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SARNIA, ONT. – The Ontario government has announced it is investing $30 million to launch a new round of the Hydrogen Innovation Fund (HIF).

This doubles the funding from the previous round and expands the eligibility criteria to support , Ontario’s long-term energy roadmap.

The expanded fund includes two streams: One for projects that integrate low-carbon hydrogen into Ontario’s electricity grid, and another for broader sector applications of hydrogen across transportation, manufacturing and heavy industry through creating hydrogen hubs, connecting hydrogen producers with end-users and switching existing hydrogen users to made-in-Ontario hydrogen, a release reads.

The criteria will also promote projects developed by Canadian companies to help strengthen Ontario’s economy and energy security.

The call for applications for both streams will close on Feb. 11, 2026.

Fifteen successful hydrogen projects were announced in October and November 2023, as part of the 2023 HIF, which provided $13.8 million in project funding.

According to a 2023 study commissioned by Natural Resources Canada, a robust hydrogen economy could create up to 70,000 jobs across Canada by 2050, including in Ontario, in areas such as production, infrastructure, storage and clean technology development, while helping to reduce GHG emissions, the release adds.