.nohfc.ca · Last verified Aug 16, 2026 · Uncertain: confirm with funder

Open, continuous intake

FedNor, NODP Youth Internships

Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

Up to $52,500

no fixed deadline; approvals on the funder's cycle

fednor.canada.ca · Last verified Aug 16, 2026 · Reported, verification pending

Closing soon

CanExport SMEs

Global Affairs Canada, Trade Commissioner Service

$10,000 – $50,000

closes Aug 31, 2026 (12:00 ET (noon)) (14 days left)

tradecommissioner.gc.ca · Last verified Aug 16, 2026 · Reported, verification pending

Status unconfirmed

Canada Summer Jobs

Employment and Social Development Canada

Varies; see program

confirm with funder

canada.ca · Last verified Aug 16, 2026 · Reported, verification pending

Open, continuous intakePartly repayable, check terms

NRC IRAP, Innovation Funding

National Research Council, Industrial Research Assistance Program

From $10,000

no fixed deadline; approvals on the funder's cycle

nrc.canada.ca · Last verified Aug 16, 2026 · Reported, verification pending

Open while funds last

NADF, Business Financing Program grants

Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund

Up to $250,000

allocations can run out before the window closes; confirm before applying

nadf.org · Last verified Aug 16, 2026 · Reported, verification pending

Regional programs

Local programs sit alongside the regional layer available across Northern Ontario: NOHFC · FedNor · OTF · the CFDC network. The eligibility finder covers both at once.

Local offices in Thunder Bay

  • Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund (NADF) IFI
    Indigenous Financial Institution providing business loans, micro-loans, blended grant/loan financing and business advisory support to Indigenous entrepreneurs and communities across Northern Ontario.
    807-623-5397
  • PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise IFI
    Not-for-profit social enterprise providing women entrepreneurs with financing (PARO Funding, WEOC Loan Fund), peer lending circles, business counselling, training and networking.
    807-625-0328
  • Thunder Bay & District Entrepreneur Centre (CEDC) SBEC
    Small Business Enterprise Centre providing free confidential business counselling, workshops, and provincial grant programs including Starter Company Plus and Summer Company.
    807-625-3960
  • Thunder Bay Ventures CFDC
    CFDC providing repayable small-business loans and business support for start-ups and expansions in the Thunder Bay area.
    807-768-6650

Common questions

What grants are available for a small business in Thunder Bay?

Start with the Thunder Bay & District Entrepreneur Centre's Starter Company Plus, which pairs training with grants reported at up to $5,000. New businesses under six months old can seek NOHFC's Invest North Launch stream (conditional contribution up to 50% of costs, max $200,000); expanding firms use the Grow stream or FedNor's NODP. Downtown-core building and façade projects qualify for Strategic Core Areas CIP grants up to $25,000. Thunder Bay Ventures offers repayable loans, and First Nations entrepreneurs can access NADF's Business Financing Program grants.

Who should I contact first about business funding in Thunder Bay?

For a start-up, the Entrepreneur Centre (the local Small Business Enterprise Centre, hosted by the Thunder Bay CEDC) gives free advisory and runs the grant-linked training programs. For loans, Thunder Bay Ventures is the local Community Futures corporation. For FedNor's NODP, contact a FedNor officer before applying, applications are officer-mediated and budget availability is limited.

Are there grants for hiring staff in Thunder Bay?

Three wage subsidies dominate: NOHFC's Workforce Development Stream (internship salaries reported up to about $35,000 per intern per year, the employer applies, and allocations run out), FedNor's youth internships (90% of salary to $35,000 per year, max $52,500 over 18 months), and Canada Summer Jobs (50% of minimum wage for small private employers, 100% for non-profits; applications open around November for the following summer).