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After the federal government’s recent expansion of a program to support Canadian businesses impacted by cross-border tariffs, there are concerns about the government’s application response time and program rules, according to two prominent Windsor-Essex industry groups.
“Companies were waiting since May and had not received a response,” said Nicole Vlanich, the Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Moldmakers (CAMM). CAMM is Windsor-based and represents businesses across the country.
“These are programs that are supposed to address urgent concerns,” she said.
The Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) was launched in March 2025 as part of the Government of Canada’s tariff response plan. It has expanded several times since then, with applications for several types of repayable and non-repayable funding coming in on a rolling basis. In southern Ontario, the program is delivered by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).
The Windsor Essex Chamber of Commerce also points out troubles with the speed applications are processed.
“I think the federal government would admit that things aren’t rolling out extremely quickly. I know they want to move it faster, but business needs to move at the speed of business. And that means government has to move at the speed of business,” said president and CEO Ryan Donally.
Donally estimates that over 100 local businesses have applied for RTRI support and says he’s pressing government officials.
“We’re not shy to tell the government that it’s important that this cash flow flows immediately,” he said.
Some RTRI money has been flowing in recent months.
According to FedDev Ontario, 300 projects have been supported through the RTRI since May 2025. That includes roughly $20 million doled out to 14 Windsor-Essex businesses in May 2026. Earlier that month, the government promised an additional $215 million in RTRI funding for southern Ontario businesses.
‘Confusion’ surrounding application process
On Sept. 8, the government introduced a new RTRI application process, split into two streams, with up to $3 million available for a business meeting the criteria.
The Liquidity Assistance stream is intended to help companies maintain operations. The ‘Pivot Projects stream is intended to help companies grow.
Vlanich said the expansions — and changing application forms and criteria that come along with each — are causing uncertainty and confusion.
“There needs to be clarity. I think the representatives of FedDev have done a very good job trying to connect with companies and connect with people, but they’re not addressing that kind of uncertainty where companies say ‘well, what do we do now? Because we’ve already applied for one.’
“They’ve got so many questions that just aren’t being answered.”
She says it’s challenging for her members to communicate with government officials about these struggles.
“There’s so many different contacts at different levels and for the different funding that’s available. One company’s contact may be different than the person that another company has to reach out to.”
FedDev Ontario did not answer questions about how long RTRI applicants can expect to wait for a response or how many applications it is reviewing.
But in a statement, FedDev Ontario said, in part: “… all efforts are being made to process applications as quickly as possible.”
The statement also said that applicants can learn more online, by calling a toll-free number or sending the department an email.
Situation reminds Canadian senator of COVID-19 pandemic
Sandra Pupatello, former MPP for Windsor West, is now a Canadian senator. Pupatello says she doesn’t want to make excuses for the federal government about application review timelines, but says she thinks everyone is doing the best that they can.
“They’re scrambling to be able to respond quickly,” she said.
“We’ve been making calls on behalf of companies to say, ‘look, these guys have been waiting for months for their response’, and [hearing] it is in the works and it is coming.”
The need for immediate support reminds Pupatello of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the federal government launched the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) in March 2020.
“I’d put them on equal footing, because both of them would be, in the business world, the black swan event that you didn’t think of.”
Despite current economic struggles, Pupatello is optimistic that if businesses can hang on through this tough time, there will be opportunities to pivot into sectors less reliant on U.S. business.
Ryan Donally has a similar mindset.
“The pivot is going to be extremely important for longer term greater economic success of our region. And I think the Ontario and Canadian economy.”
