Financial Assistance Program for Recreational and Sports Facilities (PAFIRS)

Who is eligible?

• Municipal organizations
• Non-profit organizations primarily active in recreation and sports
• Solidarity cooperatives
• Indigenous organizations, including recognized First Nations and Inuit authorities, certain non-profit organizations serving Indigenous communities, and qualifying educational or healthcare institutions for Indigenous populations

Who is not eligible

• Organizations listed in the Register of Enterprises Ineligible for Public Contracts (RENA).
• Organizations that failed to fulfill obligations under a previous government grant within the past two years.
• School boards, CEGEPs, and universities, except those meeting specific Indigenous support criteria.
• Organizations considered "other than budgetary" as listed in Annex 2 of the Financial Administration Act.

Eligible expenses

• Costs related to the development, construction, redevelopment, reconstruction, renovation, conversion, and upgrading of an eligible recreation or sports facility.
• Surveying fees at the project site.
• Quality control costs at the construction site.
• Costs for environmental impact mitigation and correction measures required by governments.
• Costs associated with integrating artwork into a building or site in accordance with the applicable government policy.
• Expenses for manufacturing and installing permanent identification plaques acknowledging government contributions.
• Non-recoverable taxes related to eligible direct costs.
• Professional fees for recognized professionals for project design (plans and specifications, cost estimation), supervision, or project management.
• Costs for greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilience assessments, where required.
• Non-recoverable taxes related to eligible incidental expenses.

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec

• Improvement of accessibility to recreational and sports infrastructure for diverse clienteles.
• Enhancement of the quality of recreational and sports infrastructures to meet population needs.
• Provision of services to vulnerable populations.
• Urgency of intervention to ensure the sustainability, integrity, or public safety related to the infrastructure.
• Potential benefits for Indigenous people, official language minority communities, or vulnerable groups.
• Universal accessibility of the infrastructure.
• Current and projected usage levels of the infrastructure.
• Potential impact of the project on hosting and organizing sporting events and supporting athletes.
• Collaboration with community partners and the presence of inter-municipal agreements to facilitate access.
• Demonstration of the applicant’s financial capacity and local financial contributions.
• Implementation of energy-saving measures, use of wood in construction, or consideration of sustainable development principles.

• Step 1: Review Application Guidelines
  • Read the Applicant's Guide and all important program documents provided by the Ministry of Education.
• Step 2: Prepare Application Package
  • Complete the official application form electronically (available on the Ministry of Education's website).
  • Gather all required supporting documents, which may include project description and relevance, cost estimates and financial breakdown, technical documents (such as functional plans or preliminary designs), project timeline, resolutions from organizational governing bodies, audited financial statements and provisional budget (for NPOs or cooperatives), proof of ownership or lease, photos of the current infrastructure/site, geographic map file (.KML), and environmental/Indigenous consultation questionnaire.
• Step 3: Obtain Required Resolutions and Approvals
  • Secure a resolution authorizing the project from your organization's governing body (e.g., municipal council, board of directors).
  • For NPOs/cooperatives/Indigenous institutions, obtain a resolution of support and service agreement commitment from the relevant municipality or band council if applicable.
• Step 4: Submit Application
  • Transmit the completed application form and all required documentation to the Ministry of Education via the indicated channel (usually electronic submission) before the published application deadline.
• Step 5: Await Project Evaluation
  • The Ministry of Education will review the application for eligibility, completeness, and project merit.
  • The application may be forwarded to other ministries or agencies as required for further expertise and validation.
• Step 6: Receive Approval and Funding Agreement
  • If the application is accepted, you will receive an official letter of announcement.
  • Sign a funding agreement (convention d’aide financière) with the Ministry, stipulating project details, conditions, and payment terms.
• Step 7: Complete Project Implementation
  • Carry out the approved works as described, in accordance with program requirements and under appropriate contracts.
• Step 8: Request Disbursement of Funds
  • Upon completion of eligible works and payment of admissible costs, complete the claim form for financial assistance (provided by the Ministry) in electronic format and transmit it by email to fonds-fdsap@education.gouv.qc.ca.
  • Attach required documents such as paid invoices, final declaration of works, photos of completed elements/panels, tax recovery confirmations, service agreements (if applicable), and a project summary report.
• Step 9: Final Compliance and Reporting
  • Install a permanent identification plaque acknowledging Ministry and Government of Canada contributions (approval of plaque design required).
  • Submit all requested final documentation, including photos of installed signage and final financial and activity reports.

• All supported projects must publicly acknowledge the financial contribution of the Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada during and after project completion.
• A permanent identification plaque, approved by the Ministry, must be installed on the infrastructure upon project completion.
• The Ministry reserves the right to conduct audits and verifications for up to three years after the agreement ends or all disputes are resolved.
• In the event of project or agreement termination, repayment of a portion or the entirety of the financial assistance may be required, based on the elapsed time since project completion.