Economic Diversification Fund (FDE) - Centre-du-Québec and Mauricie regions

• Total financial assistance provided was $79 million from September 1, 2017, to March 31, 2022.
• 250 projects were funded with a combined total project cost of $396 million.
• Financial interventions targeted five priority sectors at a rate of 47%.
• The leverage effect of the Ministry's financial aid was estimated at 4 (for each dollar granted, four dollars were invested in total).

• The applicant must be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) located in the Centre-du-Québec or Mauricie regions.
• The project must support economic diversification in these regions.
• The enterprise should operate within sectors deemed eligible under the program.
• Newly created or start-up companies may also be considered.

Who is eligible?

• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in eligible sectors located in the Centre-du-Québec and Mauricie regions

Eligible geographic areas

• Centre-du-Québec region
• Mauricie region

• Relevance of the project to the economic diversification needs of the Centre-du-Québec and Mauricie regions.
• Contribution to the creation and safeguarding of jobs.
• Alignment with the objectives and priorities of the program.
• Coherence of the project with other government interventions and programs.
• Expected socio-economic benefits, such as increased sales and wealth creation.

• An evaluation covering 2017–2022 indicates that 80% of participating businesses would not have completed their projects without this financial support.
• The program demonstrated a high level of client satisfaction, with 98% of survey respondents expressing satisfaction with the fund as a whole.
• The fund’s operational governance and responsibilities are clearly defined, and the approach is regarded as consistent with sustainable development principles.
• Future improvements may include systematic tracking of project results and economic impacts after project completion.