ESSOR – Component 3

Who is eligible?

• For-profit businesses.
• Social economy enterprises.
• Companies already established in Quebec.
• Foreign companies registered in Quebec.
• Businesses in all sectors except the excluded sectors listed by the program.

Who is not eligible

• Primary sector businesses, except greenhouse cultivation, certain conditioning activities in major projects, and forest exploitation.
• Mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction businesses.
• Real estate, rental and leasing services.
• Construction projects not aimed at reducing environmental footprint.
• Several public, financial, cultural, telecom, broadcasting, accommodation and other excluded service sectors.

Eligible expenses

• Capitalizable investments directly related to the execution of the project such as acquisition, construction, fitting out, or expansion of buildings.
• Acquisition and implementation of equipment or software.
• Expenditures related to a significant technological transition aimed at considerably reducing the environmental footprint.
• Costs for upgrading equipment, including equipment required for measuring energy consumption.
• Engineering work costs.
• Professional fees in compliance with current government standards as outlined in the Government of Quebec's Management Policy Compendium.
• Expenses related to working capital necessary for executing an investment project when financial aid takes the form of a loan guarantee, refundable financial contribution, or forgivable loan, up to a maximum of 20% of the total eligible expenses.

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec

• Applications are reviewed by Investissement Québec on behalf of the Government of Quebec.
• Eligibility, analysis, and decision are handled by Investissement Québec’s teams.
• The Ministry and Investissement Québec may suspend the submission and review of applications without notice.

• The program accepts new applications but cannot guarantee processing under current regulations if evaluation cannot be made before March 31, 2025, subject to new guidelines.
• Management fees of at least 0.5% of the granted financial aid amount are required from the company.
• Annual guarantee fees of at least 0.5% of the guaranteed amount are mandatory.
• The project must start within six months of approval, with a total implementation period not exceeding five years.
• A project timeline not exceeding three years is preferred.
• Other specific conditions may apply.