ESSOR – Component 1A

• Completed and signed form “Identification of the CA representative and Consent”.
• Detailed description of the project and financing structure.
• Annual financial statements for the last two years, or projected financial statements for two years for a start-up company.
• Service offers that meet the program requirements.
• Proof of compliance with francization requirements, where applicable.

Who is eligible?

• Profit-oriented companies that are legally established
• Social economy enterprises as defined by the Social Economy Act, with at least 40% of financial viability based on self-generated income from economic activities in the last financial year
• Foreign enterprises legally registered in Quebec committed to conducting continuous or regular commercial operations in Quebec within twelve months of project authorization
• For-profit enterprises, cooperatives, and social economy enterprises operating in specified regions such as Côte-Nord, Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Bas-Saint-Laurent, and certain areas of Capitale-Nationale, with limitations on sector activities

Who is not eligible

• Companies temporarily or permanently registered in the Register of Enterprises Ineligible for Public Contracts (RENA), including subcontractors registered in the RENA for project-related work.
• Companies on the list of businesses non-compliant with the francization process, published by the Office québécois de la langue française.
• Companies that have defaulted on financial obligations related to government aid in Quebec in the past two years following a formal notice.
• Crown corporations or companies directly or indirectly controlled by any government (municipal, provincial, or federal), municipal entities, or businesses majority-owned by a Crown corporation.
• Companies under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act or the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.
• Holding companies.
• Businesses with ethical behaviors or associations that may damage the integrity or reputation of the Quebec government.
• Businesses whose main field of activity involves the following: production or distribution of weapons; exploration, extraction, drilling, production, or refining of fossil energies (including oil and thermal coal), except those supporting a transition to a low-carbon economy; gambling operations such as casinos, bingo halls, or gaming terminals; production or operation involving violent video games or combat sports with living beings; sexual exploitation (e.g., erotic bars, escort agencies, massage parlors, swingers clubs, or pornography production); production, sale, or services related to tobacco or drugs, except for interventions involving cannabis or industrial hemp.
• Companies in certain sectors, including: primary sector (agriculture, forestry, fishing), with some exceptions (e.g., greenhouse production, major conditioning projects over $10M, and forestry exploitation); mining and oil & gas extraction; real estate, rental, and leasing services; construction (except productivity improvement projects); utilities/public services; management of companies and enterprises; health care and social assistance; education services; public administration; finance and insurance; arts, entertainment, and recreation; telecommunications; broadcasting; accommodation and food services (except accommodation linked to tourism projects); and other services (except public administration).

Eligible expenses

• Professional fees for external consultants in compliance with government standards outlined in the Recueil des politiques de gestion du gouvernement du Québec.
• Travel and accommodation expenses related to the implementation of the project in accordance with the government standards outlined in the Recueil des politiques de gestion du gouvernement du Québec.
• Costs related to the purchase of specialized, relevant, and necessary information for the project (such as market statistics and analyses).

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Expenses incurred before the application is filed, including costs already under contract commitment.
• Capital expenditures and depreciation expenses.
• Internal company expenses.
• Debt service, repayment of future borrowings, capital losses or replacement of capital, and any payment made as capital.
• Sales taxes.

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec
• North Shore
• Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine
• Lower Saint Lawrence
• Capitale-Nationale, for the MRCs of Charlevoix, Charlevoix-Est and Portneuf

• The application is first reviewed to ensure that it is compliant; a non-compliant application may be rejected.
• Compliant applications are then analyzed by Investissement Québec and the ministry according to the program parameters.
• Additional information may be requested during the analysis, and a deadline is provided to respond.
• A decision is rendered at the end of the analysis; if it is favorable, an offer letter is issued.
• After the project is completed, a final disbursement request is submitted, then the final amount is confirmed and paid out according to the предусмотрed terms.

• Applicants must have a French-language website to be eligible.
• Only expenses incurred from the date of application submission are eligible for reimbursement if the project is approved.
• Additional documentation or clarifications may be requested during the evaluation process, and applicants are required to comply with these requests within the specified timeframe.
• If the project is modified during implementation, a formal request explaining the change must be submitted and approved by Investissement Québec before any related expenditure is made.