Grants available for businesses in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

From training programs to research initiatives, discover the diverse range of activities in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean that benefit from various forms of support.

26 opportunities available

Grant and FundingClosed

Regional partnership and digital transformation agreement for tourism 2022-2025 – Digital development of a company

Tourisme Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

Regional partnership for digital tourism development in Quebec

Eligible Funding

From $5,000 to $25,000
Up to 25% of project cost

Eligible Industries

Arts, entertainment and recreation
Accommodation and food services

Types of eligible projects

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Loans and Capital investmentsOpen

MRC Domaine-du-Roy — Local Innovation and Growth Fund

MRC Domaine-du-Roy

Fonds offers growth loans for innovative business development

Eligible Funding

From $500,000 to $50,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Eligible Industries

All industries

Types of eligible projects

INNOVATION

Grant and FundingOpen

MRC Lac-Saint-Jean-Est — Rural Region Fund - Signature Innovation

MRC Lac-Saint-Jean-Est

Supporting innovative development for resilient, sustainable communities

Eligible Funding

Max. $60,000
Up to 80% of project cost

Eligible Industries

Arts, entertainment and recreation

Types of eligible projects

TECHNOLOGYENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATEINNOVATION

Grant and FundingClosed

MRC Fjord-du-Saguenay — Entrepreneurship assistance and support fund (FASE)

MRC Fjord-du-Saguenay

Entrepreneurship support fund fostering economic development

Eligible Funding

From $15,000 to $75,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Eligible Industries

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade

Types of eligible projects

INNOVATIONDIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Loans and Capital investmentsOpen

MRC Domaine-du-Roy — Local Investment Fund (LIF)

MRC Domaine-du-Roy

Local Investment Fund for business project development

Eligible Funding

Max. $100,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Eligible Industries

All industries

Types of eligible projects

CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION

Discover how much grant funding is available for your business

Subsidize your projects with government financial aid

Use our free grant estimator to quickly identify the available grant amounts for which your company may be eligible.

Unlock Your Business’s Full Potential with Government Grants and Financial Aid

Are you looking for ways to secure funding for your business and reduce costs? Government grants, subsidies, and financial aid programs offer valuable opportunities for companies across various industries. Whether you’re a startup, an established small business, or a growing enterprise, you may be eligible for non-repayable grants, tax credits, and financial assistance to support your projects.

Discover How Much Grant Funding Your Business Can Access

Many businesses miss out on free funding opportunities simply because they don’t know they exist. That’s why we’ve created a free grant estimator—a powerful tool designed to help you identify available grant amounts based on your company’s profile, sector, and project type. In just a few clicks, you can gain insights into the financial aid programs that match your business needs.Our estimator scans a wide range of government grants, including:

Innovation and R&D grants for companies developing new products, services, or technologies.
Export and international expansion subsidies to help businesses enter new markets.
Workforce development funding for training, hiring, and upskilling employees.
Green energy and sustainability grants for eco-friendly initiatives and energy-efficient projects.
Startup and entrepreneur support programs for new businesses seeking capital and resources.

Maximize Your Business Growth with Non-Repayable Financial Assistance

Unlike traditional loans, many government grants and subsidies do not require repayment, making them a valuable way to boost your company’s financial health. By securing business funding, you can invest in key areas such as technology, infrastructure, hiring, and research without straining your cash flow.Here’s how our free grant estimator can help you: ✅ Quickly assess your eligibility for various funding programs. ✅ Save time by filtering out programs that don’t apply to your business. ✅ Unlock hidden financial opportunities that you might not be aware of. ✅ Reduce financial risks by accessing non-repayable funding sources. ✅ Increase your chances of approval with up-to-date funding information.

Take Advantage of Government Funding Opportunities Today

Don’t let your business miss out on grant funding that could propel your success. Whether you need support for a new project, expansion, hiring, or innovation, government financial aid programs are available to help. Start using our free grant estimator now and discover how much grant money your company can access today!

