IMPORTANT: This blog is out of date. Please view our Top Funding Programs for Hiring in 2013
Small businesses in Canada have a wide variety of Canadian government grants for hiring new employees to increase their talent pool. We have chosen the top five readily accessible hiring grants for small businessa across all areas of focus, including technical, engineering, marketing, and general programs.
1. MITACS Enterprise: Up to $15,000 Wage Subsidy
Candidate Focus: Science, Technical, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM)
Differing from the MITACS Accelerate post-secondary partnership program, the MITACS Enterprise allows companies to hire post-secondary students or graduates that specialize in science, technical, engineering, or math for a 6-month internship. There are three levels of funding:
- Bachelor Degree Graduate: $10,000 grant over 6 months
- Graduate Student: $7,500 grant over 6 months
- Graduate or Post-Doctorate Degree: $15,000 grant over 6 months
Hiring companies can hire as many interns as they desire through MITACS Enterprise, with a maximum total grant amount of $30,000. Interested companies can begin the application process by filling out the online MITACS Enterprise Company Initial Application.
2. Graduate Enterprise Internship – iSTEM Program: Up to $15,000 Wage Subsidy
Candidate Focus: Science, Technical, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM)
This Ontario-only program allows companies to hire STEM undergraduate students and graduates for a 6-month internship. There are two tiers of funding:
- Undergraduate Student: $10,000
- Graduate: $15,000
Companies can begin the application process for this Ontario business grant by visiting the FedDev Ontario’s Graduate Enterprise Internship Webpage and filling out the application form and supplementary documents.
3. ICTC Career Focus: Up to $10,000 Wage Subsidy
Candidate Focus: Information & Communication Technology
This wage subsidy is a great option for companies looking to overhaul their online presence through a new website, search engine optimization (SEO), social media, as well as any software development or IT-related projects. Career Focus covers 33% of the successful candidate’s wage, up to $10,000 for a 4-12 month internship. To learn more, please contact Mentor Works or ICTC for more information.
4. Small Business Internship Program (SBIP): Up to $10,000 Wage Subsidy
Candidate Focus: Marketing, Web Development, Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Is your company website being underutilized? SBIP aims at increasing company’s online presence through a specialized intern, dedicated to upgrading or rebuilding their website, social media presence, search engine performance, and overall online marketing performance. The 12-week internship covers 75% of the intern’s wage, up to $10,000. Get started with the application process by downloading and filling out the SBIP Application Form.
5. Youth Employment Program (YEP): Up to $30,000 Wage Subsidy
Candidate Focus: Open
One of the best Canadian business grants for hiring is the Youth Employment Program (YEP). This 12-month internship program covers $30,000 of up to two interns salaries. The intern must have a post-secondary degree or diploma and be younger than 31 years old. The program is open to candidates of all study disciplines. Keep an eye on the Youth Employment Program Website for more updates on the application process.