
Défi-Québec, Sustainable City
Québec, QC
Support eco-friendly projects in Québec businesses
grant_single|update March 24, 2025
grant_single_labels|summary
grant_single|eligibleFinancing
- grant_single|maxCount
grant_single|deadlines
- grant_single|timelineUnspecified
grant_single|financingType
Grant and Funding
grant_single|eligibleIndustries
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and warehousing
- Finance and insurance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
grant_single|grantors
- Quebec City
grant_single|status
grant_card_status|open
grant_single_labels|preview
Défi-Québec, Sustainable City, provides grants to support projects promoting sustainable development and eco-responsible practices within businesses with a focus on areas such as reducing greenhouse gases, circular economy, and sustainable production. Eligible activities include energy recovery in urban agriculture and the creation of innovative eco-friendly products, with specific conditions such as location and industry sector determining eligibility; however, the maximum funding amount isn’t specified.
grant_single_labels|terms_and_conditions
- Non-repayable contribution of up to $50,000 per project for both private enterprises and social economy enterprises.
- Private enterprises can receive a maximum of 50% of eligible expenses covered.
- Social economy enterprises can receive a maximum of 80% of eligible expenses covered.
- Maximum of one contribution per enterprise over a two-year period.
- The total active financing across all economic development programs from the City of Québec cannot exceed $500,000 over a two-year period, where non-repayable aid is accounted for at 100% of its value, and repayable aid at 50%.
grant_single_labels|projects
- A non-profit organization (NPO) operating an urban greenhouse implements an energy recovery project.
- A food processing company offering healthy products launches a project to recover unsold produce from market gardening businesses to upcycle it.
- A manufacturing company, with a supply chain mostly based in Quebec, starts producing an innovative and eco-friendly new product.
grant_single|admissibleProjectsExample
$ 50,000
Producing an innovative and eco-friendly new product
$ 50,000
Project to upcycle unsold produce into new products
$ 50,000
Urban greenhouse energy recovery project implementation
grant_single_labels|admissibility
- The applicant must be an incorporated private company or a social economy enterprise (NPO or co-op) that primarily carries out commercial activities.
- The company's first significant sale must have occurred more than 36 months before the application deadline.
- Individual enterprises and general partnerships held in majority by Indigenous persons and located on the Wendake territory are eligible.
- The project must be located in the Agglomeration of Québec, which includes the cities of Québec, Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, L’Ancienne-Lorette, and Wendake.
- The project must address at least one aspect such as water, raw materials, circular economy, reduction of greenhouse gases, sustainable production, logistics, or transportation.
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_can_apply
- Incorporated private companies with significant sales over 36 months ago.
- Social economy enterprises (NPO and co-op) engaged in primarily commercial activities.
- Individual enterprises and general partnerships majority-owned by Indigenous individuals on Wendake territory.
- Businesses in agri-food, food processing, and healthy foods.
- Companies in digital arts, interactive entertainment, and financial technologies.
- Enterprises involved in optics-photonics, measurement and control technologies, and advanced electronics.
- Organizations in life sciences, biotechnology, and health technologies.
- Firms specializing in clean technologies: water, air, soil treatment, ecomobility, energy efficiency, renewable energies, and green chemistry.
- Social economy enterprises across all sectors with over 40% self-generated revenue.
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_cannot_apply
- Social economy enterprises (NPO and co-op) that cannot demonstrate sound democratic governance.
- Applicants not discharged from a bankruptcy judgment.
- Businesses listed in the Register of enterprises ineligible for public contracts.
- Applicants who, in the two years prior to the request, failed to meet obligations related to a previous grant from the City of Québec.
- Applicants with outstanding amounts owed to the City of Québec.
- Projects of a discriminatory nature, involving controversy, or posing a negative image risk for the City of Québec.
- One-off projects of an event-driven nature.
grant_eligibility_criteria|eligible_expenses
- Professional fees, consulting services, and studies.
- Expenses necessary for the implementation of the project.
- Salaries for human resources assigned to the project at a rate equivalent to that paid by the beneficiary according to its salary policy, upon presentation of a resolution from its board of directors indicating the amount allocated for the project's execution and any relevant supporting documents.
- Purchases or rentals of goods, equipment, and assets related to the project.
- Marketing, promotion, and advertising activities and costs.
- General and administrative expenses necessary for the project's realization.
- Expenses for leasehold improvements, refurbishment, expansion, renovation, or construction of a building, including the acquisition of land or property.
grant_eligibility_criteria|zone
- Agglomeration of Québec, including the cities of Québec, Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, and L’Ancienne-Lorette.
- Wendake.
grant_single_labels|criteria
- Quality and robustness of the responsible business model.
- Financial capacity of the applicant to complete the project and achieve its goals.
- Viability and coherence of the submitted project (project relevance, realistic financial setup, and involved partners).
- Organizational capacity.
- Distinctive and innovative nature of the project.
- Economic, social, and environmental impacts in the Quebec agglomeration.
- Demonstration of the need for financial assistance.
- Structuring effect.
- Support structure.
- Nature of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
grant_single_labels|register
- Step 1: Access Application Form
- Visit the City of Québec's official website to locate the Défi-Québec, Sustainable City grant section.
- Download the funding application form from the designated area.
- Step 2: Gather Required Documents
- Review the list of required documents as outlined in the funding application form.
- Prepare all necessary documentation to support your application.
- Step 3: Complete Application Form
- Fill out the funding application form with accurate and detailed information about your project.
- Ensure all sections of the form are thoroughly completed.
- Step 4: Review Application
- Carefully review the application form and attached documents for completeness and accuracy.
- Ensure the project complies with all criteria and requirements.
- Step 5: Submit Application
- Submit the completed application form and all required documents electronically or through the specified submission method by the deadline of April 9, 2025, at 4 p.m.
- Follow the instructions provided in the funding application form for the submission process.
- Step 6: Await Confirmation
- After submission, await confirmation of receipt of your application via email or another communication method as indicated by the City of Québec.
- Retain the confirmation for your records.
grant_single_labels|otherInfo
- If the company leaves the territory or ceases its activities, reimbursement clauses apply depending on the date of the event.
grant_single_labels|contact
defiquebec@ville.quebec.qc.ca
4186416411