Guidance grants

Q: How much funding can be received?

Guidance grants Funds up to 30% of admissible expenses, capped at $25000 per project.

Q: What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Q: Is the Guidance grants a grant, loan, or tax credit?

Guidance grants is a Grant and Funding

Q: Who are the financial supporters of the Guidance grants?

Guidance grants is funded by Quebec City

Q: Who is eligible for the Guidance grants program?

To be eligible for the Guidance grants program, you must: • Private incorporated businesses • Located in the Québec agglomeration or Wendake • Must not have outstanding amounts owed to the City of Québec

Q: Where is the Guidance grants available?

The Guidance grants program is available the province of QC.

Q: Are startups eligible for the Guidance grants program?

Yes, startups are eligible to apply for the Guidance grants program.

Q: Are Indigenous Peoples eligible for the Guidance grants program?

Yes, Indigenous Peoples are eligible to apply for the Guidance grants program.

Last Update: August 22, 2025

Québec, QC

Funding for business growth through specialized consulting services

At a glance

Eligible Funding

Max. $25,000
Up to 30% of project cost

Timeline

Unspecified

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Expert Advice

Eligible Industries

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Utilities
Manufacturing
Information and cultural industries
Finance and insurance
Professional, scientific and technical services
Health care and social assistance
Arts, entertainment and recreation
Other services (except public administration)
Public administration

Funds Providers

Unspecified

Program status

Open

Overview

The Guidance grants program provides non-repayable funding of up to $25,000 per company per year to support business growth. Eligible activities include specialized professional consulting services and studies to address strategic business issues at various development stages.

Financing terms and conditions

Non-repayable contribution up to $25,000 per company per year, covering a maximum of 30% of eligible expenses.
For social economy enterprises: non-repayable funding up to $10,000 per year, covering up to 80% of eligible expenses (if non-profit) or 50% (if not non-profit).
Total active funding from all economic development programs of Ville de Québec is capped at $500,000 over a 2-year period, calculated at 100% of granted value.

Activities funded

Professional consulting services to address strategic challenges at various stages of business development.
Studies or analyses to optimize production processes or implement sustainable practices, such as circular economy or recycling initiatives.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 24,000

Lifecycle analysis to optimize packaging sustainability in food sector

$ 22,000

Market study for launching smart city mobility platform pilot

$ 22,500

Digital strategy review with consulting for AI integration in fintech

Eligibility

The applicant must be a private incorporated business, or a sole proprietorship or partnership majority-owned by Indigenous individuals and located in Wendake.
Social economy enterprises (non-profits and cooperatives) conducting mostly commercial activities are eligible.
The project must be carried out within the Quebec City agglomeration (including the cities of Québec, Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, L’Ancienne-Lorette) or Wendake.
The company’s head office must be located in the eligible territory.
The project must relate to eligible sectors such as agri-food, food processing, digital arts, fintech, AI, smart city, manufacturing, advanced electronics, life sciences, clean technologies, or other specified innovative fields.

Who is eligible?

Private incorporated businesses
Sole proprietorships and general partnerships majority-owned by Indigenous persons located in Wendake
Social economy enterprises (non-profit organizations and cooperatives) with a majority of commercial activities
Companies in sectors such as agri-food, digital arts and interactive entertainment, financial technologies, artificial intelligence, smart city or other digital products and technologies (excluding services and consulting), manufacturing, advanced materials, industrial transformation, robotics, industry 4.0, optics-photonics, measurement and control technologies, advanced electronics, life sciences, biotechnologies, health technologies, clean technologies (water, air, soil treatment, ecomobility, energy efficiency, renewable energy, green chemistry, residual materials, enabling technologies, sustainable development)
Commercial urban agriculture real estate owners

Who is not eligible

Social economy organizations (NPOs and co-ops) that cannot demonstrate sound democratic governance.
Foundations.
Applicants who are not discharged from bankruptcy.
Companies listed on the Register of Enterprises Ineligible for Public Contracts.
Applicants with outstanding amounts owed to the City of Québec or who failed to fulfill obligations related to previous financial aid from the City within the past two years.

Eligible expenses

Professional fees for consultants.
Specialized advisory services.
Studies related to the company's strategic development.

Eligible geographic areas

Québec City
Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures
L’Ancienne-Lorette
Wendake

How to apply

Verify eligibility requirements

Confirm that your company is eligible according to the grant's criteria
Ensure your company has no outstanding amounts with the City of Quebec
Check that your sector and project type match eligible categories

Prepare project and select consultant

Select a consultant if required by the project
Prepare your project mandate for professional services
Ensure your consultant and project mandate will meet approval requirements by the City

Complete application form and assemble documents

Download and complete the financial aid application form for guidance grants
Gather all required supporting documents as listed in the application form
Ensure no expenses are incurred before submitting the complete application

Submit the application

Submit your completed application and all required documents to the City of Quebec
Check the form for submission instructions and deadlines

Await review and decision

Wait for the City of Quebec to review your application
Be prepared to provide additional information or clarifications if requested

Additional information

The consultant selected by the applicant must be approved by the City of Québec prior to contract signing.
If a business relocates or ceases activities, reimbursement clauses may apply depending on the timing.
The availability of funding and the City’s financial evaluation will influence the final grant amount offered.
Eligibility for funding does not guarantee that financial support will be granted.

Apply to this program

Frequently Asked Questions about the Guidance grants Program

Here are answers to the most common questions about the Guidance grants. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.