HELP & SUPPORT

The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), established in 1988, is an agency of the Ministry Northern Development mandated to promote and stimulate economic development in Northern Ontario. The Corporation has seven funding programs which provide financial assistance to projects, big and small, that support and diversify economic growth and job creation in the North.

For information about our programs and on how to apply, please visit our programs page.

For the NOHFC, Northern Ontario is defined as all areas north of, and including, the districts of Parry Sound and Nipissing. Click here to see a map of our funding areas.

NOHFC is now accepting online applications. For more information, or to start your application, visit the NOHFC online application system and log in or create a new account to get started.

Generally the process takes an average of 3-6 months to complete but this can fluctuate with the applicant’s readiness to proceed.

Applicants first complete a preliminary application that the NOHFC will review to determine eligibility for funding, according to program criteria, guidelines and policy. The applicant will generally receive a response from the NOHFC within 10 business days after receipt of application. If the proposed project meets our criteria, the NOHFC will provide the applicant with a contact person who can help complete a detailed project proposal or business plan. The time to complete the proposal/business plan will be dependent upon the applicant gathering all the information requirements for a fulsome proposal/business plan. Once the NOHFC has received all of the requested information, the proposal will proceed through the due diligence process to verify the information and to assess various risk elements. Once the evaluation is complete, it will then be provided to the NOHFC Board of Directors for review. The applicant will be notified once a decision has been made on the project.

Yes. The Regional Economic Development Branch (REDB) of the Ministry of Northern Development works with northern communities including First Nations, businesses, key economic sectors, and other stakeholders to provide one-stop access to economic development programs, assistance and services. Comprised of six area teams, the REDB seeks growth opportunities and forms the focal point for economic development service delivery in Northern Ontario. For more information, or to speak with a REDB Northern Development Advisor, contact the team nearest you to get help with your application.

Yes. The NOHFC Application system allows applicants to share their application with Northern Development Advisors and colleagues within or outside of the applicant’s organization. Click here to download instructions on how to add individuals to your application, grant permissions, and collaborate on your application. Before sharing your application with a Northern Development Advisor, please contact the Regional Economic Branch area team office closest to you to be assigned to a Northern Development Advisor.

No, beverage alcohol manufacturing companies are not considered eligible under NOHFC’s INVEST North Program – Launch, Grow or Locate Streams. Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has a number of information resources available on their website regarding beverage manufacturing in Ontario.

Yes, but only where the organization’s facility delivers a necessary and ongoing community service that directly contributes to the health and vibrancy of the broader community.

The NOHFC will consider projects where:

• the facility being renovated/upgraded is the only available public space in the community,
• access to the facility is not limited to congregation members,
• there is a demonstrated public/community-use of the facility (activities/events beyond congregational use), and
• the facility delivers a necessary and ongoing community service, (such as a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, senior drop-in centre, etc.), that directly contributes to the health and vibrancy of the broader community.

No, cannabis manufacturing and retail companies are not considered eligible under NOHFC’s programs. However, the Government of Canada has resources available on their website in support of cannabis cultivation, processing and medical sales licenses, as well as the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

The NOHFC defines professional services as a service requiring specialized knowledge and skill requiring a license, certification, or registration. Professional services may include, but are not limited to: accounting, architecture, engineering, lawyering, veterinarian services, human resources, financial and investment professional services, and health services performed by physicians, dentists, and optometrists.

No. Dairy farmers can continue to access financial support for quota purchases from Farm Credit Canada, Dairy Farmers of Ontario New Entrant Quota Assistance Program, or traditional lending institutions. Capital projects for the creation or expansion of dairy farm businesses continue to be eligible for NOHFC funding.

You will receive a letter from the Ministry advising whether or not you have been approved.

For conditional contributions: If approved, you will receive a letter that will note the Project Officer assigned to your project.

For loans or loan and conditional contribution combinations where security is required by NOHFC: If approved, you will receive a letter of offer and term sheet in approximately 2 weeks from the date of the Minister’s approval letter and you may contact the individual identified in the letter of offer.

For loans or loan and conditional contribution combinations where security is not required by NOHFC: If approved, you will receive a letter that will note the Project Officer assigned to your project.

For conditional contributions: NOHFC will prepare a funding contract and will send it to you in approximately 6-8 weeks from the date of the Minister’s approval letter. If you request changes to your project after your project has been approved, the timeline for providing a funding contract to you may be extended in order to evaluate your request.

