Program to support research and development of products made from reused and recycled end-of-life tires

• Maximum non-repayable financial assistance of $75,000 per company for the program duration.
• Funding can cover up to 75% of eligible expenses for each project.
• Cumulative government funding (provincial and federal) must not exceed 80% of total project expenses.
• Financial support is provided in three installments: 30% upon signing the funding agreement, 30% following approval of the mid-project report, and 40% upon final project completion and approval.
• Eligible labor costs are limited to a maximum of 20% of the total project budget.

• The applicant must be legally constituted and have a place of business in Quebec.
• The applicant must be one of the following: an owner or operator of a conditioning or processing centre for end-of-life tires in Quebec; an organization wishing to establish such a facility in Quebec; a company seeking to adapt its processes to integrate end-of-life tire components; or a manufacturer of new tires.
• The applicant must not be a municipality, government department or agency, equipment supplier, research centre, public or private laboratory, university or affiliated researcher, college, educational institution, association, or consulting firm.
• The applicant must not be under bankruptcy protection or have defaulted on prior financial aid agreements with RECYC-QUÉBEC within the past two years.
• The project must be carried out in Quebec and target end-of-life tires or bicycle tires and tubes generated in Quebec for reuse or recycling purposes.

Who is eligible?

• Owners or operators of end-of-life tire conditioning or processing centers located in Quebec
• Organizations seeking to establish a conditioning or processing facility in Quebec
• Quebec-based companies aiming to adapt their processes for integrating components of end-of-life tires
• Manufacturers of new tires

Who is not eligible

• Equipment suppliers.
• Research centers, public or private laboratories, universities, affiliated researchers, CEGEPs and other educational institutions, as well as associations.
• Consulting firms.
• Municipalities, ministries and government bodies (though they may act as project partners).

Eligible expenses

• Salaries of personnel directly involved in the project (up to 20% of the total project budget, excluding fringe benefits).
• Purchase or rental of specialized research or testing equipment (including used equipment; replacement parts for maintenance not included).
• Acquisition of licenses for methods or techniques protected by usage rights.
• Fees for specialized subcontractors directly involved in the project (such as researchers, technicians, industrial designers, development engineers, marketing consultants).
• Costs for ecodesign studies and life cycle analysis.
• Expenses for market studies, technical and/or economic feasibility studies.
• Development of commercialization plans, product certification or homologation processes.
• Other expenses deemed relevant by RECYC-QUÉBEC for the implementation of the project.

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec

• Relevance of the project to the program's objectives and its innovative character.
• Clarity and achievability of the project’s objectives.
• Expertise and qualifications of the applicant organization and project team in relation to the proposed project.
• Quality of the project proposal, including schedule, maturity, and analysis of client needs.
• Financial viability of the applicant and the project, and potential for the project’s sustainability.

• Projects must be completed within 18 months following the signing of the financial assistance agreement, unless an extension is granted by RECYC-QUÉBEC.
• All application documents must be submitted in French, in accordance with RECYC-QUÉBEC's language policy.
• Applicants receiving funding must obtain, at minimum, the "Implementation" level of the ICI on recycle + certification within six months after the agreement is signed.
• An applicant may submit more than one distinct project, but the maximum funding available per applicant is capped for the entire program duration.