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Source verified July 23, 2026
ESSOR – Component 1A
Supports feasibility studies for investment projects
Offered by
Funding available
$ 250,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Quebec, Canada
Overview
Programme ESSOR Volet 1, sub-stream 1A offers non-repayable contributions covering up to 50% of eligible expenses, to a maximum of $50,000 per project, for Quebec-registered for-profit and social economy enterprises conducting feasibility studies for investment projects. Eligible studies can cover market analysis, site selection, process or technology assessment, and regulatory or legal analysis.
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Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Increase production or service capacity
- Implement environmental initiatives
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 250,000 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Quebec
Legal structures
- For-profit business
- Social economy enterprise
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Feasibility studies to analyze or evaluate the technical or economic parameters of implantation, modernization, or expansion projects.
- Market analyses.
- Site selection analyses.
- Process or technology evaluation studies, including usage rights.
- Regulatory and legal framework analyses.
Documents Needed
- A completed and signed Identification du représentant du CA et Consentement form.
- A detailed description of the project and its financing structure.
- Annual financial statements for the last two years, or two years of forecast financial statements for a start-up.
- Compliant service offers in accordance with Annex A.
- Where applicable, supporting compliance and organizational documents: valid proof of compliance with francization requirements for businesses active in Quebec employing 25 or more employees over a 6-month period, the declaration of compliance with the Programme d’accès à l’égalité en emploi for a for-profit business with more than 100 employees requesting $100,000 or more, the by-laws of a social economy enterprise, and any other document required for project analysis.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Quebec-registered for-profit businesses.
- Quebec-registered social economy enterprises within the meaning of the Loi sur l’économie sociale.
- Foreign businesses that are registered in Quebec and commit to carry on an activity there no later than 12 months after project authorization.
- Seasonal-activity businesses, including cooperatives, operating in Côte-Nord, Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Bas-Saint-Laurent, or in Capitale-Nationale in the MRCs of Charlevoix, Charlevoix-Est, or Portneuf.
Who is not eligible
- Businesses listed, provisionally or permanently, on the Registre des entreprises non admissibles aux contrats publics (RENA), including planned subcontractors listed on RENA for the project work.
- Businesses that are not compliant with francization requirements or are listed by the Office québécois de la langue française as non-compliant with the francization process.
- Businesses that defaulted on obligations tied to prior Quebec government financial assistance within the previous two years, as well as state-owned, government-controlled, municipal, or majority state-owned entities.
- Businesses under protection of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act or the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.
- Businesses operating in excluded sectors or principal business areas, including the primary sector, mining and oil and gas, real estate, utilities, finance and insurance, health and social assistance, education, public administration, arts and leisure, telecommunications, broadcasting, accommodation and food services, other services, arms, fossil fuels except transition activities, gambling, violent games or combat sports, sexual exploitation, and tobacco or drug-related products or services, subject to stated exceptions.
Eligible expenses
- Professional fees for external consulting firms.
- Costs related to the purchase of specialized information, including statistics and market analyses.
- Travel and living expenses in accordance with current government standards.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Studies related to product or process development that are eligible under the Innovation program.
- Environmental analyses carried out to comply with Quebec government laws or regulations.
- Tax analysis studies for businesses wishing to establish operations in Quebec.
- Digital diagnostics, digital plans, and implementation plans for a digital transformation project.
- Expenses incurred before the application is filed, capital expenditures and depreciation, internal company expenses, debt service or capital repayments, and sales taxes.
Eligible geographic areas
- Côte-Nord
- Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine
- Bas-Saint-Laurent
- Capitale-Nationale: MRC de Charlevoix, Charlevoix-Est, and Portneuf
Selection criteria
- Contribution of the project to the program objectives and to the company’s emergence, growth, or expansion.
- Expertise of management and key employees, and the company’s financial, human, and technical capacity to carry out the project.
- Project quality, including fit with the business model and the realism of the financing structure, proposed schedule, and financial projections for a start-up project.
- Financial support from partners and their level of commitment to the project financing structure.
- Expected impacts on profitability, productivity, competitiveness, and job quality, as well as the incentive effect or necessity of the financial assistance.
How to apply
- Complete the online prequalification form before starting the application process.
- Review the Programme ESSOR Volet 1 information page and read the Guide de présentation des demandes for sub-stream 1A.
- Gather the mandatory documents, ensure all submitted documents are in French, and use Annex A to prepare compliant service offers.
- Register for the Ministère’s services through ClicSÉQUR Entreprises to access the form.
- In ClicSÉQUR Entreprises, select Programme d’aide audit Industrie 4.0, then complete the Programme ESSOR sub-stream 1A application form online.
- Attach all mandatory documents, verify completeness with the checklist, and submit the form through the platform.
Processing and Agreement
- Compliant applications are analyzed as submitted, and additional information may be requested within the prescribed deadlines.
- Investissement Québec and the Ministère may limit the number of selected applications to stay within the available budget.
- Any approved assistance must be governed by a financial assistance agreement setting out each party’s obligations and the payment conditions.
- The contribution may be paid in a maximum of 2 instalments; the final instalment must represent at least 15% of the aid and is conditional on a final report and the transmission of required program-results data.
- During the project, any change request must be submitted in writing before the expense is incurred and during the project period set out in the offer letter.
Additional information
- All submitted documents must be in French.
- Prequalification only provides a preliminary confirmation of eligibility and does not constitute authorization of financial assistance.
- The filing and analysis of applications may be suspended without notice.
Contacts
Other components of this program
Explore related funding streams and grants that belong to the same program.
- ESSOR - Component 5Financing for resilient softwood lumber sawmill investments
- ESSOR – Component 1BSupport for digital diagnostics and implementation planning
- ESSOR – Component 1CSupport for implementing a digital plan
- ESSOR – Component 2 (Productivity Project)Supports investment projects for productivity and expansion
- ESSOR – Component 3Support for greener investment projects
- ESSOR – Component 4Supports Quebec companies in international expansion
Frequently Asked Questions about the ESSOR – Component 1A Program
What is the ESSOR – Component 1A?
Programme ESSOR Volet 1, sub-stream 1A offers non-repayable contributions covering up to 50% of eligible expenses, to a maximum of $50,000 per project, for Quebec-registered for-profit and social economy enterprises conducting feasibility studies for investment projects. Eligible studies can cover market analysis, site selection, process or technology assessment, and regulatory or legal analysis.
How much funding can be received?
ESSOR – Component 1A Funds up to 30% of admissible expenses, capped at $250,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the ESSOR – Component 1A program?
To be eligible for the ESSOR – Component 1A program, you must:
The applicant must be registered in Quebec and operate there, or commit to operate there within 12 months if it is a foreign business.
The project must be a feasibility study for an implantation, modernization, or expansion investment project.
The applicant must have a French version of its website.
What expenses are eligible under ESSOR – Component 1A?
Feasibility studies to analyze or evaluate the technical or economic parameters of implantation, modernization, or expansion projects.
Market analyses.
Site selection analyses.
Process or technology evaluation studies, including usage rights.
Regulatory and legal framework analyses.
Who can I contact for more information about the ESSOR – Component 1A?
You can contact Investissement Québec (IQ) by email at soutien.aidefinanciere@invest-quebec.com or by phone at 1 844 474-6367.
Where is the ESSOR – Component 1A available?
The ESSOR – Component 1A program is available the province of Quebec.
Is the ESSOR – Component 1A a grant, loan, or tax credit?
ESSOR – Component 1A is a Grant and Funding