Our Role

FedDev Ontario was established in August 2009 to help the southern Ontario economy mitigate and overcome regional and global economic challenges. As Canada's most populous region – home to 12.3 million residents living in 288 communities – southern Ontario is a key contributor to the overall Canadian economy.

In its first year, FedDev Ontario focused on targeted investments to create jobs and to address immediate needs in light of the economic challenges the region was facing.

In its second year, the Agency launched a series of new initiatives aimed at strengthening the southern Ontario economy and positioning the region to compete globally.

Through Economic Action Plan 2013, the Government of Canada demonstrated its continued commitment to workers, families and communities in southern Ontario with the renewal of FedDev Ontario.

With renewed funding, FedDev Ontario will continue to act as a convenor, advocate and investor to support the development of a prosperous and globally competitive southern Ontario economy by supporting innovation and commercialization, business growth, productivity and communities.

The designated geographic area for the Agency consists of the following 37 Statistics Canada census divisions:

Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry; Prescott and Russell; Ottawa; Leeds and Grenville; Lanark; Frontenac; Lennox and Addington; Hastings; Prince Edward; Northumberland; Peterborough; Kawartha Lakes; Durham; York; Toronto; Peel; Dufferin; Wellington; Halton; Hamilton; Niagara; Haldimand-Norfolk; Brant; Waterloo; Perth; Oxford; Elgin; Chatham-Kent; Essex; Lambton; Middlesex; Huron; Bruce; Grey; Simcoe; Haliburton; and, Renfrew.

A list of the communities that form each census division is available online.