How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $50000 per project.

What is the deadline to apply?

The program is accepting continuous intake

Who are the financial supporters of the MAPAQ — Ministerial initiative Proximity — Component 2?

MAPAQ — Ministerial initiative Proximity — Component 2 is funded by Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ)

What are MAPAQ — Ministerial initiative Proximity — Component 2's eligibility criterias?

The applicant must have an operational establishment located in Quebec. The applicant must be an agricultural operation or a food processing company with an annual revenue between $30,000 and $1,000,000. New businesses must demonstrate they will achieve an annual revenue of at least $30,000 within 36 months of application submission.

MAPAQ — Ministerial initiative Proximity — Component 2

Last Update: June 16, 2025

QC, Canada

Supports local market initiatives and agrotourism in Quebec

MAPAQ — Ministerial initiative Proximity — Component 2 at a glance

Eligible Funding

From $5,000 to $50,000
Up to 50% of project cost

Timeline

Closing date : October 31, 2024

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Manufacturing

Grant Providers

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ)

Status

Closed

Overview of the MAPAQ — Ministerial initiative Proximity — Component 2 program

The Proximité 2024-2026 initiative aims to support the development and consolidation of local marketing and agritourism initiatives through the implementation of a commercialization plan. Eligible applicants include active agricultural operations and food processing companies in Quebec, with projects needing to present at least $5,000 in admissible expenses and focusing on relational or geographical proximity marketing or agritourism.

Financing terms and conditions

For Component 1: The maximum financial aid is 70% of eligible expenses per project, with a total applicant ceiling (including any bonus) of $50,000 for the initiative.
For Component 2: The maximum financial aid is 50% of eligible expenses per project, with a total applicant ceiling (including any bonus) of $50,000 for the initiative.
An additional financial aid increase of 15% is possible for projects conducted in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine or focused exclusively on products with precertification or organic certification (for both components), or for new-generation agricultural enterprises (Component 2).

Eligible projects & activities

Planning, developing, or consolidating collective initiatives in local food marketing and agritourism.
Conducting planning exercises, diagnostics, or studies.
Organizing support, development, or knowledge-transfer activities.
Facilitating business networking or partnership activities.
Designing marketing materials and tools.
Constructing, adapting, or outfitting a point-of-sale location.
Implementing a commercialization plan for local food marketing or agritourism initiatives.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 20,000

Developing a local farm-to-table marketing initiative

$ 35,000

Launching an artisanal cheese agrotourism experience

$ 25,000

Improving local cider production through promotional events

$ 50,000

Creating a digital platform for local farm produce

Eligibility criteria of the MAPAQ — Ministerial initiative Proximity — Component 2 program

For collective initiatives (Component 1): Applicants must be non-profit organizations, cooperatives, business groups, municipal entities, Indigenous communities or nations, or public institutions committed to Quebec food purchasing targets aligned with the initiative's objectives.
Projects must be collective in nature and present eligible expenses of at least $7,000.
Projects must involve local or geographic proximity marketing or agrotourism and fall within one of the following activities: planning, diagnostics, studies, support or knowledge transfer activities, business networking, marketing tool development, or construction/adaptation of a sales location.
For individual initiatives (Component 2): Applicants must be agricultural operations with an annual turnover between $30,000 and $1,000,000, or less than $30,000 if they can demonstrate a projected turnover of at least $30,000 within 36 months; or food processing companies with the same turnover requirements, using primarily Quebec-origin raw materials without outsourcing processing; or new businesses able to demonstrate a projected turnover of at least $30,000 within 36 months.
Individual projects must present eligible expenses of at least $5,000 and be related to implementing a marketing plan focused on local or proximity marketing and agrotourism.

Who is eligible?

Non-profit organizations (OBNL)
Cooperatives
Business groups
Municipal entities
Indigenous communities or nations
Public institutions committed to setting a target for purchasing Quebec food
Agricultural enterprises with an annual revenue over $30,000 and under $1,000,000, or those with revenue under $30,000 that foresee reaching at least $30,000 within 36 months
Food processing businesses meeting specific revenue and operational criteria, using primarily Quebec-origin raw materials, with no subcontracting in food processing
Newly established enterprises projecting to attain a minimum of $30,000 in revenue 36 months post-application

Eligible expenses

Costs related to planning, diagnostics, or studies.
Expenses for organizing support, development, or knowledge transfer activities.
Business prospecting or networking costs.
Design and production of marketing materials and tools.
Construction, adaptation, or layout of sales venues.

How to apply to the MAPAQ — Ministerial initiative Proximity — Component 2 program

Eligibility Check

Confirm that you are in one of the categories of eligible applicants.
Ensure that your project aligns with the types of eligible projects.

Preparation of the request

Draft a marketing plan that meets the requirements of the ministry.
Calculate the eligible expenses that must be equal to or greater than $5,000.
Gather all necessary documents and information to support your application.

Submission of the request

Download the application form from the Ministry's website: www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca/proximite.
Complete the full financial assistance application form.
Submit the application online on the ministry's official website.

Acknowledgment of receipt

Receive an acknowledgment of receipt of your submission from the ministry.
Keep a copy of this acknowledgment for your internal records.

Additional information

The application period for this program ended on October 31, 2024; no new applications will be accepted.
The information provided reflects the status of the program as of the last update on February 6, 2025.
A complete guide for preparing a commercialization plan is available for reference.
Previous financial assistance received in earlier editions of the initiative does not affect current application limits.