Innovation Program — Stream 1 – Support for mobilising projects

• Project description document with all required sections
• Partner financial statements and recent interim statements, if applicable
• Two-year financial forecasts and cash-flow projections
• Gantt chart with stage-based budgets
• Support letters, partner CVs, and project history for the last five years

Who is eligible?

• Private for-profit companies
• Quebec-based companies
• Canadian-incorporated companies with an active establishment in Quebec
• Joint ventures or business groups led by an OBNL

Who is not eligible

• Government-controlled companies and state-owned enterprises
• Companies under bankruptcy or creditor protection
• Holding companies
• Businesses in arms, fossil fuels, gambling, sexual exploitation, tobacco, or drugs-related activities
• Companies on the non-compliant francization or public contracts exclusion lists

Eligible expenses

• Project labour and project management labour
• External consulting, specialized services, and subcontracting
• Equipment, materials, and raw materials
• Travel, transport, and equipment rental
• Testing, certification, communication, and IP protection costs

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Costs incurred before a complete eligible application is filed
• Services or subcontracting performed by a project partner
• Debt service, capital repayments, and operating expenses
• Land, building, and other capital acquisition costs
• Sales taxes in Quebec and related-party transaction fees

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec

• Innovation and commercial potential: 30%
• Economic benefits in Quebec: 30%
• Partner quality and partnership strength: 15%
• Mobilizing character of the project: 10%
• Environmental, social, and governance qualities: 15%

• Step 1: Review the call for projects and program guide
  • Read the complete application guide
  • Check that the call for projects is currently open
• Step 2: Prepare the application file
  • Complete the project description and required annexes
  • Prepare partner financial documents and the financial forecast
  • Obtain the project support letters and other required attachments
• Step 3: Complete and sign the form
  • Fill in the application form for the relevant stream
  • Sign the completed form
• Step 4: Submit by email
  • Send the full application electronically to the address indicated in the guide
  • Submit before the stated deadline
• Step 5: Await confirmation
  • Receive the electronic acknowledgement of receipt

• Applications are first checked for administrative eligibility
• Eligible files are assessed by a selection committee
• The Ministry announces the decision after committee approval
• If selected, IQ signs an offer letter with the OBNL and the agreement sets the funding terms
• Payments are made semi-annually, with a final amount retained until the project is completed and approved

• The program is only open when a specific call for projects is active.
• An OBNL must be created to manage the project and account for it.
• The application must be submitted in French.