For loans or loan and conditional contribution combinations where security is required by NOHFC: After you have accepted the letter of offer by signing and returning a copy of the signed offer and term sheet to NOHFC, the loan documents will be provided to the lawyer you identified on the signed letter of offer. This will occur in approximately 6-8 weeks from the date that NOHFC receives the signed letter of offer back from you.

For loans or loan and conditional contribution combinations where security is not required by NOHFC: NOHFC will contact you to confirm whether you wish to retain a lawyer to act for you on the transaction. NOHFC will prepare a funding contract and will send it to you or the lawyer you designate in approximately 6-8 weeks from the date of the Minister’s approval letter.

For conditional contributions: The funding contract should be signed and returned to NOHFC within 30 to 60 days of receiving it, depending on the NOHFC program. Additional information about your project will be provided in the letter accompanying your funding contract.

For loans or loan and conditional contribution combinations where security is required by NOHFC: You have 30 calendar days from the date of the letter of offer to (1) accept the offer by signing and returning to NOHFC a copy of the signed offer and term sheet or (2) request a reasonable extension. If you require an extension, please contact the Financial Services Manager identified in the letter of offer within the 30-day deadline. If a funding contract has not been signed by both parties within 180 days of your acceptance of the letter of offer, NOHFC may terminate the offer of financial assistance.

In most cases, the decision to hire a lawyer rests with you. However, where NOHFC funding is provided by way of a secured loan or a secured loan and conditional contribution, you will need to hire a lawyer to represent you on the transaction. Your lawyer will need to provide a legal opinion to NOHFC and conduct certain other legal work required to complete the transaction.

For conditional contributions: A request for funds can be submitted once the funding contract has been signed by both parties, and all conditions to funding specified in the funding contract have been satisfied.

For all loans or loan and conditional contribution combinations (secured and unsecured): A request for funds can be submitted at any time up to the commitment termination date specified in your funding contract. Funding can only be received once the funding contract has been signed by both parties, and all conditions to funding specified in the funding contract have been satisfied.

NOHFC programs are funded on a cost reimbursement basis. Together with your request for funds, you will need to provide evidence that all costs have been incurred and paid. The Project Officer assigned to your project will be able to provide guidance and information regarding the reimbursement process.

NOHFC requires an original signed Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Authorization Form to be completed so funds can be deposited directly into the bank account that you designate.

For conditional contributions: Please notify the Project Officer assigned to your project with details of any proposed change to your project. You will be asked to provide details of the project change to NOHFC in the change request form attached to the funding agreement. The Project Officer assigned to your project will notify you of any additional requirements. Project changes must be approved by NOHFC, in its discretion, and will be considered on a case by case basis.

For all loans and loan and conditional contribution combinations (secured or unsecured): Project changes must be approved by NOHFC, in its discretion, and will be reviewed by us on a case by case basis. Please notify the Project Officer assigned to your project with details of any proposed change to your project, and NOHFC will let you know if an amendment to the funding contract is required.

Yes. All reporting requirements will be noted in the funding contract. Any questions about the reports should be directed to the Project Officer assigned to your project.

The timing and amount of your required loan repayments will be set out in your funding contract. You will be asked to complete and return an original signed Pre-Authorized Payment Form (PAP) to NOHFC. NOHFC will withdraw scheduled payments from the bank account identified on the PAP form provided by you.

Contact the Project Officer assigned to your project.

Unless otherwise provided in your funding contract, you may make voluntary prepayments at any time without penalty. For further details, please refer to the specific repayment provisions set out in your funding contract. Should you have any questions please contact the Project Officer assigned to your project.

Projects that are declined or considered ineligible will receive written communication from the NOHFC outlining the reasons for the decision.

Should you have questions or concerns regarding that decision, please contact your local Regional Economic Development Branch (REDB) to discuss options.

After discussing the project and the decision with the appropriate REDB staff, you may have the option to request reconsideration of the NOHFC’s decision if you are able to provide new and relevant information that was not included in the initial project information and that specifically addresses all the reasons for the decline.

Requests for reconsideration can be sent by e-mail to the contact identified in your decline letter and must include:

• NOHFC file number
• Explanation of the reason/s for the request for reconsideration and a response to the identified reasons for decline
• All supporting information and documents needed to support the request.

As part of the request for reconsideration process, you will be required to provide additional information and/or documents that specifically address the concerns raised in your decline letter. Depending on the information provided, this may require you to work with the service provider assigned to your file and provide an updated project proposal so that a revised project evaluation can be completed.

Your revised evaluation will be considered by the appropriate committee for a recommendation to the Board of Directors. You will be advised of the results when a decision has been reached via written correspondence.