MRC Haut-Richelieu — Local investment and solidarity funds (FLI and FLS)
Last Update: July 22, 2025
QC, Canada
Investment support for businesses in MRC Haut-Richelieu
MRC Haut-Richelieu — Local investment and solidarity funds (FLI and FLS) at a glance
Eligible Funding
- Max. $150,000
Timeline
- Unspecified
Financing Type
Loans and Capital investments
Eligible Industries
- Manufacturing
Grant Providers
- MRC du Haut-Richelieu
Program status
Open
Overview of the MRC Haut-Richelieu — Local investment and solidarity funds (FLI and FLS) program
The MRC Haut-Richelieu's Local Investment Fund (FLI) and Local Solidarity Fund (FLS) offer financial support of up to $150,000 to eligible businesses for projects such as startup, expansion, business acquisition, equipment purchase, and innovation. These funds aim to foster economic development and job creation within the region by financing viable business initiatives across prioritized sectors.
Financing terms and conditions
- Maximum investment from the Local Solidarity Fund (FLS) is $100,000 per company or group.
- Maximum investment from the Local Investment Fund (FLI) is $150,000 per beneficiary within twelve months.
- Combined public aid from the Quebec and Canada governments and the MRC may not exceed 50% of eligible project expenses, except for social economy projects where aid may reach up to 80%.
- For start-up projects, promoters must contribute at least 15%–20% of the total project cost as their own investment.
Eligible projects & activities
- Business start-up projects.
- Business transfer or acquisition initiatives.
- Expansion of existing businesses, including the commercialization of new products or services and support for growth or innovation.
- Purchase or renewal of business equipment.
- Short-term financing for contracts while awaiting confirmed revenues (bridge loans).
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 36,000
Development of an inclusive coworking space
$ 60,000
Implementation of renewable energy systems for schools
$ 16,000
Creation of a digital literacy program for seniors
$ 25,000
Launch of a community-based urban garden initiative
$ 40,000
Development of eco-friendly packaging solutions
$ 32,000
Creation of a sustainable fashion line
Eligibility criteria of the MRC Haut-Richelieu — Local investment and solidarity funds (FLI and FLS) program
- The company must be legally incorporated and have its head office in Quebec, operating within the territory of the MRC du Haut-Richelieu.
- The business must be registered in the Quebec Enterprise Register (REQ).
- All legal business forms are admissible, including for-profit and qualifying non-profit organizations (specifically, social economy enterprises as defined in the policy).
- The project must support activities such as business start-up, expansion, acquisition, equipment renewal or purchase, business succession, or contract financing (for commercialized businesses only).
- Projects must align with the economic development priorities of the MRC, such as supporting manufacturing enterprises, entities involved in civil and public safety value chains, or those contributing to the vitality of the Haut-Richelieu territory.
Who is eligible?
- Legally constituted businesses operating within the territory of the MRC du Haut-Richelieu with head offices in Quebec
- Social economy enterprises (certain non-profit organizations) that meet specific conditions
- Manufacturing companies
- Companies contributing to the civil and public safety value chain
- Businesses contributing to the vitality of the Haut-Richelieu territory, regardless of sector
Who is not eligible
- Organizations or projects of a sexual, religious, or political nature, or those with controversial activities (e.g., dating agencies, war games, armament, tarot, astrology, personal growth courses, pawn shops).
- Businesses with more than 10% of gross sales derived from the production or sale of armaments.
- Businesses in the tobacco or cannabis industries.
- Companies with irresponsible environmental practices according to applicable legislation.
- Enterprises with a history of non-compliance with labor standards or human rights legislation.
- Organizations operating only in subcontracting or privatization of operations that simply transfer economic activities and jobs from one organization to another.
- Non-profit organizations, unless they are recognized as social economy enterprises meeting specific criteria.
- Projects in the pre-startup phase (only firms at the commercialization stage are eligible).
- Projects exclusively related to housing (except for certain equipment or infrastructure projects aimed at improving residents' quality of life).
- Organizations managed by or under the authority of the Quebec government, or managing programs on its behalf (e.g., CPEs, home support services, perinatal centers, educational services, housing organizations, Carrefours Jeunesse Emploi).
- Enterprises with negative equity after the project financing.
Eligible expenses
- Capital expenses such as land, buildings, equipment, machinery, and rolling stock (excluding goodwill).
- Acquisition of technologies, software, or software packages, and patents (excluding research and development activities).
- Working capital requirements strictly related to operations, calculated for the first year of operation or the first year following a project expansion.
- For business succession projects: acquisition expenses of ownership titles (voting shares or equity stakes) and assets of the targeted company, as well as professional service fees directly related to the acquisition transaction.
Eligible geographic areas
- Enterprises operating within the territory of the MRC du Haut-Richelieu
- Head office must be located in Quebec
Eligibility criteria of the MRC Haut-Richelieu — Local investment and solidarity funds (FLI and FLS) program
- Economic viability and long-term profitability of the business.
- Demonstrated economic benefits in terms of job creation and maintenance.
- Knowledge and relevant experience of the project promoters and management team.
- Engagement and openness towards employees and workplace relations.
- Financial participation from other partners or financial institutions.
How to apply to the MRC Haut-Richelieu — Local investment and solidarity funds (FLI and FLS) program
1
Prepare the necessary documents
- Organize comprehensive documentation on the company, including its current business plan demonstrating profitability and potential for future development.
- Gather any relevant information on the experience and knowledge of the project's promoters.
- Establish detailed financial needs, including the working capital required for the proposed project.
2
Contact NexDev for technical support.
- Contact NexDev, the manager of the "Local Funds," to benefit from their technical assistance and advice.
- Discuss potential funding requirements and obtain specific recommendations for your project.
3
Submission of the application
- Fill out the application form provided by the "Local Funds".
- Attach all required documents to the application, as specified by the "Local Funds" investment policy.
- Submit the application to the Haut-Richelieu RCM (Regional County Municipality) or to the delegated organization responsible for its management.
4
Follow-up on the request
- Wait for confirmation of receipt of the request by the organization.
- Stay in contact with the organization for any request for additional information or clarification.
Additional information
- Applications are subject to a non-refundable file opening fee of $300 per application, payable by the applicant or enterprise.
- Annual monitoring fees of $100 or 3% of the initial loan amount are applied during the entire loan period.
- Enterprises may benefit from a repayment moratorium for the loan principal, with interests payable monthly, under specific conditions.
- The policy came into effect on March 31, 2023, replacing all previously adopted policies.
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