NovaScience Program — Support for senior position

Who is eligible?

The evaluation and selection criteria for projects under this grant focus on assessing the strategic integration and innovation capacity within organizations.

• Pertinence (15 points): Alignment between the duties of the RIC position and the objectives of the NovaScience program, the project call, and governmental priorities. This includes the connection between the roles of the position, organizational needs, and strategic objectives, as well as the strategic positioning within the organizational structure.
• Quality (30 points): Involves the breadth and innovation of the mandates, their alignment with strategic innovation and commercialization goals, the required candidate skills, the appropriateness of the candidate profile for strategic mandates, and the resources available to the RIC for mandate execution.
• Economic, social, or technological impacts, and innovation indicators (25 points): Considers the contribution and quality of expected achievements during the one-year funding period, anticipated economic impacts measured by innovation and commercialization indicators, and the organization's impact and socio-economic benefits associated with the RIC position over five years.
• Guarantees of realization (30 points): Includes identifying potential risks and mitigation strategies for achieving RIC mandates, the likelihood of meeting innovation indicators, integration strategies for the new role, and ensuring the sustainability of the position post-funding.

Who is not eligible

This grant excludes certain companies and industries due to their status or main activity. The restrictions aim to ensure that funds are directed toward strategic sectors aligned with the grant's objectives.

• Organizations that have previously benefited from the same grant program.
• Companies offering business consultancy services.
• Hospitals and technology transfer centres affiliated with educational institutions.
• Recognized educational institutions and school organizations.
• Businesses listed on the Registry of enterprises ineligible for public contracts (RENA).
• Companies not complying with the French language charter (Charte de la langue française).
• State-owned enterprises or those controlled by government at any level.
• Organizations under protection from creditors' arrangement or bankruptcy acts.
• Businesses involved in arms production or distribution.
• Companies engaged in fossil fuel activities not aimed at energy transition.
• Gambling, violent games, sports involving live combat, or similar activities.
• Entities involved in sexual exploitation, such as bars or escort agencies.
• Companies dealing in tobacco or drugs, except cannabis and industrial hemp.
• Organizations conducting activities primarily focused on protected rights under the Canadian Charter (religion, politics, advocacy).

Eligible expenses

The only eligible expense for this grant is the salary cost associated with the defined position.

• The gross salary of the person holding the position.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is intended for companies that are established in a specific province of Canada. Eligible companies must be located within a jurisdiction that aligns with the funding body's requirements.

• Organizations must be established and operate in the province of Quebec, Canada.

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The grant is a non-refundable subsidy amounting up to $75,000 per project.
• The funding period is 12 months with a maximum assistance rate of 50% of eligible expenses.
• Grant beneficiaries must submit a financial report (rapport de reddition de comptes) if they receive financial assistance.
• The grant cannot be combined with other funding sources from this Ministry or the Quebec Economic Development Fund.
• Beneficiaries must comply with the French language charter if employing 50 or more people, and this requirement will change to 25 or more people starting June 1, 2025.
• Beneficiaries are responsible for ensuring the legal status of the candidate before the start of the project.
• A service is provided up to five working days before the application deadline to clarify compliance and eligibility issues.
• The personnel of the Ministry is subject to ethics and discipline regulations to maintain integrity and civic trust.