Durham tariff support access has widened after Ontario expanded eligibility for two financing programs aimed at businesses affected by new United States trade measures.
The province announced the change on September 10. A September 12 report focused on Durham businesses said the expansion could matter locally because the region has major manufacturing, automotive, steel and agricultural sectors tied to cross-border trade.
The two programs are the $1-billion Protect Ontario Financing Program and the $150-million Ontario Together Trade Fund. Ontario says they are intended to help firms manage essential costs, retain workers, reach new markets and adjust supply chains as tariffs create uncertainty.
For Durham employers, the practical effect depends on the product involved, the size of the company and how clearly it can document harm from tariffs or trade disruption. The announcement widens the pool of potential applicants, but it does not guarantee funding. Applications remain subject to each program’s financial, employment and project criteria.
More sectors can apply
According to the provincial announcement, eligibility now covers businesses connected to additional products affected by U.S. measures. These include certain steel, aluminum and other metal products, along with mattresses, furniture, paper products, motorboats and some dairy and animal-skin products.
The province also says measures taking effect September 29 will extend eligibility further to businesses connected to most Canadian alcoholic beverages, certain dairy products and motorcycles with engines larger than 800 cubic centimetres.
Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli said the government is trying to protect jobs and help companies respond to tariffs and economic uncertainty.
Different requirements for loans and project support
The Protect Ontario Financing Program offers loans for essential expenses such as payroll, leases and utilities. The province lists several thresholds: applicants must operate in Ontario, generally have at least $2 million in annual revenue and employ at least 10 full-time workers in the province. They must also be affected directly or through their supply chains and have attempted to obtain federal assistance or faced barriers to it.
The Ontario Together Trade Fund has different rules. Eligible firms generally must have operated for at least three years and employ at least five full-time workers. Applicants must show exposure to tariffs or trade risks, or propose changes that help Canadian customers replace U.S. suppliers. Projects can also support expansion into markets elsewhere in Canada.
Those thresholds mean the programs will not fit every Durham small business. Companies should review the complete provincial criteria before making plans based on the announced expansion.
Durham businesses describe indirect pressure
The local report cited two business owners who said uncertainty was affecting customer spending even though their companies were not direct exporters. Mirwais Yousufzai, who operates travel and driving-school businesses, said customers had delayed trips and fewer people were enrolling in driving lessons.
Restaurant owner Farden Ebady said sales had recently declined and that he would consider applying if his business met the requirements. Their comments illustrate how trade disruptions can reach service businesses through household spending, in addition to the direct pressure on exporters and manufacturers.
Durham businesses can compare the Protect Ontario Financing Program and the Ontario Together Trade Fund on the province’s websites.
