If you’re looking for grants for your construction or real estate business, you’re in the right place! Because we have the most comprehensive, up-to-date guide on grants, loans, and other types of funding for entrepreneurs in construction and real estate. In this guide you’ll learn what’s available, eligibility requirements, how much you can get, and much more!
What Can Construction/Real Estate Business Grants Be Used For?
Construction/Real Estate business grants can be used to pay for many aspects of starting or running a business. Here are some of the uses that are covered by programs in our grants database:
And that’s just a sample! See the section below with a complete list of grants available for Construction/Real Estate business.
How Much Grant Money Can I Get for My Construction/Real Estate Business?
In our database we currently have grants ranging from $7,500 to $500,000,000.
Am I Eligible for a Construction/Real Estate Business Grant? Common Eligibility Criteria
Two of the most common questions we get asked at Ontario Business Grants are “Am I eligible?” and “How do I qualify?”.
We analyzed the Construction/Real Estate business grants in our grants database, and these are the most common qualifications we identified:
Note: these are just the most common eligibility criteria – there are many grants with different requirements.
Construction/Real Estate Business Grants for Ontario: Current Grants Available
In the table below we list the grants currently available to Ontario Construction/Real Estate businesses.
To learn more about each program, just click the program name and you’ll be taken to a web page that provides detailed information on the program, including eligibility, the dollar amount of the program, and how to apply for the grant:
Grants for Ontario Construction/Real Estate Businesses
Other Types of Funding for Construction/Real Estate Businesses
Our goal is for this guide to be a complete source of funding information for Construction/Real Estate businesses. So, in this section you’ll find all the other money programs (besides grants) that are available to Construction/Real Estate entrepreneurs:
Loans for Construction/Real Estate Businesses
A loan might not sound as good as a grant, but many loans for Construction/Real Estate businesses have a low interest rate. While they might not be free money, if you don’t qualify for a grant, a low-interest loan is probably the next best thing.
The programs below include government loans:
If you’re not eligible for a government loan, you might consider one of the commercial loans available for Construction/Real Estate entrepreneurs. Below is a sample of current loan programs offered by Canadian banks and credit unions that are available specifically for Construction/Real Estate businesses:
While not exactly a type of funding for Construction/Real Estate entrepreneurs, some commercial banks in Canada offer bank accounts specifically for Real Estate trusts. These accounts offer special perks and are worth checking out:
A rebate is a partial refund made to a business by a government, utility company, etc. Common rebates include tax rebates, energy rebates, etc.
In the table below you’ll find rebates currently available for Construction/Real Estate Businesses:
A subsidy is a type of financial assistance usually provided by the government in order to promote a social good or an economic policy. Wage subsidies are the most common subsidies.
In the table below you’ll find the subsidies currently available for Construction/Real Estate businesses:
An investment is a form of financing where capital is provided in exchange of ownership in the company. It is an alternative to conventional methods of raising capital (loans, issuing stocks, selling bonds) and the good thing about it is that you do not have to make monthly payments. Common investment includes private equity and venture capital.
Here is the government’s investment program currently available for Construction/Real Estate businesses:
A competition usually refers to a pitch competition, a contest where entrepreneurs give a pitch (a short and compelling presentation of their business concept) to a panel in the hope of winning a cash prize or investment capital.
Here is a competition currently available for Construction/Real Estate Businesses:
In-kind support refers to non-cash resources provided to support businesses. In kind-support can take various forms: access to coaching, mentorship, investors, logistical and technical resources (space, equipment, computers, internet and software, free testbed), training programs, business advice and counseling. Entrepreneurship centres, accelerators and incubators provide valuable in-kind support to new and existing entrepreneurs.
Accelerators for Construction/Real Estate Businesses
Best Construction/Real Estate Business Grants, Loans & More
While there are lots of good programs available, below we highlight some of the best grants, loans, rebates & more for Construction/Real Estate businesses:
Best Government Grants for Construction/Real Estate Businesses
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) – Housing Supply Challenge: The Fourth Challenge Round – Building for the Future: Innovative Construction for Housing Affordability
CMHC’s Housing Supply Challenge: The Fourth Challenge Round – Building for the Future: Innovative Construction for Housing Affordability provides financial assistance to submit solutions that provide innovative construction processes, techniques, systems, or materials that will increase the supply of housing that is affordable, resilient and meets people’s needs.
Successful submissions that address barriers to supply will receive funding to prototype or incubate their proposal.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) – Seed Funding: New Construction Stream
CMHC’s New Construction Stream provides interest-free loans and/or non-repayable contributions to help with costs related to pre-development activities. This can include business plans, preliminary designs, development permits and more.
Infrastructure Canada Investing in Canada Plan Programs: Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF)
The Disaster Mitigation and Adaption Fund (DMAF) is a national, competitive, and merit-based contribution program intended to support public infrastructure projects designed to mitigate current and future climate-related risks and disasters triggered by climate change, such as floods, wildland fires, droughts and seismic events.
Projects can either be:
Transport Canada – National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF)
Transport Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund provides funding for infrastructure projects in Canada, including work to airports, ports, rail yards, transportation facilities and access roads.
