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Source verified August 3, 2026
Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component
Improve business energy performance with financial support
Latest source updateLast Update: July 22, 2026Latest change: Changed: timeline and deadlines, eligibility, contact or portal details.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: July 22, 2026
Latest change: Changed: timeline and deadlines, eligibility, contact or portal details.
Grant changed: timeline and deadlines, eligibility
We detected changes to timeline and deadlines, eligibility, contact or portal details.
Funding available
$ 500 - $ 5,000,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Quebec, Canada
Overview
The Efficient Solutions Program helps Québec businesses improve the energy performance of commercial, institutional, industrial and agricultural buildings, with up to $60,000 for energy analyses and up to 90% of eligible costs for some equipment projects. Supported activities include energy analyses, efficient equipment and systems, and demand response measures.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Reduce environmental footprint
- Renovate or expand facilities
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 5,000,000 $
- Minimum amount : 500 $
- Up to 90% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Quebec
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Sole proprietorship
- Public or Parapublic institution
- Non-financial cooperative
- Social economy enterprise
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- All industries
Target groups
- All the groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- All dimensions
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Carry out an energy analysis of buildings, equipment or processes.
- Purchase and install efficient equipment and systems to improve energy performance.
- Implement energy efficiency measures.
- Implement demand response measures.
- Carry out complex and innovative projects whose measures are not covered by the OSE tool under the Customized Option.
Documents Needed
- Energy analysis proposal form
- Completed OSE files, including the Confirmation of Project Completion, for applicable equipment projects
- Copies of all purchase, installation or programming invoices or receipts for each implemented measure
- Measurement plan for Customized Option projects
- Notice of participation – Aggregator, if applicable
Official resources
Program guide
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Businesses or organizations located in Québec.
- Businesses that use one or more buildings for commercial, institutional, industrial or agricultural activities.
- Applicants whose electricity is supplied by the Hydro‑Québec grid or through an eligible off-grid, municipal or cooperative system.
- Partners mandated to submit a project on behalf of a customer.
- Aggregators that submit projects on behalf of their customers.
Who is not eligible
- Aggregators are not eligible for the Energy Analysis component.
Eligible expenses
- Eligible costs, including in-house labour, for an energy analysis
- Purchase costs of new equipment, excluding financing costs
- Installation and start-up costs of new equipment
- For demand response automation measures, design, programming and commissioning costs for DR strategies
- For demand response automation measures, eligible costs can also include performance follow-up, warranty and user training costs
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Demand response-only proposals under the Energy Analysis component.
- DLC Standard-certified light fixtures.
- AHRI-certified heat pumps.
Eligible geographic areas
- Québec
How to apply
- Explore the program component that matches your business profile and read the applicable Participant’s Guide and program terms and conditions.
- For the Simplified Option or the Farming component, use the OSE tool to choose measures and calculate the financial support you could receive.
- For the Energy Analysis component, download, complete and email the energy analysis proposal form.
- For the Customized Option, send in your project; if it is eligible, Hydro‑Québec will email you a project proposal form.
- Submit requests only after the work or installation is complete when applying through the Simplified Option or the Farming component.
- For the Customized Option, submit the required final documents once the work is complete.
Processing and Agreement
- Hydro‑Québec will acknowledge receipt of a submitted project and assess its compliance.
- Hydro‑Québec may ask for additional information after submission.
- For the Energy Analysis component, Hydro‑Québec evaluates the proposal and determines whether the project is approved.
- For the Customized Option, if the submitted project is eligible, Hydro‑Québec sends a project proposal form by email.
- Once project eligibility or compliance is confirmed, Hydro‑Québec issues the financial support payment.
Additional information
- One company can submit a single application covering multiple buildings.
- The OSE tool is a Windows-based PC application that includes over 200 predefined measures.
- Applicants can work with a specialized company, equipment manufacturer or consulting engineering firm for project support.
- Hydro‑Québec experts are available to assist participants throughout an Energy Analysis project.
Contacts
Other components of this program
Explore related funding streams and grants that belong to the same program.
- Customized Option – Efficient Solutions Program – Medium and Large Businesses componentSupport for complex energy efficiency projects
- Efficient Solutions Program - Energy Analysis ComponentEnergy analysis support for business efficiency
- Efficient Solutions Program — Agricultural ComponentFinancial support for agricultural operations
- Efficient Solutions Program — Medium and Large Businesses ComponentFunding for business energy efficiency projects
Frequently Asked Questions about the Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component Program
What is the Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component?
The Efficient Solutions Program helps Québec businesses improve the energy performance of commercial, institutional, industrial and agricultural buildings, with up to $60,000 for energy analyses and up to 90% of eligible costs for some equipment projects. Supported activities include energy analyses, efficient equipment and systems, and demand response measures.
How much funding can be received?
Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component Funds up to 90% of admissible expenses, capped at $5,000,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component program?
To be eligible for the Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component program, you must:
The project must involve one or more buildings used for commercial, institutional, industrial or agricultural activities.
The building’s electricity must be supplied by the Hydro‑Québec grid or by an eligible off-grid, municipal or cooperative system.
Some components have added conditions, such as eligible electricity rates or annual reference consumption of at least 1 GWh for Energy Analysis.
What expenses are eligible under Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component?
Carry out an energy analysis of buildings, equipment or processes.
Purchase and install efficient equipment and systems to improve energy performance.
Implement energy efficiency measures.
Implement demand response measures.
Carry out complex and innovative projects whose measures are not covered by the OSE tool under the Customized Option.
Who can I contact for more information about the Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component?
You can contact Hydro-Québec by email at bureau.eeaffaires@hydroquebec.com or by phone at 1 800 363-7443.
Where is the Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component available?
The Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component program is available the province of Quebec.
Is the Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Efficient Solutions Program — Small Business Component is a Grant and Funding