OCI DCC — Ontario SMEs
Ontario's post-CDAP path — DMAP plus TDP, up to $165K combined.
When CDAP wound down in 2024, Ontario SMEs lost their main federal digital-adoption grant. OCI's Digitalization Competence Centre fills the gap with a two-stage flow: DMAP ($15K diagnostic) plus TDP ($150K implementation). Combined, it's roughly 11x what CDAP funded — and Creatrixe ships both halves.
What is OCI's Digitalization Competence Centre?
The Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) is a provincial Crown agency that funds Ontario SMEs across several industrial innovation streams. The Digitalization Competence Centre (DCC) is OCI's flagship digital-adoption program, designed as a two-stage flow:
- DMAP — Digital Modernization & Adoption Plan: up to $15K, 50% grant on a $30K project cap. Funds the diagnostic — what to digitize, why, and in what order.
- TDP — Technology Demonstration Program: up to $150K, 50% grant on a $300K project cap. Funds the actual implementation that the DMAP scoped.
Stack the two and the combined ceiling lands at approximately $165K of OCI funding on a $330K total project envelope. That's substantially more than CDAP delivered at its peak, and the two-stage design means you don't have to commit to the big number until the diagnostic has already validated what you're building.
Honest read: DCC is the most accessible substantial digital-adoption funding in Ontario right now. It's not a giveaway — the 50% cost-share means you co-invest meaningfully, and OCI's diligence is thorough enough to filter out applications that aren't taking the work seriously. But the timeline is reasonable, the application discipline is moderate, and the ceiling is real.
Source: Ontario Centre of Innovation. DCC program details current as of 2026; eligibility and ceilings may vary by intake round.
The two DCC stages — DMAP then TDP
OCI structures DCC as a sequence, not a menu. Most Ontario SMEs start with DMAP, then graduate into TDP once the diagnostic is approved. Both stages are eligible for separate funding.
Digital Modernization & Adoption Plan
- Up to $15K grant (50% of $30K project)
- Deliverable: written Digital Modernization & Adoption Plan
- Covers operational diagnostic, gap analysis, prioritized roadmap
- Typically 6–8 weeks to deliver
- Output feeds directly into the TDP application
Technology Demonstration Program
- Up to $150K grant (50% of $300K project)
- Funds: integrator labour, software, model spend, integration work
- Eligible: production AI agents, automation, integrations into existing CRM/ERP
- Typically 12–24 weeks of build
- Milestone-tied reimbursement
Funding shape — 50% cost-share, milestone-tied
Both DMAP and TDP are 50% cost-share grants. OCI funds half of eligible expenses; you cover the other half from operating cash, internal labour, or other non-government sources. The grant is non-repayable provided you deliver the project per the approved scope.
Disbursement is milestone-tied. For DMAP, that usually means a single payment on diagnostic completion or a small advance plus completion balance. For TDP, milestones are spread across the build — typically 25% at kickoff, 50% mid-build, 25% at completion, but specifics depend on project structure.
Realistic budget shape for first-time DCC adopters: $25K–$30K DMAP project (you get $12.5K–$15K back), then $100K–$300K TDP project (you get $50K–$150K back). Going to the $300K TDP cap on a first application is uncommon; OCI tends to scale up in subsequent rounds once an SME has delivered on a smaller first project. The sweet spot for first-timers is closer to $150K total TDP project.
Eligible TDP expenses cover integrator labour (us), software licensing, model API spend, integration work, internal training tied to the deployment, and a portion of capital tied to the project. Real estate, marketing, and post-project operations are out of scope.
Eligibility — Ontario SMEs, plainly
TDP eligibility (the larger grant)
- Ontario for-profit SME — incorporated and operating in Ontario
- 1–499 employees (federal SME definition)
- 12+ months in business
- $100K+ in annual revenue
- Credible AI / digital project tied to a defined operational outcome
- Co-investment capacity for the 50% non-OCI portion
DMAP eligibility
- Ontario for-profit SME (same operating presence requirement)
- Revenue and tenure thresholds are softer than TDP — DMAP exists partly to onboard earlier-stage SMEs
- Willingness to commit to acting on the diagnostic — OCI doesn't fund DMAPs that go in a drawer
DCC + LIFT — when to stack
For most Ontario SMEs, DCC is enough. The combined $165K covers a substantial AI deployment — three or four production agents, integrations, training, the first year of operations. But for larger programs — multi-location rollouts, deeper enterprise integration, longer operating horizons — stacking DCC with BDC LIFT opens up real scale.
The stack pattern that works: DMAP scopes the digital roadmap, TDP funds the first wave of implementation, and LIFT funds the broader rollout — additional locations, additional agents, a second year of operations. OCI and BDC don't crowd each other out because they administer separately and report into different ministries. As with all program stacking, the application narrative has to make both reviewers comfortable that you're not double-counting expenses.