Best Government Loans for Construction/Real Estate Businesses
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) – National Housing Co-Investment Fund: Indigenous and Northern Housing
CMHC’s Indigenous and Northern Housing option of the National Housing Co-Investment Fund provides low-cost and forgivable loans to housing providers serving Indigenous people, and housing providers building and renovating housing in northern communities.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) – Rental Construction Financing Initiative
CMHC’s Rental Construction Financing Initiative provides low cost loans to eligible borrowers during the most risky phases of product development of rental apartments (construction through to stabilized operations). The initiative focuses on standard rental apartment projects in Canada with general occupants where there is a need for additional rental housing supply.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) – Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund: Preconstruction Loans – Stream 1
CMHC’s Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund: Preconstruction Loans – Stream 1 provides funding for preconstruction cost loans to commence new housing projects.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) – Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund: Shared Equity Mortgages (SEM) – Stream 2
CMHC’s Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund: Shared Equity Mortgages (SEM) – Stream 2 provides loans to fund shared equity mortgages that they provide directly to first-time homebuyers.
Best Government Subsidy for Construction/Real Estate Businesses
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) – Housing Internship for Indigenous Youth (HIIY)
Help a First Nations or Inuit youth between 15 and 30 develop work experience for a brighter future with this program and get their wages; vacation pay; and EI, pension plan, and workers’ compensation premiums subsidized with this program.
As long as your business is also First Nation or Inuit owned, or is a First Nation or Inuit council, you have an office in a First Nation or Inuit community, and you have the time and resources to offer on-the-job training, you can take advantage of this program.
Best Rebates for Construction/Real Estate Businesses
City of Cornwall – Brownfield Program: Municipal Planning / Development Fees Rebate
The Municipal Planning / Development Fees Rebate program is designed to assist developers by rebating up to 100% of municipal planning and development fees.
EPCOR Electricity Distribution Ontario Inc. – Water Main Cost Sharing Program (WMCS)
The Water Main Cost Sharing (WMCS) program offers rebates to developers that have land servicing agreements with the City of Edmonton. Funding is provided on a sliding scale to cover a portion of the costs of water mains between 300mm and 400mm in diameter.
Best Non-profit Subsidy for Construction/Real Estate Businesses
Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC) – Discovering Potential Program
The Discovering Potential Program supports employers who provide youth with green work experience through internships and on-the-job training. Positions in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and/or relating to electricity, renewable energy, environment, and natural resources can qualify.
Best Grants provided by Utility Companies to Construction/Real Estate Businesses
Enbridge Gas – Equipment Upgrades: Multi-Unit Residential In-Suite Fixed Incentive Program
Through their Equipment Upgrades: Multi-Unit Residential In-Suite Fixed Incentive Program, Enbridge Gas offers financial incentives to all their eligible customers who will take advantage of energy-saving technologies such as heat-recovery ventilators (HRV) and energy-recovery ventilators (ERV). These technologies save energy by decreasing the load on the building’s heating system.
Enbridge Gas – New Construction: Savings by Design Residential
The Savings by Design Residential program gives production builders free access to industry experts, energy modelling and financial incentives to help them build high-performance sustainable homes. This program has two components: Integrated Design Process (IDP) and Energy Performance Incentives.
Enbridge Gas – Building Automation: Affordable Multi-Family Housing Program, Commercial Custom Retrofit Program, and Industrial Custom Engineering Program
The Building Automation program provides funding for building automation systems (BAS). BAS is an efficient way to increase a building’s flexibility to respond to a variety of operating conditions. Monitoring, managing and adjusting key energy systems from a single touchpoint is an effective way to optimize energy use automatically. Building owners and energy managers need to reassess control of indoor spaces as there are challenges on fluctuating occupancy levels, increased ventilation requirements and tighter budgets whether they run a large office building or affordable housing.
This program offers incentives through the following:
Best Private Organization Investment for Construction/Real Estate Businesses
Keiretsu Forum – Investment
Keiretsu Forum is a global investment community of accredited private equity angel investors, venture capitalists and corporate/institutional investors. Keiretsu Forum was founded in the San Francisco East Bay in California in 2000 by Randy Williams. Keiretsu Forum is a worldwide network of capital, resources and deal flow with 52 chapters on 3 continents. Keiretsu Forum members invest in high-quality, diverse investment opportunities. The community is strengthened through its involvement in social and charitable activities.
Best Academia Competition for Construction/Real Estate Businesses
Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CEIE) (Toronto Metropolitan University) – Norman Esch Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards
The Norman Esch Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards provides financial awards to change-makers enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science. The Norman Esch Awards is broken up into 3 financial awards to represent the 3 stages of an idea or startup.
The award categories are as follows:
Best Accelerator for Construction/Real Estate Businesses
Foresight Canada – Sectoral Cluster Initiatives: buildNEXT
BuildNEXT is a sector-specific, ecosystem-based accelerator established by Foresight to drive development and scaling of Canadian ventures in the built environment. buildNEXT brings partners together to explore how to use renewable building materials, green construction practices and products, and other principles of sustainability in the built environment that align with a forward-looking economic system.
Courtesy of Maurice (Moe) Muise at OntarioBusinessGrants.com His current focus is helping small businesses in Ontario to identify and maximize government grants to grow their business. Click here to learn more about Moe’s background and how he can help your business.
