FAQs - Home | NOHFC

Q: Are fire halls or fire related infrastructure eligible for NOHFC funding?

Effective February 3, 2026, fire halls and related fire service activities are not eligible for NOHFC funding under the Community Enhancement Program. Fire halls are classified as core community infrastructure, which falls outside the mandate of NOHFC’s economic development–focused programming. NOHFC’s Community Enhancement Program is intended to support projects that contribute to community‑level economic development, capacity, and growth—not essential municipal services. Communities with fire hall or fire service–related projects are encouraged to contact their Northern Development Advisor, who can help direct them to alternative provincial or federal infrastructure programs designed to support public safety and municipal infrastructure needs.

Q: What type of financial support can a social enterprise receive?

Funding for social enterprises is provided as a conditional contribution of up to 50% of eligible costs or $1,000,000 of total eligible costs, whichever is less. A conditional contribution is a grant of funds. These funds could be partially or fully repayable if a recipient does not meet the terms and conditions imposed by NOHFC in a legally binding contract.

Q: Are cooperatives and non-profit organizations operating as social enterprises potentially eligible under the Community Enhancement Program?

A social enterprise is a corporation that uses commercial strategies to achieve a primary social, environmental, or cultural mission, reinvesting most profits back into that mission rather than maximizing shareholder wealth, blending business with purpose to create sustainable change. They operate like regular businesses, selling goods or services, but their core goal is community well-being, addressing issues like poverty, unemployment, or environmental protection. Social enterprises such as cooperatives and Indigenous community-owned for-profit entities are considered potentially eligible under the Community Enhancement Program where the following is demonstrated: The cooperative is established without the ability to flow dividends to individual members of the cooperative limiting the benefit of NOHFC support to the benefit of the non-profit. The Indigenous for-profit entity is 100% owned by the Indigenous community or by a number of Indigenous communities with 100% of the profits being reinvested back into the community(ies), excluding revenues reinvested back into the business.

Q: Are there any requirements for a farmer to be eligible for and included in a project’s consortium?

A farmer must meet the following requirements to be included in the consortium: The farmer must be “shovel-ready”. The farmer must have a Farm Business Registration If the farmer is exempted from the Farm Business Registration, please submit written confirmation from Agricorp. While the farmer does not have to own the property to be tiled, they must have at a minimum a five-year written lease agreement for the property which must be provided to the organization administering the project. If a farmer who received funding under the program ceases farming completely or sells the lands tiled within five years of the date the tiling was completed on their property, they may be required to repay the NOHFC conditional contribution. The not-for-profit organization administering the tile drainage project should be notified if this occurs. The farmer’s funding is based on per acre tiled. NOHFC will not fund the tiling of the same acre of land twice.

Q: Do individual farmers have to be identified at the time of making an application?

Yes. Each farmer within the consortium must be identified.

Q: What happens if a farmer drops out of the consortium?

Funding is based on the number of farmers and the acres to be tiled. If a farmer decides that they will not be participating after the application has been submitted, the funding will be adjusted.

Q: If my consortium’s project is approved, how long do I have to complete my project?

NOHFC expects you to be “shovel ready” and to have the project completed within two years.

Q: Do I have to apply to other broadband programs before applying to NOHFC?

Yes. You must apply to other available infrastructure programs and be declined or provide a detailed explanation why the project was ineligible to apply.

Q: Does the NOHFC Film & Television program consider labour costs of crew from outside Northern Ontario as an eligible cost?

Only labour costs for individuals who live in Northern Ontario are eligible for NOHFC support. "Deemed labour" is no longer allowed. Applicants are encouraged to offer on-set training for crew members by working with industry organizations, unions, and colleges or universities in Northern Ontario.

Q: Does NOHFC have a plan to increase Northern Ontario vendors for the film and television industry?

Yes, NOHFC encourages vendors to start businesses in Northern Ontario to support the industry. Approved vendors are added to the Northern Ontario Vendors List. Other vendors not on the list may still be eligible for reimbursement, but NOHFC will review them on a case-by-case basis.

Are fire halls or fire related infrastructure eligible for NOHFC funding?

Mike Orazietti2026-03-05T09:30:14-05:00March 5th, 2026|

What type of financial support can a social enterprise receive?

Mike Orazietti2026-03-05T09:24:15-05:00March 5th, 2026|

Are cooperatives and non-profit organizations operating as social enterprises potentially eligible under the Community Enhancement Program?

Mike Orazietti2026-03-05T09:22:36-05:00March 5th, 2026|

Does the NOHFC Film & Television program consider labour costs of crew from outside Northern Ontario as an eligible cost?

Mike Orazietti2024-09-10T19:40:36-04:00September 10th, 2024|

Does NOHFC have a plan to increase Northern Ontario vendors for the film and television industry?

Mike Orazietti2024-09-10T19:39:20-04:00September 10th, 2024|