Grant and FundingClosed

MRC Domaine-du-Roy — Economic Development Fund

MRC Domaine-du-Roy

Innovative economic diversification and business support grants

Eligible Funding

Max. $150,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Eligible Industries

Manufacturing
Professional, scientific and technical services

Types of eligible projects

INNOVATION

Loans and Capital investmentsOpen

MRC Fjord-du-Saguenay — Local FLI/FLS funds

MRC Fjord-du-Saguenay

Investment funds supporting economic impact businesses in Quebec

Eligible Funding

Max. $150,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Eligible Industries

Manufacturing
Professional, scientific and technical services
Health care and social assistance
Other services (except public administration)

Types of eligible projects

COMMERCIALIZATIONCONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION BUSINESS BUYOUTINNOVATIONDIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Grant and FundingClosed

Regional partnership and digital transformation agreement for tourism 2022-2025 – Studies and consulting services

Tourisme Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

Digital transformation grants for sustainable tourism development

Eligible Funding

From $3,000 to $25,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Eligible Industries

Accommodation and food services

Types of eligible projects

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Grant and FundingClosed

Regional partnership and digital transformation agreement for tourism 2022-2025 – Festivals and events

Tourisme Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

Supports sustainable tourism festival and event development

Eligible Funding

From $60,000 to $15,000

Eligible Industries

Arts, entertainment and recreation
Accommodation and food services

Types of eligible projects

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Grant and FundingOpen

MRC Fjord-du-Saguenay — Development Optimisation Fund

MRC Fjord-du-Saguenay

Development support fund for Fjord-du-Saguenay organizations

Eligible Funding

From $2,000 to $3,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Eligible Industries

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade

Types of eligible projects

INNOVATION

Find tailored funding for your business

Discover more funding opportunities on the helloDarwin platform

Look through over 3000 grants, tax credits, loans and more financial aid on the helloDarwin application.

Imagine this: a fast-growing technology startup in Montreal is ready to expand internationally. They’ve built a solid team, developed an innovative SaaS product, and attracted their first round of investors. But as they prepare to hire new talent and scale operations abroad, they face a familiar roadblock—budget constraints. What they don’t realize is that there are government grants that could cover up to 75% of their next hire's salary and fund a good portion of their export marketing campaign. The only problem? They don’t know these programs exist, and even if they did, they wouldn’t know where to start.

This is exactly the problem helloDarwin set out to solve.

In Canada, there are thousands of grant programs available to support business development, innovation, sustainability, digitalization, and more. Yet navigating this ecosystem is like walking through a maze: confusing, technical, time-consuming, and—more often than not—discouraging. The result? Countless companies leave money on the table every year.

helloDarwin’s grant platform is flipping the script by turning complexity into clarity and making funding a strategic advantage for Canadian businesses of all sizes.

The Vision: A Smarter Way to Fund Business Growth

At its core, helloDarwin’s grant platform is built on a simple but powerful idea: funding should empower businesses, not overwhelm them.

Rather than forcing companies to research, interpret, and apply for grants on their own, helloDarwin offers an integrated digital solution that streamlines the entire process—from discovery to application, and even post-approval support.

This vision is rooted in the company’s broader mission: helping Canadian businesses thrive through smart connections. While helloDarwin originally made its name as a B2B matchmaking platform between businesses and service providers, its grant platform marks a bold and logical evolution: solving a systemic challenge with scalable impact.

Step 1: Discovery Made Easy

The first hurdle most companies face with grants is simply knowing what’s out there. With over 3,000 active programs available from federal, provincial, and municipal governments—not to mention sector-specific or innovation-focused initiatives—most businesses don’t have the time or resources to sort through the noise.

That’s where helloDarwin’s discovery engine comes in.

By inputting basic information—such as location, industry, company size, and project goals—users are instantly matched with relevant programs tailored to their needs. The platform’s smart algorithms cross-reference eligibility criteria with real-time data, surfacing only the most promising opportunities.

This eliminates guesswork and opens doors to programs that many companies never knew they were eligible for. A food processor in rural Ontario might find a grant for green packaging innovation. A Vancouver-based marketing agency may qualify for wage subsidies for creative hires. A manufacturing company in Halifax could discover federal funds for equipment modernization.

Step 2: Clear Guidance and Next Steps

Finding a grant is just the beginning. The real challenge begins when companies try to translate program guidelines into action. What are the actual funding limits? How are expenses defined? What paperwork is required? How long does approval take? What’s reimbursed, and what’s not?

helloDarwin’s platform demystifies these questions by offering clear, step-by-step breakdowns of each program: key dates, financial caps, co-funding ratios, admissible costs, and how to prepare a strong application. This reduces friction and helps companies build a confident, executable plan.

Step 3: Human Expertise When It Matters Most

Even the best-designed digital tools have their limits. That’s why helloDarwin complements its technology with real human expertise—grant advisors, funding strategists, and technical writers who know the process inside out.

For businesses that want to maximize their chances of approval, these experts step in to:

Review and validate eligibility
Write or revise grant applications
Build strong business cases aligned with funding priorities
Ensure deadlines are met
Coordinate post-funding reporting

This hybrid model—automation plus consultation—ensures that users get the best of both worlds. It’s fast and accessible for simple cases, and strategic and personalized for more complex projects.

