DEPART Program

• Fully completed and signed financial assistance application form in PDF format
• Business plan prepared in accordance with the application guide
• Financial statements for the last two years, or projected financial statements for start-up businesses
• Proof of francization compliance, where applicable
• Bylaws for social economy enterprises

Who is eligible?

• For-profit businesses with 250 employees or fewer
• Cooperatives and non-profit organizations with mainly commercial activity
• Businesses legally constituted under the laws of the Government of Quebec or Canada

Who is not eligible

• Businesses in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector
• Businesses in wholesale and retail trade
• Businesses in public administration

Eligible expenses

• Professional fees for external consultants
• Travel and lodging expenses related to project implementation
• Hiring a qualified professional for project deployment
• Acquisition, construction, development, or expansion of buildings
• Acquisition and installation of equipment, software, or new technologies

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Tourism renovation projects or work that is similar to regular maintenance.
• Tourism accommodation projects with fewer than four tourist residences, or organizations renting fewer than four tourist residences on the same site after the project, unless they are part of a broader tourism offer or activity.
• Business turnaround and consolidation projects for companies in financial difficulty.
• Projects that only relocate a company to a targeted MRC without new investments or new activities.
• Municipal infrastructure projects, including the purchase of various equipment.

Eligible geographic areas

• MRCs in the last quintile of the economic vitality index
• MRCs in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine administrative region
• MRC of Appalaches
• MRC of Granit, including the city of Lac-Mégantic
• MRCs of Maskinongé and Charlevoix-Est

• Project relevance to the program objectives and the targeted MRC’s economic priorities
• Quality of governance, including the expertise of managers and key employees
• Project quality, including business plan quality, financing structure, schedule, and financial projections
• Local and regional support, including the required government authorizations
• Potential impact on profitability, productivity, competitiveness, local economy, and job quality

• Download the application guide and the checklist, then gather the required documents.
• Complete the application form.
• Send the application to aidefinanciere@invest-quebec.com.
• Receive the automated acknowledgment of receipt.

• Investissement Québec reviews the application for compliance and may request additional information for the analysis.
• If the application is recommended, a letter of offer is sent within 6 weeks through an electronic signature platform.
• If the project is not recommended, an email refusal is issued.
• The final disbursement request is analyzed before the final payment is confirmed.
• The final payment is received within 2 to 3 months after confirmation of the final disbursement amount.

• Applications are currently suspended until further notice.
• Any incomplete or non-compliant application will be automatically refused.
• Projects submitted to the program must be authorized by 31 March 2026 and completed by 31 December 2027.
• Applications can include a final disbursement request after project completion, if applicable.