Regardless of the outcome of the June 12^th provincial election, Ontario SMEs don’t have to wait until next year’s tax season in order to benefit from creating jobs. Just over the past few weeks several Canadian business grants for hiring that offer businesses up to $20,000 in funding for creating new job for recent post-secondary graduates have begun accepting applications.

Canadian Business Grants for Hiring: Company Eligibility

While several industry-specific and position-specific programs exist to fund high-growth sectors like the aerospace, food processing, and bio-science industries funding also exists for incorporated small to mid-sized businesses whether you intend to hire high-skilled or low-skilled positions (although the majority of funding supports the former). If your business is incorporated, insured, and has at least one person on payroll chances are a funding program exists to help off-set the cost of hiring a recent graduate for a term of 3-12 months for a full-time position, typically for a minimum of at least 30 hours per week. These internships will be supported by Canadian hiring grants until a date near the end of Q1 2015, which differ depending on the program variant.

Small Business Grants for Hiring: Employee Eligibility

While additional eligibility criteria exists for each specific program, the following are required to be met for the majority of hiring grant programs:

• Employees must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have been granted refugee status,
• Employees must be 15-29 years of age,
• Must provide eligible work experience
• For the majority of programs employees must be a recent graduate of a post-secondary institution (within past 5 years).

Canadian Business Grants for Hiring: Employer Eligibility

Again, while each program is unique in its qualifications the following are the basic criteria must be met for the majority of programs.

• Most programs employers must have some insurance (types & amounts differ),
• Most programs a “place of work” is required,
• Most programs require the position to be full time (i.e. 30 hours+ per week) for a period of between 3-12 months within a defined period of time as outlined in the specific program,
• Some programs it is required that the business is incorporated,
• Some programs require on the job training or mentoring.

Types of Positions Funded through Canadian Business Grants

With several different programs existing at both the federal and provincial levels of government dozens of positions can be funded with the help of Canadian government grants. Here are just a few of the types of high-demand fields and positions that we have helped our clients receive funding:

• Positions within the aerospace industry;
• Positions within the food processing industry;
• Positions in the bio-science and environmental science industries;
• Positions in the energy and renewable energy industry;
• Positions in information and communications industries such as: computer and electrical engineers, graphic and web designers, database analysts, and more.