And because helloDarwin is deeply embedded in the business services ecosystem, its advisors also help connect users with certified service providers—consultants, developers, training firms—who can execute the funded work.

Built for Real Business Use Cases

One of the most compelling aspects of the helloDarwin platform is its adaptability to real-life business scenarios. Here are just a few examples of how companies use the platform:

1. The AI Startup Expanding to Europe

A Montreal-based AI startup wants to open a sales office in Germany. With helloDarwin, they discover a combination of export development grants, translation subsidies, and hiring incentives that reduce their international expansion costs by 60%. With grant experts supporting their application, they secure the funds within two months and focus on entering the new market with confidence.

2. The Manufacturing Company Going Green

A mid-sized manufacturer in Ontario needs to modernize its equipment to reduce its carbon footprint. Using helloDarwin’s platform, they match with four green innovation programs that together cover 70% of the investment. The platform connects them with a sustainability consultant and a grant writer—both familiar with the funders' expectations.

3. The Agency Hiring Young Talent

A Toronto-based creative agency wants to hire two recent graduates but fears they can’t afford the full salaries. With helloDarwin’s help, they discover wage subsidy programs for youth employment. The grants cover 80% of the salary for the first six months, allowing them to hire sooner and accelerate delivery.

A Platform That Grows With You

helloDarwin’s platform isn’t just for one-time projects—it’s designed to become a strategic companion as businesses evolve. As companies grow, pivot, or explore new markets, the platform adapts, updating its recommendations and surfacing new opportunities.

Users can track application statuses, upload documents, and collaborate with consultants directly through the platform. They can also explore industry trends, funding cycles, and newly launched programs relevant to their sector.

It’s more than a transactional tool—it’s a business intelligence asset that supports growth over the long term.

Why It Works: Trust, Transparency, and Efficiency

Three values underpin the success of helloDarwin’s grant platform:

Trust Businesses know they are getting objective, vetted information—not biased promotions or limited program listings. The platform operates independently of government agencies and focuses on delivering value to its users first.
Transparency All fees (where applicable) and engagement terms are clear. Grant estimates are realistic, based on program rules, and users are guided toward opportunities that genuinely match their profiles.
Efficiency In a world where time is money, the platform reduces the time spent searching, guessing, and redoing failed submissions. From onboarding to approval, every step is optimized for speed and simplicity.

Making Grants a Growth Habit

Perhaps the greatest long-term value of helloDarwin’s platform is cultural. It helps businesses shift from viewing grants as a bonus—or a last resort—to seeing them as a routine part of their funding strategy.

This change in mindset has ripple effects. Companies that consistently use grants can:

Experiment with innovative ideas without bearing all the risk
Hire sooner, train better, and retain more talent
Invest in technology and sustainability with confidence
Build resilience against market shocks or supply chain disruptions
Gain recognition and trust from investors, clients, and government partners

Grants become not just about reducing costs, but about unlocking potential.

Who Is It For?

The helloDarwin grant platform is purpose-built for:

Startups exploring early-stage growth and hiring
SMEs seeking to modernize or expand internationally
Manufacturers aiming to automate or go green
Professional service firms investing in tools, marketing, or skills
Nonprofits and social enterprises scaling their impact

It’s ideal for companies with lean teams, limited admin bandwidth, and high-impact ideas that need a push to launch.

A New Standard for Funding Access

helloDarwin’s platform doesn’t just make it easier to access grants—it raises the bar for what businesses should expect from the process. No more fragmented research, unreadable PDF guides, or rushed last-minute applications. Instead, it offers a guided, intelligent, and empowering experience that brings grants into the heart of business planning.

In doing so, it supports a more dynamic, resilient, and forward-looking Canadian economy—one company at a time.

Grant and FundingClosed

Regional partnership and digital transformation agreement for tourism 2022-2025 – Hosting

Tourisme Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

Digital Transformation Tourism Partnership Program for Sustainable Growth

Eligible Funding

From $30,000 to $75,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Eligible Industries

Arts, entertainment and recreation
Accommodation and food services

Types of eligible projects

CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Grant and FundingOpen

Rio Tinto Aluminium Valley Fund

Société de la Vallée de l’Aluminium (SVA)

Support for aluminum project development in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean

Eligible Funding

Max. $25,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Eligible Industries

Manufacturing

Types of eligible projects

COMMERCIALIZATIONENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATEINNOVATION

Grant and FundingClosed

Regional partnership and digital transformation agreement for tourism 2022-2025 – Structuring the tourism offer

Tourisme Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

Digital transformation grant for tourism businesses in Québec

Eligible Funding

From $30,000 to $50,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Eligible Industries

