Export Market Access Ontario Small Business Grants
Please Note: Export Market Access is now closed and not accepting further applications. For trade show grants and other forms of export support, learn more about the CanExport program.
Export Market Access (EMA) Ontario government grants assist small businesses to gain access and expand their reach in international markets. Administered by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and funded through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), EMA provides non-repayable grant funding for activities such as participating in foreign tradeshows, developing marketing materials for new markets, and receiving product certifications to sell goods in international countries. This market expansion grant provides up to 50% of eligible expenses (to a maximum $50,000 per application), and Ontario small businesses may apply for EMA up to two times in a 12-month period.
Export Market Access: Marketing Grants Eligibility
Businesses who manufacture products or services in Ontario may be eligible to receive Export Market Access funding. Some additional requirements of the program include that businesses:
- Must employ between 3-500 people;
- Must produce their product in Ontario;
- Must reside within Ontario;
- Must earn a minimum revenue of $300,000 annually; and
- Must be incorporated for two or more years.
Successful Applicants of EMA Small Business Grants Ontario
- Mentor Works client ASTOUND Group leveraged EMA to participate in a tradeshow held in Las Vegas, Nevada. At this event they secured more than 250 high quality leads. This growth was projected to increase the company’s revenue by $500,000 in the year after the tradeshow.
- Within one year of participating in a German tradeshow, one of Mentor Works clients grew revenues by $700,000 including $325,000 directly from export sales. An additional two jobs were also created in Ontario as result of expanding business operations.
- An ice cream packaging manufacturer participated in a Chicago-based tradeshow and grew business revenues by $3 million over the next year. Of these revenues, $1 million was provided from export market expansion. They projected a total of 10 new jobs would be added over this time.
Learn More about Export Market Access Grants for Small Business
Ontario businesses that are eligible to receive EMA government funding grants based on the requirements above should continue to learn more about the program. Contact Mentor Works to discuss how your upcoming international market expansion projects could be improved with Ontario government funding.
Posted: October 5, 2015 by Jeff Shepherd. Updated: June 19, 2018 by Jeff Shepherd.