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Business Support Policy
Financial support for business development projects
Offered by
MRC de La Côte-de-Gaspé
Record updated
- Funding available
- $ 15,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
- Deadline
- Open continuously
- Location
- Quebec, Canada
Overview
This program provides non-repayable financial support for business projects in La Côte-de-Gaspé. It supports entrepreneurship, investment, project development, and commercialization activities.
At a glance
Funding available
- Maximum funding
- $15,000
- Maximum share of project costs
- 50%
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Increase production or service capacity
- Develop a new product or service
- Develop an online presence
- Increase operational productivity
- Complete an acquisition or business transfer
- Optimize production processes
- Access new markets
- Digitize or modernize organizational tools
- Start a business
- Reach a new target audience
- Launch or market a product/service
Eligible candidates
- Location
- La Côte-de-Gaspé
- Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine
- Quebec
- Eligible Industries
- All industries
- Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
- Organisation size
- All organization sizes
- Audience
- All groups
- Legal structures
- All legal structures
Start applying for this program
Take a practical assessment to gain a clear understanding of how well this program aligns with your specific needs and long-term goals.
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 1
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Private businesses
- Social economy businesses
- Commercial non-profit organizations
Who is not eligible
- Cooperatives and financial cooperatives
- Restaurants, retail stores, inns, bars, and arcades
- Residential or commercial rental buildings, except tourism-related properties
- Projects with a sexual, religious, political, or controversial character
Eligible expenses
- Capital expenditures such as land, buildings, equipment, machinery, and vehicles.
- Professional fees and related expenses for market studies, feasibility studies, consulting, and commercialization.
- Acquisition or construction of fixed assets and specialized equipment.
- Selected working capital costs, excluding salaries.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Expenses incurred before the MRC receives the official application.
- Debt servicing and loan repayments.
- Salaries and regular operating costs for commercialization projects.
- Business plans, financial forecasts, and routine professional fees under the project-emergence fund.
- Personal-use vehicles such as non-specialized trucks.
Eligible geographic areas
- Territory of the MRC of La Côte-de-Gaspé
Activities funded
- Business start-up or business acquisition projects.
- Investment projects in fixed assets or specialized equipment.
- Feasibility, market, opportunity, and socio-economic studies.
- Commercialization and communication plans, trade fair participation, and transactional website development.
- Content creation for marketing purposes, including photos, videos, and visual identity.
How to apply
- Step 1: Prepare the project file
- Work with an economic development advisor to prepare the application.
- Gather the information needed to present the project clearly.
- Step 2: Submit the request
- Send the funding request to the MRC for initial review.
- Wait for general management approval before committee analysis.
- Step 3: Review and decision
- The investment committee reviews the file when required.
- For amounts of $2,500 or less, general management makes the decision.
- Step 4: Agreement and follow-up
- If approved, sign the funding agreement or receive the confirmation letter.
- Provide any required project follow-up documents to the MRC.
Documents Needed
- Project application form
- Supporting project description
- Proof of relevant experience or training
- Business or commercial plan documents, when applicable
- Supporting quotes or estimates for eligible expenses
Selection criteria
- Alignment with the relevant fund objectives.
- Availability of credits for the year.
- Fit between the project and the fund criteria.
- Potential economic impact, such as profitability or revenue growth.
Processing and Agreement
- Applications are reviewed by the MRC’s general management before investment committee analysis.
- Funding decisions are made by the investment committee, or by general management for amounts of $2,500 or less.
- Approved projects require an agreement or confirmation letter setting payment terms and obligations.
- The MRC follows up on funded projects and budget reporting is presented regularly to the council.
Additional information
- The policy was last updated on December 11, 2024.
- Funding is granted based on available credits and the project’s fit with the fund criteria.
- Support is provided through four separate funds.
- Projects may require an agreement or confirmation letter before payment terms are set.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Business Support Policy Program
What is the Business Support Policy?
This program provides non-repayable financial support for business projects in La Côte-de-Gaspé. It supports entrepreneurship, investment, project development, and commercialization activities.
How much funding can be received?
Business Support Policy Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $15,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The program is accepting continuous intake
Who is eligible for the Business Support Policy program?
To be eligible for the Business Support Policy program, you must:
Project must fit a fund category
Applicant must meet fund conditions
Project must have eligible expenses
What expenses are eligible under Business Support Policy?
Capital expenditures such as land, buildings, equipment, machinery, and vehicles.
Professional fees and related expenses for market studies, feasibility studies, consulting, and commercialization.
Acquisition or construction of fixed assets and specialized equipment.
Selected working capital costs, excluding salaries.
Who can I contact for more information about the Business Support Policy?
You can contact MRC de La Côte-de-Gaspé.
Where is the Business Support Policy available?
The Business Support Policy program is available Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec.