RFAs: Experience Ontario Program (Canada)

Experience Ontario 2025 provides support for festivals and events with a tourism economic impact to motivate visitors to discover Ontario, connect people with local experiences, and increase tourism spending.

Experience Ontario is a competitive program. Applications will be measured against program criteria and, as such, there is no guarantee of funding, including to past recipients.

The ministry will only consider one application per organization and one application per event.

Objectives

• Experience Ontario 2025 supports in-person festivals or events in Ontario that will:
  • Offer programming that encourages people to travel, experience events in-person and celebrate Ontario.
  • Draw tourists and increase visitor spending through innovative programming in partnership with businesses and community partners.
  • Provide job opportunities for Ontarians in the tourism, culture and entertainment sectors.
  • Increase Ontario’s profile through various media channels.

Funding Information

• The maximum funding amount for Experience Ontario 2025 is determined through a three-tier model based on the organization’s previous year’s actual festival or event cash expense total:
  • Tier 1 – Signature: Tourism festivals or events with total event cash expenses of $1 million or greater will be eligible for up to 50% of eligible cash expenses up to a maximum of $125,000.
  • Tier 2 – Emerging: Tourism festivals or events with total event cash expenses between $250,000 and $999,999 will be eligible for up to 50% of eligible cash expenses up to a maximum $55,000.
  • Tier 3 – Community: Tourism festivals or events with total event cash expenses of less than $250,000 will be eligible for up to 50% of eligible cash expenses up to a maximum of $20,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications that do not meet the following eligibility requirements will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered. Incomplete applications are not eligible.
  • Eligible Organizations
    • A legal entity, established by or under legislation; federally or provincially incorporated; or a First Nation in the province of Ontario. OR, an Indigenous community in Ontario; a regional or provincial organization representing First Nation, Métis, Inuit or urban Indigenous peoples; or an Indigenous service provider in Ontario (e.g. band councils, tribal councils, Indigenous education authorities, Provincial Territorial Organizations).
    • In existence since January 1, 2024, or before.
    • An operating business (e.g., business address, physical presence) in Ontario.
    • Not in default of the terms and conditions of any grant or loan agreement with any ministry or agency of the Government of Ontario.
    • Conducting business in Ontario (e.g., business address, physical presence) and have a Canadian bank account in the legal name of the applicant at a Canadian financial institution.
  • Eligible Tourism Festivals or Events
    • Take place between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, over a minimum of two consecutive days and consist of a minimum of five hours of programing each day.
    • Occur in the province of Ontario.
    • Be open to the public at large without membership in a club or group.
    • Previous year’s attendance must include tourist attendance at 30% of overall attendance or 5,000 tourists.
    • Have been held at least once in the previous three-year period.
    • Follow all municipal and provincial guidelines, including health and safety guidelines.
    • Submit expenses for your festival or event that are not solely related to marketing or media buys.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Ineligible Organizations
  • Sole proprietorships, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships and general partnerships.
  • Federal or provincial governments and/or their agencies
• Ineligible Tourism Festivals or Events
  • One-day tourism festivals or events (except for those held on Canada Day).
  • Non-consecutive day festivals or events. Festivals or events that offer a series of days are only eligible for the consecutive days.
  • Virtual/broadcast festivals or events.
  • Festivals or events that are receiving funding through the Ontario Sport Hosting Program, or the Ontario Music Investment Fund (OMIF).
  • An organization can only apply for Experience Ontario and OMIF if the organization is applying for separate events.
  • Sporting events offering programming that is of primary benefit to event participants/athletes only (e.g., sport tournaments/competitions, marathons), with no ancillary programming for visitors, and is neither marketed to nor attracts tourists.
  • Festivals or events that seek to attract only a special interest audience, restrict audiences (e.g., students only), or recruit new members (e.g., religious or political gatherings).
  • Festivals or events of a primarily commercial nature, where the main intent of the event is to sell or promote one or multiple products, services, or sponsorships (e.g., trade fairs and shows, business events, consumer shows, artisan, and craft fairs).
  • Fundraising events or events with a primarily charitable purpose.
  • Symposia, conventions, meetings, conferences, seminars, clinics, workshops, contests and events that solely consist of an award show.
  • Applicants who apply only for marketing funding.

For more information, visit MTCG.