Financial assistance for tourism festivals and events — Stream 1

The Financial Assistance for Tourism Festivals and Events program offers structured funding support to enhance the visibility and sustainability of events across Quebec. The financing modalities are aimed at maximizing impact while ensuring economic viability and accountability.

• The financial assistance is offered for a triennial period without any indexing or increase during this period.
• The maximum financial assistance that can be granted per annum for performance tourism is capped at 1 million dollars.
• Financial assistance is determined based on an event's tourism performance index established through an analysis of relevant criteria.
• The assistance is adjusted to account for seasonal efforts, with specific percentages increase for events held outside the summer season (October to May) and in peripheral or remote regions.
• A financial aid cap for festivals and events in Category 1 is set at a yearly maximum of 750,000 dollars.
• The maximum cumulative total of government assistance, including repayable assistance, encompasses all programmatically approved financial aids by Quebec and Canadian governments, as well as municipal entities, and varies according to the type of eligible organizations, such as OBNL or cooperatives.
• Surplus financials exceeding 20% of annual eligible costs require a submitted allocation plan, while deficits over 10% require a reduction strategy within 5 years.
• Eligible costs, such as event preparation and management, programming, and promotional activities, have specified percentage caps tied to their total eligible expenses category.
• Expenditure for infrastructural projects, working capital, debt service, capital losses, and activities outside the realization of the event are classified as non-eligible expenses.

The eligibility criteria for companies applying for this grant are outlined as follows:

• The organization must be legally constituted under the laws of the government of Quebec or the government of Canada and must be conducting business in Quebec.
• The organization can be a non-profit organization (OBNL), a for-profit organization (OBL), a cooperative, a municipal entity, or a recognized Indigenous community or nation.
• The organization must not be a state-owned enterprise or a ministry/agency of the Quebec or Canadian government.
• The organization must not be listed on the Register of companies not eligible for public contracts (RENA).
• Applicants who have defaulted on their obligations after being duly warned within the last two years are not eligible.

Who is eligible?

This grant is intended for entities looking to position Quebec as a national and international tourist destination through responsible and sustainable festival and event development. Eligible participants are:

• For-profit organizations (OBL).
• Non-profit organizations (ONBL).
• Cooperatives.
• Municipal entities.
• Recognized Indigenous communities or nations.
• Groups comprising any of the above entities.

The following are excluded:

• Crown corporations, ministries, and agencies of the Quebec or Canadian governments.
• Companies listed on the Register of Enterprises Not Eligible for Public Contracts (RENA).
• Organizations that have failed to meet their obligations after formal notice in the past two years.

Participants must be legally constituted under the laws of Quebec or Canada and operate in Quebec. Moreover, supported festivals and events must meet criteria concerning program duration, thematic consistency, location stability, and minimum cost thresholds.

Who is not eligible

This grant outlines specific entities and conditions that render certain applicants ineligible. These restrictions help ensure that the funding supports appropriate categories of organizations and maintains compliance with program expectations.

• Crown corporations, ministries, and entities of the governments of Quebec or Canada.
• Companies listed in the Register of Enterprises Ineligible for Public Contracts (RENA).
• Organizations that have failed to meet their obligations in the preceding two years after formal notification in the context of previous funding.

Eligible expenses

The grant covers various expenses related to the preparation, execution, and promotion of the event.

• Costs of preparation and management of the event (limited to 25% of total eligible costs for certain streams, and to 40% for others based on festival budget).
• Costs of programming activities and events.
• Costs of promotion, marketing, and communication to boost event visibility.
• Site management and installation costs necessary for the event.
• Costs of products intended for resale at the event.
• Salaries and benefits for human resources directly linked to the event.
• Sponsorships in goods and services, with costs being eligible when audited (limited to 50% of total eligible costs).
• Costs related to sustainable and responsible development obligations.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is specifically designed to support tourism festivals and events occurring throughout the province of Quebec. Applications are open to entities conducting business within this geographical location.

• Events must be held in the province of Quebec.

The evaluation and selection of projects for this grant are based on an analysis of specified data points to determine a performance index for festivals and events.

• The number of days of participation by tourists, which forms part of the overall tourist attendance.
• The proportion of days of participation by tourists from outside Quebec, providing insight into visitor diversity.
• The attractiveness index of the festival or event, gauging its unique drawing power for visitors relative to local attractions.
• The economic impact, measured as the added value at current prices, indicating the financial benefits generated by the event.

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The grant program is subject to budgetary availability, and the funds are disbursed accordingly.
• Financial assistance for festivals and events planned outside the main summer tourist season may receive a seasonality premium.
• Maximum cumulative financial aid from government sources must be adhered to, based on the applicant type.
• Grant recipients must submit a financial plan to distribute any cumulative surpluses exceeding 20% of annual eligible costs within the province.
• For all grant streams, financial assistance is typically established for a three-year term without indexing or increase during this period.
• Beneficiaries of the grant must comply with sustainable development obligations by obtaining specific eco-responsibility certifications or implementing sustainability indicators.
• Previous studies of tourist origin and attendance due to COVID-19 can be used, with no new study required unless the promoter decides otherwise.
• A lower rate of funding assistance is applied to projects qualifying for a different program stream than applied for if they meet only some of the eligibility criteria.
• Specific requirements for demonstrating economic impact apply, including the involvement of independent firms for performance analysis.
• Each application must include a full financial breakdown, specifying both anticipated expenditures and revenues, and must highlight all public funding contributions.