An independent registry of Northern Ontario funding Data updated Oct 1, 2026 · CC-BY-4.0
Northern Ontario Grants
Open, continuous intake Repayable

Tile Loan Program

by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness

Also known as: Tile Drainage Loan Program · Tile Drain Loans

Ontario's Tile Loan Program lends agricultural property owners up to 75% of the value of tile drainage work, capped at $50,000 in loans per person per fiscal year. Terms are fixed: 10-year loans, annual repayments, provincially set interest rate locked for the full term. Apply through your municipality, or directly to OMAFA in Northern Ontario's unorganized townships. Work must be done by a licensed tile drainage contractor (or yourself on your own land).

Amount
Up to $50,000 Loan of up to 75% of the value of the tile drainage work; total loans capped at $50,000 per person (including their role in a partnership or corporation) per fiscal year (May 1 - March 1); municipalities may impose lower local caps This award range, $50,000, against every tracked amount from $1,000 to $500,000,000, on a logarithmic scale.

Against all tracked amounts, $1,000 to $500,000,000, logarithmic.

ontario.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source

up to 75% of the value of the tile drainage work

Instrument
Loan (repayable)
Status
Open, continuous intake no fixed deadline; approvals on the funder's cycle
Who qualifies
Property owners and developers
  • agricultural property owners
  • Work must be done by a licensed tile drainage contractor (owners may do work on their own property)
  • Property needs a sufficient legal outlet for drainage discharge
  • In areas without municipal organization, common in Northern Ontario, applicants deal directly with OMAFA instead of a municipality

ontario.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source

Where
Algoma District · Cochrane District · Greater Sudbury (single-tier census division) · Kenora District · Manitoulin District · Nipissing District · Parry Sound District · Rainy River District · Sudbury District (excl. Greater Sudbury) · Thunder Bay District · Timiskaming District · District Municipality of Muskoka11 of 11 Northern Ontario districts are eligible for this program.Algoma District: eligibleCochrane District: eligibleGreater Sudbury (single-tier census division): eligibleKenora District: eligibleManitoulin District: eligibleNipissing District: eligibleParry Sound District: eligibleRainy River District: eligibleSudbury District (excl. Greater Sudbury): eligibleThunder Bay District: eligibleTimiskaming District: eligible

11 of 11 Northern Ontario districts are eligible for this program. A filled dot is eligible, an outline is not.

Built for
Farms & agri-food

Do you have to pay this back?

Fully repayable. Terms: Fully repayable loan: 10-year term, annual repayments, interest rate set by the province and fixed for the full term.

ontario.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source

How conditional contributions and repayable splits work

How do you apply?

  1. Submit loan application to your local municipality (or directly to OMAFA in non-municipal areas)
  2. Council/OMAFA approves the application
  3. Licensed tile drainage contractor completes the work
  4. Notify municipality/OMAFA for inspection
  5. Funds disbursed after inspection approval
  6. Repay annually over the 10-year term

ontario.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source

Can you combine this with other funding?

  • Agricultural Stewardship Initiative, Complementary: the Tile Loan Program finances drainage installation itself (repayable), while ASI cost-shares adjacent stewardship BMPs like erosion control structures, they address different costs rather than stacking on the same ones.

Common questions

How do I apply if my farm is in an unorganized township?

In areas without municipal organization, common across Northern Ontario, you apply directly to OMAFA rather than through a municipal council. The loan terms are the same.

What interest rate does the Tile Loan Program charge?

The province sets the rate and fixes it for the full 10-year term regardless of market changes. The current rate is not published on the program page, confirm with your municipality or OMAFA before applying.

Is this a grant?

No, it is a fully repayable loan (10-year term, annual repayments). Its value is access to a fixed-rate, long-term financing product for drainage that banks often won't structure this way.

Can I do the tile drainage work myself?

Generally a licensed tile drainage contractor must do the work, but property owners may complete work on their own property. Either way the municipality or OMAFA inspects before funds are released.

Where else could this money come from?

Chosen by what these programs have in common with this one, not by hand. The reason is shown for each, so you can judge whether it holds.

Guides that cover this program

Notes on this record

Authorized under the Tile Drainage Act; municipalities pass debenture by-laws, collect repayments and remit to OMAFA. Municipalities may restrict annual loan totals below the provincial $50,000 cap. Relevant to the North both as a financing complement to ASI stewardship cost-share and because the direct-to-OMAFA path serves unorganized territories.

Apply

Apply on the funder’s site and confirm current terms there:

www.ontario.ca