If your total program is under $200K, run DCC alone — LIFT's minimum loan size and underwriting overhead don't pay back at that scale. Above $300K, stacking starts to make real sense. We'll tell you on the call which side of the line you're on.
How Creatrixe fits — both halves, one team
Creatrixe is Canadian-incorporated, delivers from Canada, and has shipped production AI systems for SMEs for years. For OCI DCC, the natural fit is delivering both the DMAP diagnostic and the TDP implementation under one engagement. That's not always how integrators are set up — many shops do diagnostics OR builds, not both — but it removes the gap between "what the plan said" and "what gets built" that most digital-adoption projects fall into.
What we ship at the DMAP stage
- Operational diagnostic across intake, scheduling, follow-up, reporting, and customer-facing workflows
- Integration audit of existing CRM/ERP/PMS to map the actual technical surface
- Prioritized roadmap with sequencing, dependencies, realistic timelines
- The DMAP deliverable in the format OCI requires for reimbursement
- A TDP application skeleton — scope, agents, integrations, milestones, success metrics
What we ship at the TDP stage
- Production AI agents — intake, missed-call recovery, scheduling, follow-up, reporting
- Integrations into the tools your team already uses (HubSpot, Salesforce, ServiceTitan, Toast, custom internal apps)
- Measurement infrastructure from day one — calls captured, leads recovered, hours saved
- Internal enablement — training, documentation, change management
- 12 months of operations built into the project envelope
The DCC process — DMAP to TDP completion
OCI's DCC process is well-defined and reasonably fast. Here's the realistic path from first conversation to TDP build completion.
DMAP application
Short application defining your business, the diagnostic scope, and the expected deliverable. We provide the technical co-author — what the diagnostic will cover, what integrations will be assessed, what the output will look like. Most DMAP applications run 2 weeks to prepare.
DMAP approval & diagnostic delivery
OCI review takes 3–4 weeks. Once approved, we deliver the DMAP diagnostic over 6–8 weeks — operational audit, integration analysis, prioritized roadmap, and the formal DMAP document OCI requires for reimbursement. The deliverable doubles as the foundation for the TDP application.
TDP application
With DMAP in hand, the TDP application writes itself faster — the diagnostic supplies the scope, the prioritization, the integration surface, and the success metrics. We provide the implementation plan and the budget breakdown in the format OCI requires. Typically 2 weeks to prepare.
TDP approval & kickoff
OCI review takes 4–6 weeks. Once approved and milestone schedule is confirmed, we kick off implementation. First production agent typically live inside 6–8 weeks of kickoff, full TDP build complete inside 12–24 weeks depending on scope.
Reporting & close-out
OCI requires post-project reporting tied to the success metrics defined in the application. We instrument the system from day one so this isn't hand-waved — calls captured, leads recovered, hours saved, contracts renewed are real numbers, not estimates. Reporting feeds future OCI applications (CIT, follow-on TDP) cleanly.
For Ontario SMEs evaluating whether DCC or the CDAP successor landscape is the right fit, we publish a comparison that goes deeper than this page. Or just book a fit-check call.
Other OCI programs worth knowing
DCC is the headline digital-adoption program, but OCI runs several adjacent streams that complement it. Quick map.
Critical Industrial Technologies (CIT)
Larger projects focused on industrial AI, advanced manufacturing automation, and Industry 4.0 deployments. Better fit than DCC if your project is fundamentally industrial (process optimization, vision, predictive maintenance).
For industrial SMEs →Collaborate 2 Commercialize (C2C)
For Ontario SMEs commercializing technology through industry-academic partnerships. Different shape from DCC — funds the joint R&D plus commercialization path, not pure adoption.
For tech commercializers →Innovation Voucher
$3K in-kind voucher for academic-engagement work. Small but useful for SMEs exploring research partnerships with Ontario universities and colleges before committing to a larger C2C application.
For early-stage academic ties →Ready 4 Market
Market-readiness support for Ontario SMEs preparing to scale. Sits alongside DCC rather than competing with it — useful for the same SMEs at different growth stages.
For scale-stage SMEs →You have an OCI approval letter — let's ship what it funds.
If you've already cleared OCI review and you're looking for an integrator who can deliver against the approved scope, skip the explainer. We have a fast-track engagement model for approved DMAP or TDP recipients: kickoff inside two weeks, first deliverable inside six.
What we've shipped (not DCC-funded — but the same playbook)
OCI DCC is administered provincially and we deliver across Canada. What we have to show is the production AI work we've been shipping for years — the same playbook we'll apply to DCC-funded engagements.
The work, not the deck.
Three engagements from the last 18 months that map to the kind of work DCC funds — different industries, same delivery model.
Common questions about OCI DCC
Do I need the DMAP first, or can I skip to TDP?
