Ontario government grants, loans and incentives for individuals and families

Ranked programs

26 open, ongoing or intake-based programs, best score first.

1. Save on Energy Energy Affordability Program

   IESO (Save on Energy)

   Free energy-saving upgrades and kits for income-eligible Ontario households, including appliance replacement and, in some cases, a free cold climate heat pump.

   OngoingOntarioOther incentives
   47

   Strong

2. Ontario Child Care Tax Credit (Ontario CARE Tax Credit)

   Ministry of Finance / Canada Revenue Agency

   Refundable credit that gives families up to 75% of eligible child care expenses back, including child care centres, home care and camps.

   OngoingOntarioOther incentivesLimit $8K
   46

   Strong

3. Home Winterproofing Program

   Enbridge Gas (delivered together with the Energy Affordability Program)

   Enbridge Gas offers eligible lower-income households free energy-saving home upgrades such as insulation and draft proofing. Participants get a home energy assessment...

   OngoingOntarioOther incentives
   45

   Strong

4. Home Renovation Savings Program (Save on Energy / Enbridge Gas)

   IESO (Save on Energy) and Enbridge Gas, supported by the Government of Ontario

   Rebates for home energy upgrades such as insulation, air sealing, windows and doors, heat pumps, smart thermostats, solar and storage, and efficient appliances...

   OngoingOntarioOther incentivesUp to $12K
   44

   Strong

5. Assistive Devices Program (ADP)

   Ministry of Health

   Helps people with long-term physical disabilities pay for customized equipment and supplies such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, diabetic and ostomy supplies.

   OngoingOntarioOther incentives
   43

   Strong

6. Ontario Focused Flow-Through Share Tax Credit

   Ontario Ministry of Finance / Canada Revenue Agency

   Refundable personal tax credit for individuals who invest in flow-through shares of Ontario mining exploration companies, improving access to capital for junior...

   OngoingOntarioOther incentives
   41

   Strong

7. Better Jobs Ontario

   Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (Employment Ontario)

   Funds tuition, books and living support for laid-off or long-term unemployed workers to retrain for in-demand jobs. Aimed at individuals rather than employers.

   OngoingOntarioGrantsUp to $35K
   39

   Strong

8. Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program (CLTIP)

   Ministry of Natural Resources

   Recognizes private stewardship of provincially important natural areas by exempting eligible portions of a property from property tax.

   OngoingOntarioOther incentives
   36

   Worth a look

9. Land Transfer Tax Refund for First-Time Homebuyers

   Ministry of Finance

   Refund of Ontario land transfer tax for first-time homebuyers; no tax is payable on the first $368,000 of consideration for eligible homes and the maximum refund is...

   OngoingOntarioOther incentivesUp to $4K
   36

   Worth a look

10. Ontario Learn and Stay Grant

    Ministry of Colleges and Universities (via OSAP)

    Covers tuition, books, compulsory fees and other education costs for students in priority postsecondary healthcare programs (nursing, paramedic, medical laboratory) in...

    OpenOntarioGrants
    36

    Worth a look

11. Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program

    Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development

    Provincially funded pre-apprenticeship training of up to 52 weeks, delivered by colleges and community agencies, with an 8 to 12 week work placement, for people who want...

    OngoingOntarioGrants
    35

    Worth a look

12. Ontario Child Benefit (OCB)

    Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services / Canada Revenue Agency

    Monthly payments to low- to moderate-income families with children under 18, administered by the CRA together with the Canada Child Benefit.

    OngoingOntarioOther incentivesUp to $2K
    33

    Worth a look

13. Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB)

    Ministry of Finance / Canada Revenue Agency

    Combines the Northern Ontario Energy Credit, Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit and Ontario Sales Tax Credit into one tax-free payment, to help low- to...

    OngoingOntarioOther incentivesUp to $1K
    33

    Worth a look

14. Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MFTIP)

    Ministry of Natural Resources

    Property tax reduction for landowners who prepare and follow an approved Managed Forest Plan; enrolled forest is taxed at 25% of the municipal residential rate.

    OngoingOntarioOther incentives
    31

    Worth a look

15. London Additional Residential Unit (ARU) Loan

    City of London

    Loan helping owner-occupying homeowners in London pay for creating an additional residential unit on their property.

    OngoingOntarioLoansLoans up to $45K
    29

    Worth a look

16. Starter Company Plus

    Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (via Small Business Enterprise Centres)

    Training, mentoring and a grant for people starting, expanding or buying a business.

