Digital adaptation of written news media organizations — Stream A: Studies and diagnostics phase

• Signed Conditions of Financial Assistance
• Media information form for the media covered by the application
• Targeted CV for each member of the project team
• Latest activity report for the media
• Latest financial statements

Who is eligible?

• Written news media enterprises on print or digital media
• Media with the legal form of a non-profit organization

Who is not eligible

• Community media
• Radio or television stations
• Media in which 40% or more of online content is audio or video
• Opinion media, municipal newspapers, and media focused on specialized, ethnic, religious, or association topics
• Unions and professional associations, regrouping organizations whose members are non-profit media, written news media whose editorial work is mainly done by the owner, applicants that are insolvent or bankrupt or have filed a proposal under insolvency law, applicants that do not meet the required integrity standards, organizations that failed to respect their obligations after formal notice in connection with previous Quebec government aid, and organizations registered in the RENA, including their subcontractors

Eligible expenses

• Labour, including employee benefits
• Design, acquisition, or adaptation of equipment, technology, or digital tools
• Studies and consulting expertise
• Subcontracting, promotion, travel, administration, and training

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Debt financing or loan repayment
• Financing of a project already completed
• Equipment, land, or building acquisition
• Recurring operating expenses
• Legal fees

• Relevance of the project
• Quality of the project, including clear objectives, team experience, applicant capacity, feasibility, and realism
• Expected impact on the digital transformation of the media concerned
• Priority may be given to applicants that have not previously benefited from this stream

• Go to the Ministry website.
• On the homepage, click Aide financière en culture in the Les plus consultés section.
• Click Service en ligne di@pason in the same section.
• On the authentication page, click inscrire.
• Complete the registration form, starting with the basic information, then click Suivant.

• The beneficiary must use the financial assistance only for the purposes provided for in the program standard.
• Any change to the planned interventions, or to the beneficiary’s statutes, bylaws, or administrative structure, requires the Minister’s authorization.
• The beneficiary must provide the information and documents requested by the Ministère and report according to the program’s required frequency.
• The beneficiary must keep all documents related to the financial assistance for 7 years and allow reasonable access for verification up to 3 years after the project ends, or until disputes are settled, whichever is later.
• The Minister may terminate the agreement and may require repayment of all or part of the assistance already paid if the beneficiary defaults, ceases activities, or provides false or misleading information.

• The ministry can assist applicants before submission.
• Once submitted, major changes are no longer allowed without returning to the ministry.
• The program uses the di@pason online portal.
• Applicants must keep their profile information up to date.