OCI strongly prefers the two-stage flow — DMAP first, TDP second — because the DMAP plan is what scopes the TDP project. In practice, you can apply directly to TDP if you already have an equivalent diagnostic from a credible source (a prior consulting engagement, a CDAP-era digital plan, or a defensible internal assessment), but you'll be asked to show the equivalent of a DMAP deliverable. For most Ontario SMEs we work with, running DMAP first is the faster total path because the diagnostic itself unlocks a $15K grant and de-risks the larger TDP application.
Can the DMAP and TDP grants combine?
Yes — that's the point of the two-stage design. DMAP delivers up to $15K (50% of a $30K project) for the diagnostic. TDP delivers up to $150K (50% of a $300K project) for the implementation. Combined ceiling: approximately $165K of OCI funding on a $330K total project envelope. Most Ontario SMEs we talk to land somewhere in the $100K–$250K total range across both stages.
OCI DCC vs FedDev Ontario — what's the difference?
Different agencies, different mandates. OCI is a provincial Crown agency administering Ontario-specific programs including DCC, C2C, CIT, and the Innovation Voucher. FedDev Ontario is the federal regional development agency — the Ontario equivalent of PacifiCan in BC. FedDev typically funds larger projects ($500K–$10M) with a more rigorous diligence process and longer cycles. OCI DCC is faster, smaller, and provincial; FedDev is slower, larger, and federal. They're complementary, not competing — many SMEs use OCI for the first project and FedDev for the follow-on at scale.
OCI DCC vs CDAP — is DCC the successor?
DCC is the closest provincial successor to CDAP for Ontario SMEs. CDAP (Canada Digital Adoption Program) was a federal grant program that wound down in 2024 — $15K Boost Your Business Technology grant plus a separate financing stream. OCI DCC restores roughly equivalent diagnostic funding via DMAP ($15K), then goes substantially further with TDP ($150K) for implementation. The total addressable funding per SME is approximately 11x CDAP's diagnostic alone.
What are eligible expenses under DMAP and TDP?
DMAP covers the diagnostic itself — consulting labour to produce the Digital Modernization & Adoption Plan, supporting analysis, and the strategy deliverable. TDP covers the actual implementation: integrator labour, software licensing, model API spend, integration work, internal training tied to the deployment, and a portion of capital tied to the project. Both stages are 50% cost-share — you co-invest the other 50% from operating cash or other non-government funding. Real estate, marketing, and ongoing operations costs after project end are out of scope.
What does the OCI application timeline look like?
OCI runs continuous intake on DMAP and TDP — there's no cohort window. Typical path: 2 weeks to prepare the DMAP application, 3–4 weeks for OCI review and approval, 6–8 weeks to deliver the DMAP diagnostic, then immediately into TDP application (2 weeks), TDP review (4–6 weeks), and project kickoff. End-to-end from first DMAP conversation to first TDP build week is roughly 4–5 months.
Does Creatrixe's invoice count as an eligible expense?
Yes. OCI accepts third-party integrator invoices for both DMAP (diagnostic delivery) and TDP (implementation delivery) provided the work is tied to the approved project scope. Creatrixe is Canadian-incorporated and delivers from Canada, which satisfies OCI's vendor eligibility criteria. We invoice on milestone completion and provide the documentation OCI requires for reimbursement.
How does OCI's Critical Industrial Technologies (CIT) program fit?
CIT is a separate OCI stream focused on industrial AI, advanced manufacturing automation, and Industry 4.0 work — typically larger projects with a manufacturing or industrial focus. If your AI project is fundamentally industrial (process optimization, vision systems, predictive maintenance), CIT may be a better fit than DCC. If your project is operational or front-office (intake, scheduling, customer-facing agents), DCC is the right starting point. We can help you figure out which stream fits before you commit application time. For Ontario SMEs comparing federal alternatives, the NRC IRAP explainer is worth a read.
The honest pre-call read
If you're about to book a consult, here's the short version of what we'll tell you on the call — so you can decide whether the call is worth your time.
- If you're not Ontario-based, OCI isn't your agency. PacifiCan (BC/Yukon), ESSOR (Quebec), or your provincial equivalent is the right starting point.
- If you're under $100K in revenue or less than 12 months in business, TDP isn't open to you yet — DMAP may still be possible, but the lift is less.
- If your project is really an off-the-shelf SaaS subscription with no integration work, OCI won't fund it and we won't pretend otherwise.
- If you have a defensible operational pain (missed calls, lost leads, manual data entry, scheduling chaos), Ontario operating presence, and the patience for a 4–5 month total cycle, DCC is genuinely the best digital-adoption deal in the province right now.
For the longer version of how we think about AI work, the human-assisted vs. AI-assisted workflows post is the best primer. For pure financing rather than grant funding, BDC LIFT is the natural companion.
Talk to an integrator who delivers both halves of DCC.
20-minute call. We'll tell you whether DCC fits your business, what DMAP and TDP look like at your revenue level, and — if we'd recommend you not pursue it — we'll say that too.