CQRDA — SI2TEC
Last Update: July 22, 2025
QC, Canada
Supports circular economy feasibility and project planning initiatives
CQRDA — SI2TEC at a glance
Eligible Funding
- Max. $75,000
- Up to 50% of project cost
Timeline
- Unspecified
Financing Type
Grant and Funding
Eligible Industries
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
Grant Providers
- Centre québécois de recherche et de développement de l’aluminium (CQRDA)
Program status
Open
Overview of the CQRDA — SI2TEC program
The CQRDA — SI2TEC grant offers up to $75,000 to support feasibility studies and the planning of innovative projects in circular economy within Quebec's bioeconomy aluminum sector. Eligible activities include studies on technological, commercial, or competitive positioning and analyses addressing common challenges to reduce material consumption and waste.
Financing terms and conditions
- Maximum financial aid of $75,000 per feasibility study.
- Financial aid can cover up to 50% of eligible expenses.
- Total government aid can reach up to 70% of eligible expenses.
- Private contributions must cover a minimum of 30% of eligible expenses.
- Study duration is limited to a maximum of 12 months.
Eligible projects & activities
- Conducting feasibility studies aimed at industrial purposes within the circular economy.
- Positioning studies on technological, commercial, or competitive aspects of a sector related to the circular economy.
- Analyses addressing common issues or needs of multiple companies within the same industrial sector or related sectors.
- Techno-economic feasibility studies or studies identifying technologies that would enhance industrial synergies.
- Studies that may include sections on strategy development for deployment or obtaining strategic data.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 175,000
Developing organic farm infrastructure and increasing productivity
Eligibility criteria of the CQRDA — SI2TEC program
- Applicants must be private for-profit enterprises with an establishment in Quebec, including cooperatives with similar activities to a business.
- Eligible entities include mixed companies in the municipal sector.
- Non-profit organizations (NPOs) with an establishment in Quebec engaged in production, research and development, or commercialization activities, including cooperatives with similar activities, are eligible. This includes sectoral associations, private business associations, and cooperatives groupings.
- Admissible partners can include specialized professional service firms, public research institutes in Quebec (such as colleges, universities, and other applied research centers), municipalities, cities, regional county municipalities (MRC), and NPOs constituted under the Quebec Cities and Towns Act.
- Entities such as state-owned companies, companies controlled directly or indirectly by a government, businesses listed in the Register of Companies Ineligible for Public Contracts (RENA), and those primarily offering services rather than manufacturing goods or trade are not eligible.
- Applicants who have previously failed to meet their obligations after receiving financial assistance from the Ministry in the two years prior to the application are not eligible.
- Businesses under the protection of the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act or the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act are not eligible.
Who is eligible?
- Private for-profit companies with an establishment in Quebec, including cooperatives with activities similar to those of a business.
- Mixed enterprises in the municipal sector.
- Non-profit organizations (NPOs) with an establishment in Quebec, engaged in production and/or research and development and/or commercialization activities, including cooperatives with similar activities.
- Sectoral associations and organizations.
- Associations of private companies.
- Groups of cooperatives.
- Specialized professional service firms.
- Public research institutes in Quebec (collegial technology transfer centers, universities, and other applied research centers).
- Municipalities, cities, and regional county municipalities (MRCs), including similar organizations and non-profit organizations constituted under the Quebec Cities and Towns Act.
Who is not eligible
- Sociétés d'État ou celles contrôlées directement ou indirectement par le gouvernement provincial ou fédéral.
- Entreprises majoritairement détenues par une société d'État.
- Sociétés d'aide au développement des collectivités (SADC).
- Entreprises inscrites au Registre des entreprises non admissibles aux contrats publics (RENA).
- Entreprises du secteur tertiaire, où l'activité principale est la prestation de services plutôt que la fabrication de biens ou de commerce.
- Demandeurs qui, dans les deux années précédant la demande, ont manqué à leurs obligations après une mise en demeure par le MEIE concernant une aide financière antérieure.
- Entreprises sous la protection de la Loi sur les arrangements avec les créanciers des compagnies ou de la Loi sur la faillite et l'insolvabilité.
Eligible expenses
- Professional fees.
- Salaries and benefits of employees assigned to the project, based on the actual salary and time spent on the project.
- Direct usage costs of materials and equipment, calculated according to project duration and necessity.
- Rental costs of equipment directly related to the project, calculated according to project duration and necessity.
- Costs associated with the use of computer tools, calculated according to project usage.
- Travel and accommodation expenses associated with project execution.
- Administrative follow-up fees (management fees) of RSRI, set at 5% of the project’s eligible expenses.
Eligible geographic areas
- Companies with an establishment in Quebec.
Eligibility criteria of the CQRDA — SI2TEC program
- The relevance of the project concerning the circular economy (problem statement and implementation of solutions) and innovation (elimination criteria).
- Expected environmental gains in Quebec and possibly beyond, compared to the current situation, across the product or service lifecycle.
- The project's contribution level to enhancing a circular economy, meeting objectives such as reducing or eliminating the consumption of raw materials, reducing residual materials produced by businesses and consumers, and promoting a closed-loop circulation of materials or increasing material productivity through innovative business models.
- Generation of viable and sustainable economic activity.
- The quality of the work plan and expected deliverables.
- The quality of partnerships at the level of the industry, sector, territory, or value chain.
How to apply to the CQRDA — SI2TEC program
1
Validation of eligibility and pre-application
- Contact Raphaëlle Prévost-Côté to validate the eligibility of your project.
- Obtain the required forms for submitting the detailed application.
2
Preparation of the detailed request
- Draft a complete project that meets the program requirements and includes the objectives, budget, and timeline.
- Include all supporting documents and necessary paperwork.
3
Submission of the request
- Submit the detailed application before April 3, 2025.
- Ensure that all required documents are included in your submission.
4
Analysis and assessment
- The technical-economic analysis committee (CATE) of CRIBIQ evaluates the request.
- The decision-making bodies of CRIBIQ and then the MEIE approve the request.
5
Signature of the funding agreement
Signing of a financing agreement with the relevant RSRI, the beneficiary, and the partners if the application is approved.
6
Project startup
Start the work according to the project schedule.
7
Monitoring and analysis of the impacts
Carry out regular follow-ups and analysis of the project's impact.
Additional information
- The announcement of the results and successful projects will follow a specific evaluation timeline, coordinated by the CRIBIQ.
- Projects must adhere to the policies and guidelines as specified by the Ministry of the Economy, Innovation and Energy.
- Funding from this grant is contingent upon the availability of funds from the MEIE.
Contact Centre québécois de recherche et de développement de l’aluminium (CQRDA)
projetsRD@cqrda.ca
418-545-5520
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