Arts, entertainment and recreation
Accommodation and food services

Types of eligible projects

ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATEDIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Loans and Capital investmentsOpen

SADC Lac-St-Jean Ouest — Tourist Loan

SADC Lac-St-Jean Ouest

Offer supporting tourism business growth and diversification

Eligible Funding

Max. $50,000

Eligible Industries

Arts, entertainment and recreation
Accommodation and food services

Types of eligible projects

INNOVATION

Grant and FundingClosed

Regional partnership and digital transformation agreement for tourism 2022-2025 – Attractions, activities and facilities

Tourisme Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

Supporting digital transformation in tourism for sustainable growth

Eligible Funding

From $30,000 to $95,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Eligible Industries

Arts, entertainment and recreation
Accommodation and food services
Other services (except public administration)
Public administration

Types of eligible projects

CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION

Download the official 2025 grants guide

Access key insights to maximize your funding opportunities

Understand the different funding programs and find the best options for your business.

Unlock Your Business’s Full Potential with Government Grants and Financial Aid

Discover How Much Grant Funding Your Business Can Access

Innovation and R&D grants for companies developing new products, services, or technologies.
Export and international expansion subsidies to help businesses enter new markets.
Workforce development funding for training, hiring, and upskilling employees.
Green energy and sustainability grants for eco-friendly initiatives and energy-efficient projects.
Startup and entrepreneur support programs for new businesses seeking capital and resources.

Maximize Your Business Growth with Non-Repayable Financial Assistance

Take Advantage of Government Funding Opportunities Today

Loans and Capital investmentsOpen

SADC Lac-St-Jean Ouest — Loan The Developer

SADC Lac-St-Jean Ouest

Financing available for business development and job growth

Eligible Funding

Max. $300,000
Up to 2% of project cost

Eligible Industries

All industries

Types of eligible projects

INNOVATION

Loans and Capital investmentsOpen

SADC Maria-Chapdelaine — Regular Fund Loan

SADC Maria-Chapdelaine

Tailored loan for business projects in Maria-Chapdelaine

Eligible Funding

From $5,000 to $150,000

Eligible Industries

All industries

Types of eligible projects

BUSINESS BUYOUT

Loans and Capital investmentsOpen

SADC Lac-St-Jean Ouest — Acquisition Loan +

SADC Lac-St-Jean Ouest

Supports equipment acquisition for businesses operating over three years

Eligible Funding

Max. $150,000
Up to 120% of project cost

Eligible Industries

All industries

Types of eligible projects

BUSINESS BUYOUT

Loans and Capital investmentsOpen

SADC Lac-St-Jean Ouest — Transfer Strategy Fund

SADC Lac-St-Jean Ouest

Helps facilitate SME transfers with beneficial financing options

Eligible Funding

Max. $50,000

Eligible Industries

All industries

Types of eligible projects

BUSINESS BUYOUT

Loans and Capital investmentsOpen

SADC Lac-St-Jean Ouest — Youth Strategy Fund

SADC Lac-St-Jean Ouest

Supports young entrepreneurs with loans and personalized guidance

Eligible Funding

No Condition

Eligible Industries

All industries

Types of eligible projects

INNOVATIONDIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Access over 3000 different funding opportunities

Try the helloDarwin platform today and find programs that fit your needs

The helloDarwin application makes it easy to unlock grants so your business can grow faster—with less hassle and more impact.

Across the Canadian entrepreneurial landscape, one paradox persists: billions of dollars are available every year in public funding and government grants, yet a large percentage of those funds remain unclaimed. Why? Because accessing them feels like trying to crack a bureaucratic code written in a foreign language.

Public funding is real—but it hides behind administrative red tape, eligibility mazes, fluctuating deadlines, and cryptic forms. The result? Thousands of businesses miss out on critical financial support, not because they’re unworthy, but because the system wasn’t built for speed, clarity, or accessibility.

That’s the problem helloDarwin set out to solve with its grant platform—a tool designed not only to uncover hidden opportunities but to turn them into engines for business growth.

The Reality: Entrepreneurs Don’t Have Time to Chase 28 Government Websites

What the team at helloDarwin realized early on is this: business owners have no shortage of vision, ideas, or ambition. What they lack is time, administrative capacity, and a clear path to funding.

Rather than throwing another data-heavy directory into the mix, helloDarwin built a smart, intuitive interface, backed by a high-impact support system, designed to translate public funding into real action.

No guesswork. No 100-page PDFs. No copy-pasting into spreadsheets at 10 p.m. Just a straight line from idea to opportunity—and from opportunity to execution.

