MRC Caniapiscau — FDE

The eligibility criteria for this grant focus on the legal status, location, and economic impact of the business.

• The business must be legally constituted and obtain a certificate of compliance from the city.
• It must be located in the territory of the MRC de Caniapiscau, contributing to local economic activity, investment, and job creation.
• The business is required to create or maintain jobs within the MRC territory.
• It should demonstrate potential for profitability and development based on criteria such as market presence, organizational structure, capitalization, and debt levels.
• The business must provide evidence, through competition analysis, that there is available market share in the targeted sector.
• The promoter must invest a minimum of 20% of the project's total cost as equity.
• The business must have support from other funding sources unless an exception is warranted.

Who is eligible?

This grant targets businesses and industries that participate in the development of local communities through structuring and sustainable projects. Eligible companies must align with the intervention priorities defined by the fund's management framework.

• Entrepreneurs wishing to develop local businesses.
• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in community projects.
• Industries seeking to innovate in key sectors defined by the business support policy.
• Organizations participating in collective investments (FLI/FLS).
• Companies that respect the code of ethics and professional conduct of the CIC of the MRC of Caniapiscau.

Who is not eligible

This grant excludes certain companies and industries due to their status or main activity. These restrictions ensure that funding is allocated to entities that align with the economic and social goals of the MRC de Caniapiscau.

• Private companies in the financial sector.
• Financial cooperatives.
• Businesses listed in the Register of Enterprises Ineligible for Public Contracts.
• Companies that have failed to fulfill obligations tied to previous financial aid from a ministry or funding body in the two years prior to applying.
• Traditional tertiary sector businesses, except in exceptional cases such as areas with limited service availability or those involved in targeted municipal commercial revitalization strategies.

Eligible expenses

The grant covers specific expenses related to capital investments, acquisition of technology, working capital needs, and professional fees essential for the project.

• Capital expenses such as land, buildings, equipment, machinery, rolling stock, and incorporation fees, excluding customer base expenses.
• Acquisition of technology, including know-how, licenses or manufacturing agreements, patents, software, or software packages.
• Working capital needs strictly related to business operations calculated for the first operational year.
• Professional fees and expertise expenses by a recognized firm for asset evaluation.
• Expenses related to the acquisition of proprietary titles of the target enterprise (voting shares) and related professional service fees.
• Professional fees associated with mentoring and bookkeeping as part of the sponsorship program.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is dedicated to businesses operating within the MRC de Caniapiscau area. Eligible companies must be situated in the MRC de Caniapiscau region to access this funding.

• MRC de Caniapiscau

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• Financial support provided is non-refundable and is intended as equity in the project.
• Financial aid from governments of Quebec and Canada, including other funds from the local authority, cannot exceed 50% of eligible expenses for private enterprises and 80% for social economy enterprises.
• Funds cannot be used for operational expenses, debt servicing, or for financing projects already completed.
• There is a possibility for extraordinary financial assistance for projects considered crucial to the community, subject to fund availability and MRC council resolution.
• Promoters must participate in follow-up activities with the MRC, maintaining business activity in the region for two years post-grant, or risk repayment according to specified terms.
• Requests can include retroactive costs from the date of file opening, but assume risk if not accepted.
• The client's file remains open for up to sixty days after submission.
• Priority is given to projects that diversify the local economy and avoid unnecessary competition.