CQRDA — PSO-v2b
Last Update: April 1, 2025
Chicoutimi, QC
Promotes collaborative research in Quebec's aluminum industry
CQRDA — PSO-v2b at a glance
Eligible Funding
- Max. $1,500,000
- Up to 40% of project cost
Timeline
- Continuous Intakes
Financing Type
Partnering and Collaboration
Eligible Industries
- Manufacturing
Grant Providers
- Centre québécois de recherche et de développement de l’aluminium (CQRDA)
Status
Open
Overview of the CQRDA — PSO-v2b program
The CQRDA — PSO-v2b grant provides non-repayable funding of up to $1.5 million for projects fostering collaboration between industry and research entities, focusing on innovation in the aluminum sector. Eligible activities include research and development projects involving partnerships with SMEs or large enterprises in Quebec.
Financing terms and conditions
- Non-repayable grants provided under two funding streams based on company size: one for projects involving SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) and another for those involving large enterprises (without SME involvement).
- Maximum financial assistance per project is $1.5 million, with an annual cap of $500,000.
- For the SME stream: financial aid may cover up to 40% of eligible expenses, with total government aid reaching up to 80% of total eligible expenses. Private contributions must be at least 20% of the total eligible expenses.
- For the large enterprise stream: financial aid may cover up to 20% of eligible expenses, with total government aid accounting for up to 60% of total eligible expenses. Private contributions must be at least 40%, with half potentially in-kind.
- The duration of funding is capped at 36 months for both streams.
Eligible projects & activities
- Development of equipment and technology related to aluminum and implementation of new technology at the level of SMEs.
- Training and development of industry personnel in the aluminum sector.
- Promotion of aluminum and development of new usage possibilities.
- Assessment of the impact of the aluminum industry on regional environments.
- Enhancement of productivity and ergonomics in the aluminum sector.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 80,000
Develop a local organic farming initiative
$ 85,000
Expand an artisanal craft business
$ 100,000
Provide technology skills training for youth
$ 130,000
Launch a support network for Indigenous entrepreneurs
$ 95,000
Implement a community bike sharing program
$ 110,000
Create eco-friendly packaging for local businesses
Eligibility criteria of the CQRDA — PSO-v2b program
- Applicant must be a university, college, Centre collégial de transfert technologique (CCTT), or Centre de recherche public (CRP) in Quebec.
- At least one partnering company must be established and active in Quebec.
- Projects must involve collaboration with at least one SME and/or a large enterprise.
- SMEs must have fewer than 250 employees globally and be active in R&D or production in Quebec.
- Large enterprises must be active in R&D or production in Quebec.
- Applicant must be legally constituted under federal or Quebec laws and be registered with the Registraire des entreprises du Québec.
- Applicant must not be controlled by a government, municipality, or significantly by a state enterprise.
- Applicant must not have defaulted on previous government financial aid within the past two years.
Who is eligible?
- Universities located in Quebec
- Colleges in Quebec
- Public research centers in Quebec
- Collegial centers for technology transfer (CCTT) in Quebec
- Small and Medium Enterprises (PME) with a presence in Quebec
- Large Enterprises with a presence in Quebec
- Foreign and Canadian companies as secondary partners
- Not-for-Profit Organizations as secondary industrial partners
- Start-ups with R&D and production capacities in Quebec
Who is not eligible
- Companies directly or indirectly controlled by a government (provincial or federal), a municipal entity, or majority-owned by a state corporation.
- Businesses under the protection of the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act or the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.
- Enterprises listed in the registry of ineligible businesses for public contracts.
- Companies that have failed to meet obligations linked to a prior grant from the Ministry of Economy, Innovation, and Energy within two years before the application.
Eligible expenses
- Salaries, treatments, and social benefits.
- Scholarships to students.
- Materials, consumables, and supplies.
- Purchase or rental of equipment (with specification limits).
- Management fees of CQRDA.
- Intellectual property management fees.
- Professional fees.
- Travel and accommodation expenses related to project execution, compliant with government standards.
- Monetary compensation for project participation.
- Knowledge dissemination fees.
- Subcontracting costs.
- Indirect operating costs required for project execution, applied at a fixed rate of 27% on certain direct cost categories.
Eligible geographic areas
- Companies with a presence in Quebec, Canada.
Eligibility criteria of the CQRDA — PSO-v2b program
- Pertinence technique et innovation.
- Clarté et cohérence des objectifs.
- Défi technologique.
- Adéquation entre les objectifs du projet et les expertises (CRP et industrie).
- Validité de l’approche méthodologique.
- Contribution à la formation de personnel hautement qualifié (étudiants gradués, postdoc, techniciens, etc.).
- Réalisme du budget présenté.
- Potentiel de développement économique et de commercialisation.
- Potentiel de transfert des extrants du projet (connaissances, technologies, résultats) vers la ou les entreprises.
- Avantages compétitifs attendus suite à la réalisation du projet.
How to apply to the CQRDA — PSO-v2b program
1
Request for information
Contact the R&D team to obtain the necessary documents for submission, using the phone number 418 545-5520 or the email address projetsRD@cqrda.ca.
2
Preparation of the required documents
- Write the detailed justification of expenses.
- Obtain service offers from subcontractors, if applicable.
- Prepare a detailed schedule in the form of a GANTT chart.
- Create the financial setup according to the model provided by the CQRDA.
- Obtain a letter of support signed by the partners specifying their financial contribution.
- Provide the resumes of the experts participating in the project.
- Include a copy of the francization certificate, or other documents from the OQLF if required.
- Attach a market study, results of prior art studies, and intellectual property documents, if available.
- Gather any other relevant documents for the project evaluation.
3
Submission of the request
- Fill out the application form available on the CQRDA website.
- Verify that all required documents are complete and submitted according to the CQRDA guidelines.
- Submit the application before the deadlines (April 25, 2025, or August 22, 2025).
4
Submission Confirmation
- Wait for the electronic confirmation of the receipt of your request.
- Keep this confirmation for your personal records.
Additional information
- The program offers non-repayable grants, which include specific funding conditions based on the size of the participating business (PME or Grande Entreprise).
- For projects involving a PME, private contributions must represent at least 20% of the total eligible expenses, while for a Grande Entreprise, at least 40% of the contributions must be private, with the possibility of 50% being in-kind.
- Projects should aim to enhance knowledge diffusion and yield competitive advantages for Quebec businesses amid strong international competition.
- Specific axes of research include equipment development related to aluminum and training for industry personnel.
- Guidelines specify the need for financial statements and justification of expenses, along with letters of support from financial contributors.
- All partners, industrial and institutional, must be legally constituted under Canadian or Quebec laws and must register with the Quebec business registry.
- Indigenous companies and start-ups are eligible, possibly requiring further verification from the Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy (MEIE).
- Projects must be concluded within 36 months, beginning no later than nine months after financing approval from the MEIE.
Contact Centre québécois de recherche et de développement de l’aluminium (CQRDA)
projetsRD@cqrda.ca
418-545-5520
Apply to this program
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Chicoutimi, Quebec
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