Not a Promise. A Proven Process.

While it may look like a platform, helloDarwin is better described as a methodology. One that has been purpose-built for overworked founders, lean teams, and agile businesses. It follows three clear steps:

Explore — Use a dynamic tool to identify relevant programs based on your business profile, project goals, and sector.
Estimate — Get a personalized forecast of potential funding amounts.
Act — Access expert support to write, file, and manage your grant application all the way through approval.

What used to take companies three to six months (or was abandoned altogether) can now be launched in under a week. And unlike many do-it-yourself systems, helloDarwin’s method is reinforced by actual human support.

On the Ground: “We Thought It Wasn’t for Us”

Sophie, a co-founder of a sustainable design firm in Québec, had always assumed government grants were “for the big guys” or “tech companies with labs.” One afternoon, on a colleague’s recommendation, she logged into helloDarwin.

Within 15 minutes, she found she was eligible for:

80% funding for upskilling her team
Up to $50,000 for a digital process transformation
Export assistance for her eco-certified furniture line

With expert help from the platform’s network, two applications were submitted within six weeks. Three months later, the funds were flowing.

Her team kept working. She didn’t miss a single client meeting. The paperwork? Someone else handled it.

The Secret Weapon: Human Expertise + Automated Insight

The real strength of helloDarwin lies in the seamless handoff between technology and human expertise. Where most platforms offer tools and leave users to figure it out, helloDarwin provides real, qualified experts to walk alongside your business.

Once a relevant program is identified, users can activate support from:

Grant application specialists
Financial and tax consultants
Industry-specific advisors (tech, manufacturing, sustainability…)

These professionals know how to speak the language of funding agencies, avoid technical pitfalls, and build credible, compelling submissions that align with government priorities.

Grants as Strategy, Not Serendipity

One of the key cultural shifts that helloDarwin enables is this: stop seeing grants as a bonus. Start using them as a core business strategy.

By integrating public funding into your business roadmap, you can plan projects more effectively, make smarter investments, and time your initiatives with upcoming funding windows.

Take, for instance, a company that plans to hire three engineers in Q2 of next year. With helloDarwin, they can:

See which programs will be active
Prepare their documentation in advance
Maximize their reimbursement rate (often 50%–75%)
Accelerate hiring without overextending cash flow

This is not opportunism. It’s strategic resource allocation—backed by public funding that already exists.

A Platform That Evolves With You

Grants are seasonal. Programs change. Budgets close. That’s why a truly valuable tool must be living, adaptive, and proactive.

helloDarwin’s grant platform updates in real time. Its users receive alerts when:

A new program launches in their region or sector
Their business becomes eligible for something previously unavailable
A deadline is approaching for a high-value grant

It becomes a funding radar, embedded in your growth planning—not a tool you only use in times of desperation.

Who Is It For?

The answer is simple: any business with a project to fund. That includes:

Startups in early or late stages
SMEs looking to modernize
Manufacturers planning to automate
Creative firms digitizing their services
Exporters preparing to go global
Green innovators solving environmental challenges

Whether you're running a two-person creative agency or a 50-person industrial operation, there are grants for you. The only thing missing is a way to find them—and a partner to help unlock them.

Building an Ecosystem, Not Just a Platform

helloDarwin doesn’t work in isolation. It collaborates with:

Local economic development organizations
Industry associations and chambers of commerce
Banks and financial institutions
Professional service firms and consultants

This ecosystem allows the platform to not only recommend funding, but also connect users with vetted experts and service providers who can execute the projects being funded.

Need help building your e-commerce site, launching your ESG strategy, or hiring an export advisor? helloDarwin connects the dots—from funding to fulfillment.

Three Common Mistakes That helloDarwin Helps You Avoid

Waiting Too Long Many businesses defer their plans because they believe it’s “not the right time.” In reality, most grants have narrow windows. Wait too long, and the funding is gone.
Assuming You’re Not Eligible Public funding isn’t just for deep-tech startups or cleantech firms. It supports marketing, recruitment, training, IT upgrades, and much more.
DIY Grant Applications Too many companies go it alone. But one wrong number, one missed document, or one misinterpreted eligibility clause can ruin your chances.

helloDarwin addresses all three by offering structure, automation, and expert support from the start.

A Cultural Shift in How Businesses See Funding

The deeper mission of helloDarwin isn’t just technological—it’s cultural.

It’s about creating a new reflex in business planning: "We have a project. Let’s see what support exists for it." It’s about empowering even the smallest businesses to dream bigger, knowing that capital is accessible, and the roadmap to get it is clear.

A company that integrates grants into its financial strategy can: