Financial support for northern initiatives

• Applicants must contribute at least 10% of eligible project costs.
• Maximum financial assistance is $500,000 for social development infrastructure projects.
• Maximum financial assistance is $100,000 for all other types of projects.
• Public support cannot exceed 50% of eligible costs for private sector projects, and 90% for public sector projects.
• Funding is provided as a non-repayable grant, considered alongside all other government assistance received.

• The applicant must be a legally constituted organization in Quebec or Canada, such as a non-profit, cooperative, mutual, municipality, municipal or regional organization, teaching institution, or legally established business (businesses are only eligible for social development infrastructure projects).
• The project must be carried out in, or benefit, communities or businesses located in Quebec's northern territory.
• A complementary search for additional funding must have been conducted with at least one local, regional, provincial, or federal government structure or program for which the project is eligible.
• The project must fall under eligible categories such as population services, environmental conservation, socioeconomic diversification, research support, knowledge acquisition, education and workforce training, events (colloquia, conferences, etc.), or social development infrastructure.

Who is eligible?

• Non-profit organizations and incorporated entities
• Cooperatives with activities similar to non-profit organizations
• Mutual organizations with activities similar to non-profits
• Band councils and Indigenous communities
• Corporations of northern villages, northern villages, and Inuit landholding corporations
• Municipalities, regional county municipalities (MRC), and municipal organizations
• Regional Administrations (Baie-James, Kativik), Cree Nation Government, and Eeyou Istchee Baie-James Regional Government
• Recognized educational institutions (for research and knowledge dissemination projects only)
• Legally incorporated businesses in Quebec or Canada (for social development infrastructure projects only)

Who is not eligible

• Companies whose projects are not carried out in the northern territory of Quebec or do not benefit communities or businesses established there.
• Enterprises not legally constituted in Quebec or Canada.
• Private companies, except for those proposing projects related to social development infrastructure that address essential community or employee needs and support corporate social responsibility.

Eligible expenses

• Operating costs for project implementation, such as salaries, wages, and temporary rental fees.
• Acquisition or rental of necessary equipment and materials for the project.
• Costs for preparing project plans and conducting studies.
• Professional fees related to the project.
• Administrative expenses directly associated with the project.
• Travel and accommodation expenses required for project delivery.
• Capital expenditures directly linked to project realization.
• Expenses related to organizing events associated with the project.

Eligible geographic areas

• Projects carried out in the Northern Quebec territory.
• Communities or businesses established in the Northern Quebec territory.

• Demonstrated search for supplementary funding from at least one local or regional government structure and from a relevant provincial or federal ministry or agency.
• Minimum contribution from the applicant or the community of 10% of the eligible project costs.
• Compliance with the maximum rate for the cumulative public assistance based on the project's private (50%) or public (90%) nature.
• Submission of a complete file including the required documents (financial report, board resolution, letters of commitment, etc.).

• An agreement specifying the terms of financial support and reporting requirements will be signed with the Société du Plan Nord for approved projects.
• Each funding payment requires submission of a detailed activity and financial report, including supporting documentation for eligible expenditures.
• Reports should detail the sustainable development impacts and, if applicable, the number of jobs created.
• The most recent update to the program information was on July 3, 2025.