Ontario city partnering with AI search engine to help local business access financial support

The City of Oshawa has partnered with an AI-powered funding search engine to help local businesses identify and access financial support.

The new tool, now available through the city’s website, empowers Oshawa-based businesses to search for relevant government and private sector funding opportunities tailored to their needs.

Oshawa partnered with Fundica to launch the search tool in response to ongoing global trade challenges and economic uncertainty.

“We heard loud and clear from our local businesses that navigating the funding landscape can be overwhelming, especially in the face of global economic challenges,” said Mayor Dan Carter. “This partnership with Fundica is about helping Oshawa’s entrepreneurs, employers and innovators access the support they need to grow and succeed.”

The initiative was shaped by recent input received through Oshawa Economic Development’s Business Retention and Expansion program and conversations with local business owners, who met with the economic development team, including Carter and Tito-Dante Marimpietri, who chairs the Economic Development Services Committee.

Business owners told them the need for a simple, centralized tool to navigate funding opportunities, especially amid the challenges posed by U.S. tariffs and global market shifts.

In addition to launching the Fundica tool, the city’s economic development team continues to meet with local businesses to better understand how tariffs and other market conditions are impacting their operations.

“In launching this new search engine, we are equipping our local job creators with the tools they need to navigate funding opportunities with confidence,” said Marimpietri. “This initiative reflects our unwavering commitment to supporting businesses, driving investment, and ensuring Oshawa remains a city of choice for innovation and economic growth.”

Businesses are encouraged to request a site visit by completing the online form and to explore additional resources on the city’s Tariffs webpage.