MAPAQ — Biofood Innovation Program – Component 2

• Completed and signed Formulaire de demande d’aide financière – Volet 2
• Plans de financement et calendrier de réalisation – Volet 2 (annexe 1)
• Attestation d’engagement des partenaires (annexe 2), when required
• Curriculums vitae of the members of the project team, including external experts or specialized resources, when applicable
• Plan du dispositif expérimental and confirmation of collaboration with the Laboratoire d’expertise et de diagnostic en phytoprotection (LEDP) du MAPAQ, if applicable

Who is eligible?

• Applicants with an establishment in Quebec
• Research establishments for categories A, B, and C
• Technology transfer establishments for categories B and C
• Associations and groups of enterprises or producers for categories B and C

Who is not eligible

• Ministries, budgetary organizations, State-owned enterprises covered by Schedules 1 and 3 of the Loi sur l’administration financière, entities controlled directly or indirectly by a provincial or federal government or by a State-owned enterprise, and municipal entities
• Financial cooperatives and banking institutions
• Applicants that, in the two years preceding the application, failed to meet their obligations after being formally notified by the Minister in relation to previous financial assistance granted by the Minister
• Applicants subject to an order of the Minister or a judge under the Loi sur le bien-être et la sécurité de l’animal (RLRQ, ch. B-3.1)
• Applicants under the protection of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (L.R.C. [1985], ch. C-36) or the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (L.R.C. [1985], ch. B-3)

Eligible expenses

• Salaries of labour and students for time directly devoted to the project, related social charges for that time at a fixed 26% of salary or based on the applicant’s accounting demonstration, and student bursaries
• Consultant fees
• Equipment purchases up to a maximum unit cost of $7,000, plus materials and supplies
• Costs to use or rent materials, supplies, equipment, buildings, and land, and laboratory analysis fees
• Travel and accommodation under Québec government rates, registration fees for demonstration or scientific activities, publication fees up to $5,000 under the knowledge transfer plan, communication and information dissemination costs under the knowledge transfer plan, specialized training, and the non-refundable portion of GST and QST

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Projects related to the production, processing, sale, or delivery of services involving recreational cannabis products, products not approved by Health Canada, and additional cannabis products such as food ingredients, processed food products, topical products, concentrates, tinctures, and capsules
• Fundamental research projects, projects to establish the state of a sector or produce a sector profile, and projects to develop antiparasitic products (pesticides)
• Projects involving trials with antiparasitic products not approved in Canada, except projects submitted under the call supporting the development of integrated pest management and projects in the commercial fisheries and aquaculture sector
• Expenses not directly related to the project, expenses incurred before the date the Minister accepts the funding, and cost overruns for additional funding
• Public-sector staff remuneration and expenses other than students, building or land acquisition and construction, self-propelled equipment, subcontractors listed in the RENA or in default with the Minister in the previous two years, debt service, regular operating costs, participant gifts or prizes, and the refundable portion of GST and QST

• Phase 1 evaluates the project’s relevance, including the quality of the project summary and its connection to the call-for-project priority.
• Applications are assessed on the expected short- and long-term results for the Quebec biofood sector and the interest of industry.
• The review considers the presence and quality of deliverables and knowledge transfer activities.
• Phase 2 evaluates the scientific quality and rigor of the project, including the literature review, bibliography, experimental protocol, and knowledge transfer plan.
• The analysis also considers industry participation, potential contribution to sustainable development, the technical, organizational, administrative and financial capacities required to carry out the project, the realism of the project schedule, and the realism of the financing plan.

• During a call for projects, complete the Formulaire de demande d’aide financière.
• Prepare the plans de financement et calendrier de réalisation, the Attestation d’engagement des partenaires when required, the curriculums vitae of the project researchers and professionals, the plan du dispositif expérimental du projet if applicable, and the Confirmation de collaboration avec le Laboratoire d’expertise et de diagnostic en phytoprotection (LEDP) du MAPAQ if applicable.
• Complete the documents in French and in accordance with the principles of the Politique sur la conduite responsable en recherche.
• Consult Annexe 1 if generative artificial intelligence was used in preparing the application.
• Send all application documents in a single email to pib.depot@mapaq.gouv.qc.ca.
• For any project involving sample analysis by the LEDP, obtain prior approval by submitting the collaboration request form to phytolab@mapaq.gouv.qc.ca.

• After receiving a complete application, the Ministry sends an acknowledgement of receipt.
• If information is missing or a document is absent, the Ministry sends a written request to the applicant.
• If the applicant and project are admissible, the application moves to the next stage; if not, the applicant is informed and processing ends.
• An evaluation committee composed of Ministry representatives reviews the application, and an external scientific or technological expert may be consulted if needed.
• After evaluation, the Ministry sends its decision by email; if the project is selected, the applicant must sign a financial assistance agreement established by the Ministry.

• Only the listed application documents will be considered during the evaluation of applications.
• The use of generative artificial intelligence is permitted, but it must be disclosed, including the tools or algorithms used and, where applicable, the usage parameters.
• The final report and the summary sheet must be written in French, and the summary sheet must be submitted as a separate document that does not exceed three pages.
• Once accepted, the final report will be posted on the Québec.ca page for research, development and innovation in the biofood sector, and the Ministry reserves the right to use, reproduce, adapt, publish, or communicate its content.