DEPART Program

Who is eligible?

• For-profit small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with 250 employees or fewer, legally constituted under the laws of Quebec or Canada, operating an active establishment in Quebec
• Collective enterprises (cooperatives and non-profit organizations) as defined under the Social Economy Act with a primarily commercial activity
• Enterprises in the following sectors: secondary and tertiary transformation projects in the primary sector, manufacturing, high value-added service industries (information and communication technologies, environmental services, creative and industrial design services)
• Tourism sector companies, including accommodation enterprises that provide entertainment and leisure services and projects related to the development of cultural, scientific, recreational, outdoor, or other attractions for a regular tourist clientele with growth potential
• Tourism accommodation companies, with the exception of tourist residences, bed and breakfasts, and campgrounds

Who is not eligible

• Companies operating in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector
• Businesses in the construction sector, except for projects related to the Action Plan for the Construction Sector and productivity improvements
• Retail trade and wholesale trade companies
• Businesses in the transportation and warehousing sectors
• Professional and financial services companies (including finance and insurance)
• Companies involved in repair and maintenance, personal services, and laundry services
• Holding companies and company management businesses
• Restaurants and food service businesses
• Businesses in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting, except for secondary or tertiary transformation projects
• Mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction companies
• Telecommunications services companies
• Broadcasting (radiotelevision) services
• Administrative and support services companies
• Real estate and rental and leasing services companies
• Public services, including health care, social assistance, and education
• Educational and training services
• Public administration organizations
• Companies submitting tourism renovation projects or projects similar to regular maintenance
• Projects involving construction of tourism accommodations with fewer than four tourist residences or organizations renting fewer than four tourist residences on the same site after the project, unless integrated in a broader tourism offer
• Businesses seeking funding for restructuring or consolidation due to financial difficulties
• Companies planning to relocate to an eligible MRC without new investment or the development of new activities
• Projects involving municipal infrastructure (recreation, sports, community, roadwork, sewage, aqueducts) including equipment purchases
• Projects of a recurring or event-based nature (e.g., funding for festivals, conventions, and conferences)

Eligible expenses

• Professional fees for external consulting firms, in accordance with the applicable Quebec government management policy manual.
• Travel and accommodation expenses related to project implementation, in accordance with the applicable Quebec government management policy manual.
• Salaries for the hiring of a qualified professional (in administration, marketing, engineering, chemistry, biology, physics, IT, agri-food, marine sciences, wind energy, or other relevant and essential fields to the project) for project deployment, provided the expertise was not available internally before the project. Only new positions, not replacements, are eligible, with a minimum requirement of a professional, technical, or university credential.
• Acquisition, construction, development, or expansion of buildings.
• Acquisition and installation of equipment or software needed for project realization.
• Acquisition of new technology.
• Expenses related to research and development activities for products or processes.
• Expenses to obtain approval, compliance, or certification.
• Expenses related to real-world demonstration to potential clients to facilitate product or process commercialization.
• Purchase of studies, data, or other documentation necessary for project implementation.

Eligible geographic areas

• The MRCs in the lowest quintile according to the economic vitality index by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
• The MRCs in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine administrative region, including the maritime community of Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
• The MRC of Les Appalaches.
• The MRC of Le Granit, including the city of Lac-Mégantic.
• Indigenous communities within the eligible territorial MRCs recognized by the National Assembly of Quebec.

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The program DÉPART will be suspended from accepting new applications effective November 12, 2024.
• All projects submitted must be completed by December 31, 2025.
• Incomplete or non-compliant applications will be automatically rejected.
• The Ministry of the Economy, Innovation and Energy (MEIE) in collaboration with Investissement Québec reserves the right to suspend the analysis of applications at any time.