Hamilton’s Rural Businesses Now Eligible for Provincial Rural Ontario Development (ROD) Funding

Crista Cooper
23 hours ago
2 min read

Hamilton’s rural community has reached an important milestone: now, even more of rural Hamilton now qualifies for Ontario’s Rural Ontario Development (ROD) Program. This expanded eligibility opens the door for local farms and rural enterprises to apply for provincial supports that were previously out of reach.

This outcome follows several years of persistent advocacy led by Councillor Mark Tadeson, working collaboratively with Councillors Tammy Hwang, Jeff Beattie, and Maureen Wilson, OFA President Drew Spoelstra, and a committed team of City staff.

As Hamilton’s representative on the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) for the past three years, Councillor Tadeson has met directly with Ministers responsible for agriculture, rural affairs, finance, and municipal issues. In those meetings, he consistently underscored a long-standing mismatch: although 79% of Hamilton’s land base is rural, the City had been excluded from provincial programs designed specifically to support rural economies. This gap meant Hamilton’s agricultural operations and rural businesses were competing without access to the same tools and funding available to neighbouring municipalities.

Recognizing this inequity early, Councillor Tadeson pressed for a change, repeatedly making the case that Hamilton should be treated in line with other rural jurisdictions in Ontario.

“This decision finally recognizes the reality of rural Hamilton. Our farms and rural businesses now have access to the same tools as their neighbours—giving them the opportunity to grow and thrive.”— Councillor Mark Tadeson, Ward 11

The Province has now confirmed that most of rural Hamilton will be included in ROD moving forward. This change marks a significant win for the community, providing new pathways for investment in modernization, innovation, productivity, and long-term economic strength across rural Hamilton.

Funding Available

Eligible rural businesses may apply for:

Up to 35% of eligible project costs
Maximum of $10,000 per business
First-come, first-served allocations
One application per business, with multiple types of projects allowed
Four intake periods between 2025 and 2027

Upcoming intakes:

Intake 2

Application period: January 19 – February 26, 2026
Deadline: February 26, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET

Intake 3

Application period: August 17 – October 1, 2026
Deadline: October 1, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET

Intake 4

Application period: January 18 – February 25, 2027
Deadline: February 25, 2027 at 5 p.m. ET

Projects funded in the next intake must be completed by March 31, 2026.

Eligibility

Businesses must be located within Hamilton’s rural area and have a qualifying rural postal code:

L0R
N0B
L0P

A quick reference point: rural postal codes have 0 as the second character.

Why This Matters for Hamilton

This funding eligibility reflects years of determined advocacy, grounded in the understanding that Hamilton’s rural sector is essential to the City’s economy, identity, and long-term sustainability. By securing inclusion in the ROD program, Hamilton’s farms, agri-businesses, and rural operations now have new tools to innovate, expand, and remain competitive with neighbouring regions.

This change ensures that rural Hamilton is recognized — and supported — as part of Ontario’s broader rural economy.