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MTRIC — Critical and Strategic Minerals
Collaborative minerals innovation support in Quebec
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Funding available
$ 500,000
Location
Quebec, Canada
Who can apply
Regular CRITM-member CCTTs constituted as OBNLs or integrated into a college.
See full eligibility
Overview
CRITM’s Critical and Strategic Minerals program supports Quebec companies and research organizations working on collaborative R&D projects in extraction, transformation, and recycling, with funding up to $500,000 per project. It targets innovative products, processes, proof of concept, validation, commercialization planning, and real-world demonstration.
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At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Develop a new product or service
- Increase operational productivity
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Quebec
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Research
Target groups
- All the groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Provincial
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 2
Activities funded
- R&D projects linked directly to the extraction, transformation, or recycling of critical and strategic minerals.
- Development of a new product or process, or significant improvement of an existing product or process.
- Proof of concept, design, engineering, prototyping, testing, validation, and controlled demonstration.
- Commercialization planning and planning for certification or homologation.
- Real-world operation or use demonstrations and technology showcases.
Documents Needed
- Letter of intent, maximum 6 pages.
- Formulaire_MCS03_CRITM.
- Budget_MCS03_CRITM.
- Appui_Entreprise_MCS03_CRITM and Appui_Organisme_MCS03_CRITM.
- CVs, letters of support, and financial statements dated less than 6 months old or, failing that, the last completed fiscal year financial report.
Sources and recorded changes
- Record updated
A captured source change or record update does not confirm eligibility. Check the funder’s current rules before applying.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Regular CRITM-member CCTTs constituted as OBNLs or integrated into a college.
- Regular CRITM-member Quebec OBNLs active in research and innovation.
- Groupings of more than one CCTT or more than one OBNL, or a CCTT or OBNL in collaboration with a university.
- Enterprises or groups of enterprises legally constituted under Quebec or Canadian laws with an establishment in operation in Quebec for production of goods and services or R&D.
Who is not eligible
- Government of Quebec organizations, federal public organizations, SOCADCs, state corporations, and entities controlled directly or indirectly by a government or municipal entity.
- Organizations or subcontractors registered in the RENA.
- Applicants or subcontractors that failed to meet obligations after formal notice linked to a previous government subvention.
- Applicants or subcontractors that do not meet the high integrity standards expected of public-funds recipients.
- Applicants or subcontractors that are insolvent, bankrupt, have filed a proposal, or benefit from bankruptcy or insolvency laws.
Eligible expenses
- Salaries, treatments or social benefits; student scholarships; materials and supplies.
- Equipment purchase or rental; for Volet 1, equipment purchases are eligible up to 25% of eligible expenses and each equipment must be $25,000 or less before tax.
- External service fees, subcontracting fees, travel and stay, knowledge dissemination fees, platform fees, and intellectual property management fees.
- Indirect research costs for CCTT at 27% of MRNF-supported direct project costs.
- For Volet 2, specialized service fees; enterprise salaries, treatments or social benefits, with benefits limited to 20%; direct materials and inventory; direct equipment costs; equipment rental; and participation in exhibitions and trade shows.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Salaries of university teachers assigned to the project.
- Loan repayments, capital losses, capital replacement, and capital payments.
- Operating costs for routine activities unrelated to the project, recurring fees such as annual subscriptions and software updates, and, for Volet 2, intellectual property maintenance costs.
- Land acquisition or development; building acquisition, construction, expansion, or code upgrades; transactions between related companies or partners.
- The refundable portion of TVQ and GST/HST; costs for preparing a commercialization plan or a technology showcase.
Selection criteria
- Applications are assessed by an independent expert selection committee.
- Relevance counts for 30%, project quality for 40%, and project impacts for 30%.
- Relevance considers alignment with program objectives, end-user needs, expertise in extraction, transformation and recycling of MCS, partner complementarity, and in-kind or cash contributions.
- Projects focused on MCS useful to the energy transition are prioritized and receive an advantage in relevance scoring.
- Projects must achieve at least 70% to be eligible for funding, subject to available funds.
How to apply
- Submit a letter of intent by 11 September 2026, maximum 6 pages.
- If the project is selected, complete the funding application using the prescribed forms and respect the call deadlines.
- Partners must complete an engagement form including mission, company size, cash and in-kind contributions, and expected project benefits.
Processing and Agreement
- Admissible project presentations are reviewed by an independent expert selection committee.
- The CRITM board of directors may adopt projects based on the committee's recommendations.
- Projects that meet the 70% passing mark may be eligible for funding, subject to available funds.
- The CRITM does not claim IP rights, but a partner agreement covering IP and research results is required.
- Applicants grant a free licence allowing MRNF or CRITM to communicate certain accountability-report information to the public, excluding applications, technical reports, and process, know-how, or trade secrets.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the MTRIC — Critical and Strategic Minerals Program
What is the MTRIC — Critical and Strategic Minerals?
CRITM’s Critical and Strategic Minerals program supports Quebec companies and research organizations working on collaborative R&D projects in extraction, transformation, and recycling, with funding up to $500,000 per project. It targets innovative products, processes, proof of concept, validation, commercialization planning, and real-world demonstration.
How much funding can be received?
MTRIC — Critical and Strategic Minerals Funds up to 70% of admissible expenses, capped at $500,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the MTRIC — Critical and Strategic Minerals program?
To be eligible for the MTRIC — Critical and Strategic Minerals program, you must:
Must be a regular CRITM member active in a metal transformation sector related to critical and strategic minerals.
Volet 1 applicants must be a CCTT, a Quebec OBNL active in research and innovation, or a group with a university.
Volet 2 applicants must be an enterprise or group of enterprises legally constituted in Quebec or Canada with an establishment operating in Quebec for goods and services production or R&D.
What expenses are eligible under MTRIC — Critical and Strategic Minerals?
Salaries, treatments or social benefits; student scholarships; materials and supplies.
Equipment purchase or rental; for Volet 1, equipment purchases are eligible up to 25% of eligible expenses and each equipment must be $25,000 or less before tax.
External service fees, subcontracting fees, travel and stay, knowledge dissemination fees, platform fees, and intellectual property management fees.
Indirect research costs for CCTT at 27% of MRNF-supported direct project costs.
For Volet 2, specialized service fees; enterprise salaries, treatments or social benefits, with benefits limited to 20%; direct materials and inventory; direct equipment costs; equipment rental; and participation in exhibitions and trade shows.
Who can I contact for more information about the MTRIC — Critical and Strategic Minerals?
You can contact Metal Transformation Research and Innovation Consortium (MTRIC) by email at jfstcyr@critm.ca or by phone at 418 446-7187.
Where is the MTRIC — Critical and Strategic Minerals available?
The MTRIC — Critical and Strategic Minerals program is available the province of Quebec.
Is the MTRIC — Critical and Strategic Minerals a grant, loan, or tax credit?
MTRIC — Critical and Strategic Minerals is a Grant and Funding