    OngoingOntarioGrantsUp to $5K
    28

    Worth a look

17. Low-Income Workers Tax Credit (LIFT)

    Ministry of Finance / Canada Revenue Agency

    Non-refundable Ontario tax credit that reduces or eliminates Ontario personal income tax for low-income workers, including minimum-wage earners.

    OngoingOntarioOther incentivesLimit $875
    26

    Worth a look

18. Save on Energy Peak Perks (residential and small business thermostats)

    IESO (Save on Energy)

    Participants with an eligible smart thermostat allow brief adjustments during peak summer demand and receive a sign-up payment plus an annual payment.

    OngoingOntarioOther incentives
    26

    Worth a look

19. Ontario Arts Council Project Grants (35+ programs)

    Ontario Arts Council

    One-time grants for specific projects by Ontario artists, arts professionals, collectives and organizations, delivered through about 40 discipline and priority-group...

    Intake-basedOntarioGrantsUp to $60K
    24

    Long shot

20. Kitchener LoveMyHood Matching Grant

    City of Kitchener (Neighbourhood Development Office)

    Matching grants for resident-led neighbourhood projects, including capital projects and events, across Kitchener.

    Intake-basedOntarioGrantsUp to $30K
    22

    Long shot

21. Ontario Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit

    Ministry of Finance / Canada Revenue Agency

    Refundable credit helping low- to moderate-income seniors with eligible medical expenses, including expenses that support aging at home.

    OngoingOntarioOther incentivesLimit $2K
    22

    Long shot

22. Kitchener Designated Heritage Grant Program

    City of Kitchener

    Grants toward conserving individually designated heritage properties and properties in Kitchener heritage districts.

    Intake-basedOntarioGrantsUp to $15K
    20

    Long shot

23. Toronto Heritage Grant Program

    City of Toronto (Heritage Planning)

    Matching grants since 1986 for eligible heritage conservation work on Toronto properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. Helps owners repair masonry, windows...

    Intake-basedOntarioGrantsUp to $20K
    20

    Long shot

24. Ontario Seniors' Public Transit Tax Credit

    Ministry of Finance / Canada Revenue Agency

    Refundable tax credit helping seniors with the cost of eligible public transit fares, including specialized transit for people with disabilities.

    OngoingOntarioOther incentivesLimit $450
    19

    Long shot

25. Toronto Arts Council Grants

    Toronto Arts Council

    City-wide public funding for Toronto-based arts organizations, collectives and individual artists across dance, music, theatre, visual and media arts, literary arts...

    Intake-basedOntarioGrants
    17

    Long shot

26. Save on Energy Training Incentives

    IESO (Save on Energy)

    Incentives toward course fees for energy management training for professionals responsible for energy or building operations at Ontario facilities.

    OngoingOntarioOther incentivesUp to $550
    16

    Long shot

Questions

How many Ontario programs for individuals and families are open right now?

Of the 32 Ontario programs for individuals and families in our database, 21 are open or ongoing and 5 take applications only in intake windows. The rest are closed, paused or of unknown status, so they are not ranked on this page. Counts reflect our last check on Oct 17, 2026; programs can change without notice.

What is the largest published amount among these programs?

London Additional Residential Unit (ARU) Loan publishes the largest figure on this page, shown as "Loans up to $45K". Published figures are program maximums, caps or limits, not what an applicant should expect to receive; many programs pay a share of eligible costs and amounts depend on your project and eligibility.

Which Ontario programs for individuals and families rank highest?

Right now the top three by our score are Save on Energy Energy Affordability Program (47, Strong), Ontario Child Care Tax Credit (46, Strong), Home Winterproofing Program (45, Strong). The score combines the size of the published amount, how much work an application takes, how likely an eligible applicant is to succeed and how many people qualify.

Do I have to pay this money back?

It depends on the program. Grants and incentives are generally not repaid, loans always are, and some contribution agreements are partly or fully repayable, so read the terms of each program. Among the 21 open or ongoing programs here, 4 are in our Grants category, 1 are loans and 16 are other incentives such as tax credits and rebates.

Are these federal or Ontario programs?

0 of the 21 open or ongoing programs here come from the federal government and 21 from the Ontario government. Both levels can usually be combined, but many programs have stacking rules that cap total government funding for the same costs, so check them before you apply.

Is this an official government website?

No. Grants & Loans Finder is an independent research tool. Each program page links to the official source, and applications are always made with the government agency or lender that runs the program.