Côte-Nord Tourism — EPRTNT 2025-2027 – Digital development

• Completed and signed application form submitted in Excel format.
• Complete business plan for the project.
• Financial statements for the last two years (except for start-ups, municipal entities and Indigenous communities).
• Three-year projected financial statements, or project revenues/expenses and operating commitment resolution for municipal entities and Indigenous communities.
• Board resolution authorizing the signatory and relevant documents, OQLF attestation if applicable, confirmations of funding partners, proof of adventure tourism accreditation if applicable, and Indigenous status certificate where relevant.

Who is eligible?

• For-profit tourism businesses.
• Non-profit tourism organizations.
• Tourism co-operatives.
• Municipal entities involved in tourism.
• Indigenous communities, nations, and Indigenous tourism organizations or businesses.

Who is not eligible

• Crown corporations, and departments and agencies of the governments of Quebec and Canada.
• Applicants listed in the Register of enterprises ineligible for public contracts.
• Businesses that are not compliant with the francization process of the Office québécois de la langue française.

Eligible expenses

• Professional fees for support and implementation of approved digital solutions.
• Purchase of technological or other equipment required to use the solution, including hardware, software, mobile applications, ERP and e-commerce software.
• First subscription (up to 24 months) to cloud services for the chosen solution.
• Travel, overhead, salaries and benefits specifically related to implementing the approved project.
• Professional fees for training or upskilling staff responsible for the digital project, and net taxes related to eligible costs.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Promoter’s regular salaries, operating, management, administration and usual maintenance costs.
• Purchase or rental of land, buildings, facilities and capital expenditures for equipment, including server rooms and technological infrastructures.
• Bandwidth, recurring operating costs of the solution, sales commissions on online platforms, financing costs and lobbyist remuneration.
• Working capital, debt service, operating losses, capital losses, capital buybacks, compliance and asset maintenance costs, and recoverable portions of sales and goods and services taxes.
• Asset transfers, in-kind or service contributions, costs incurred under contracts signed before application (except project development fees), promotion/marketing expenses, cost overruns and legal fees.

Eligible geographic areas

• Companies and organizations doing business in Quebec, specifically in the Côte-Nord region.

• Alignment of the project with the objectives of EPRTNT 25-27.
• Structuring effect, including attractiveness, scope, spin-offs, partnerships, job creation and season extension.
• Level of innovation and overall quality of concept, products and services.
• Sound financial structure, relevance to target tourism markets and competitiveness, including marketing and networking.
• Project feasibility, including timeline, business plan quality, proponent expertise and integration of sustainable development principles.

• Step 1: Download Program Documents
  • Access the EPRTNT Digital Development explanatory document, application form and self-assessment from the Tourisme Côte-Nord website.
• Step 2: Complete Self-Assessment
  • Fill out the EPRTNT Digital Development self-assessment form to validate project fit with the program.
• Step 3: Prepare Application Form
  • Complete the EPRTNT 25-27 Côte-Nord Digital Development financial assistance application form in Excel format and have it signed.
• Step 4: Compile Required Documents
  • Gather all required supporting documents listed in the program guidelines (business plan, financial statements, resolutions, attestations, confirmations, etc.).
• Step 5: Submit by Email
  • Send the completed self-assessment, application form and all required documents by email to direction.dev@cotenordqc.com by the stated submission deadlines.

• Projects must align with regional priorities such as adventure, nature, cultural, Indigenous, 4-season, winter tourism and accommodation.
• Previous commitments to partners under earlier funding from this agreement must have been respected to be eligible again.
• Projects will be assessed on how they incorporate sustainable development principles.
• Organizations with 25 or more employees in Québec must provide OQLF proof of compliance with francization requirements.