Equipment Manufacturers–Clients

• Completed and signed financial assistance application form (including annexes)
• Budget and financial structure
• Financial statements for the past two years (or projected statements for new businesses)
• Signed letter from each partner company confirming participation and nature of involvement
• Detailed service offer from suppliers or strategic specialists (other than project partners)
• Resumes of key personnel involved in the project
• Detailed timeline in Gantt chart format
• Detailed justification of expenses for each partner
• Proof of compliance with French language Francisation requirements from the Office Québécois de la Langue Française

• The applicant must be a partnership between at least two Quebec-based companies: an equipment manufacturer (équipementier) and an aluminum producer or transformer.
• The equipment manufacturer and client must both be legally established and operating in Quebec.
• The project must involve implementing a new product or process at a Quebec aluminum production or transformation facility.
• The project must demonstrate a high level of innovation with technological or business risk and commercial potential.
• The project must include the mandatory step of implanting the new technology or process at the client's facility.

Who is eligible?

• Equipment manufacturers (Équipementiers) - companies specializing in equipment manufacturing and technology development for the aluminum industry
• Primary aluminum producers - companies producing primary aluminum (e.g., Alcoa, Alouette, Rio Tinto)
• Aluminum processors/transformers - companies using raw aluminum, aluminum rods, or rolling plates as main production inputs
• Aluminum recyclers - companies that recycle aluminum and make recycled material available on the Quebec market

Who is not eligible

• State-owned companies or enterprises directly or indirectly controlled by a government (provincial, federal, or municipal).
• Enterprises under protection of the Bankruptcy Act or in a state of insolvency.
• Enterprises registered in the Register of enterprises ineligible for public contracts.
• Enterprises that have failed to meet their obligations after formal notice in the two years preceding the request.
• Enterprises non-compliant with the francization process (French Language Charter).

Eligible expenses

• Professional fees for specialized services, including subcontracting.
• Direct labor costs related to the project, including social benefits, mandatory contributions, and project management fees.
• Travel and accommodation expenses directly related to project execution, including those of potential clients attending real-world demonstrations.
• Direct material and inventory costs.
• Direct equipment costs, calculated based on the proportion of project duration to equipment useful life.
• Equipment rental fees.
• Costs of acquiring studies or other documentation.
• Fees for obtaining necessary certifications or homologations for commercialization.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Expenses incurred before the application submission date, including contractual commitments
• Transactions between project partners (e.g., purchasing or renting equipment from each other)
• Debt servicing, loan repayments, capital losses, or capital replacements
• Regular operating expenses and recurring fees (annual subscriptions, software updates)
• Acquisition or development of real estate, land, or buildings

Eligible geographic areas

• The CQRDA reviews the application for eligibility and sends a letter to confirm whether the application is admissible.
• Eligible applications are evaluated by an independent expert committee based on project quality, innovation potential, and economic benefits.
• Projects are selected based on the committee's recommendations and required approvals.
• Selected applicants are notified and must sign a subsidy agreement with the CQRDA before receiving funding.
• Applications are processed based on budget availability and compliance with program criteria.