Provincial funding will protect local jobs and support economic growth through the launch of Barrie’s export development initiative
Barrie — The Ontario government is protecting tariff-impacted workers and industries in Barrie with an investment of $180,000 through the Trade-Impacted Communities Program (TICP). The funding will support the City of Barrie’s export development initiative, a project dedicated to helping companies expand into new markets, strengthen their competitiveness and pursue long-term opportunities.
In the face of economic uncertainty, the $40 million TICP initiative is a tactical tool launched by the government of Ontario last year to protect good-paying jobs and build resilient, self-reliant communities across the province.
“The Trade-Impacted Communities Program is one of the ways our government is ensuring businesses in Barrie and Innisfil remain resilient, innovative, and ready to compete on the world stage”, said Andrea Khanjin, MPP for Barrie-Innisfil. “We are delivering certainty so businesses in our community have the tools, resources, and expertise they need to in a time of unprecedented global uncertainty. This is how we protect Ontario: by helping our small businesses strengthen their operations, diversify their markets, and boost their competitive advantage to create good, local jobs here in Barrie.”
In response to the disproportionate impact of U.S. tariffs on the local economy, the City of Barrie will develop and launch a $180,000 two-year initiative, delivered by Invest Barrie, dedicated to providing local businesses with access to export training, market development resources, and specialized expertise to help them navigate an evolving global business environment. As part of this work, a Trade Accelerator Program cohort will launch in fall 2026 in collaboration with the Toronto Region Board of Trade, the City of Orillia and the County of Simcoe, helping participating businesses across Barrie, Orillia and Simcoe County strengthen export readiness, enter new markets and receive tailored tariff and trade advisory support.
“This investment will help ensure that local businesses are able to plan for, and adapt to, the rapidly changing market. Ensuring our communities become, and remain, more self-reliant will help create a more stable local economy and continue to boost Ontario Made products across the province and our nation at large,” said Doug Downey, MPP for Barrie – Springwater – Oro-Medonte. “This support will help businesses navigate the current market and address future concerns with expert support.”
In line with the goals of the TICP, this initiative will support businesses in navigating significant economic challenges caused by U.S. trade disruptions by increasing diversifying trade partnerships, strengthening competitiveness and building resilience across local supply chains.
“Barrie’s business community is innovative, resilient, and ready to grow, said Alex Nuttall, Mayor, City of Barrie. “This investment will provide local companies with valuable tools and expertise to expand their reach, strengthen their operations, and create new opportunities for success both at home and abroad.”
First announced as part of the province’s nearly $30 billion tariff relief and support plan, the TICP is dedicated to projects aimed at strengthening economic resilience and competitiveness across industries and communities disproportionately impacted by global trade disruptions. The program also supports the diversification of supply chains across Ontario’s priority sectors, while increasing export and investment opportunities to reduce reliance on U.S. markets.
“As U.S. tariffs continue to impact key sectors across Ontario, our government is taking decisive action to ensure regional communities have the tools they need to withstand economic pressure and secure new, long-term investments,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Through the Trade-Impacted Communities Program, we are proud to invest in the City of Barrie’s export development initiative, which will support local workers and strengthen domestic supply chains while unlocking new trade and export partnerships.”
As Ontario continues to navigate the impacts of U.S. tariffs and global economic uncertainty, the government remains focused on delivering critical funding, cutting red tape and positioning local economies to be more competitive, resilient and investment ready across priority sectors.
QUICK FACTS
- The Trade-Impacted Communities Program is part of Ontario’s broader strategy to support tariff-impacted communities, which focuses on ensuring long-term economic stability and growth while reshoring and strengthening supply chains.
- Open to municipal governments, economic development organizations, sector and industry associations, business accelerators and incubators, TICP funds community-level projects that build economic resilience, diversify supply chains, and foster new trade partnerships in response to U.S. trade disruptions.
- The program works in tandem with the Ontario Together Trade Fund, the Protect Ontario Financing Program and the Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit.
- Since its launch, the government has received over 80 applications from communities across Ontario and is actively assessing projects for consideration.
- Applications for Stream 1 will be accepted on a continuous basis as long as funding is available. The application window for Stream 2 closed as of September 11, 2025.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES