Program to support the fight against climate change in the bio-food sector – Component B

• Financial aid in the form of a non-repayable grant covering up to 50% of eligible expenses for private organizations, and up to 70% (or 80% for projects in Îles-de-la-Madeleine) for other eligible applicants.
• Minimum eligible project expenses: $57,142; minimum financial aid: $40,000 per project.
• Maximum financial aid per project: $300,000 (or $330,000 for universities); maximum per applicant for the life of the program: $900,000.
• Applicant and partners must provide at least 20% of eligible expenses (10% for Îles-de-la-Madeleine), with a minimum 10% in cash.
• Financial aid is paid in at least two installments: up to 70% after the funding agreement is signed, with the remainder disbursed upon acceptance of deliverables and supporting documentation.

• The applicant must reside or conduct activities in Quebec.
• The applicant must have a mandate for research and development of knowledge.
• The applicant must be one of the following: a legally constituted and recognized organization of producers (with necessary specialized resources), a private organization with a research mandate, or a non-profit organization with a mandate in research, development, or knowledge transfer in the bio-food sector.
• The project must focus on research and knowledge development aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions or on developing decision-support tools for climate change mitigation in the bio-food sector.

Who is eligible?

• Legally constituted and recognized producer organizations in Quebec with a research and development mandate
• Private organizations in Quebec with a research mandate
• Non-profit organizations in Quebec with a research, development, or knowledge transfer mandate in the bio-food sector

Who is not eligible

• Companies listed on the Register of Enterprises Ineligible for Public Contracts (RENA).
• Organizations that have failed to meet obligations for a previous grant awarded by the Ministry within the last two years.
• Businesses that are insolvent, bankrupt, in receivership, or under creditor protection.
• Government departments, budget-funded bodies, Crown corporations, companies directly or indirectly controlled by a government (provincial or federal), municipal entities, and companies majority-owned by a Crown corporation.
• Financial cooperatives or banking institutions.
• Private or non-profit organizations without a mandate for research, development, or knowledge transfer in the bio-food sector.
• Applicants unable to comply with employment equity and French language charter requirements, or those with revoked or suspended certification under these programs.
• Companies or projects linked to the recreational cannabis sector or products not authorized by Health Canada.

Eligible expenses

• Fees for external professional and technical expertise required for the project.
• Remuneration of the applicant’s staff involved directly in the project.
• Access fees for scientific databases and publications.
• Travel and accommodation expenses related to project activities, according to government policies.
• Rental costs for land, buildings, machinery, or equipment essential to the project.
• Purchase of new materials, tools, inputs, or services specifically for the project.
• Registration fees for demonstration activities and participation in scientific conferences or meetings in Quebec, aimed at presenting and transferring project results.
• Communication, advertising, and information dissemination costs related to the project.
• Administrative costs (for eligible applicants other than universities) up to 15% of the sum of the above-listed eligible expenses.
• Indirect research costs for universities, up to 27% of the total financial assistance granted (excluding the above administrative fees).

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec

• Relevance of the project to the objectives of the Program.
• Quality of the approach or methodology proposed.
• Suitability of the experience and expertise of the project team to ensure success.
• Extent of expected outcomes and anticipated benefits (such as mobilization of the bio-food sector, provincial outreach, and potential reduction of greenhouse gas emissions).
• Relevance, feasibility, and realism of project costs.
• Quality of the plan for knowledge transfer and dissemination of results.

• Applicants may appeal an evaluation decision within 20 working days of notification.
• Recipients must retain all project-related documents for five years following project completion.
• Regular reporting and documentation may be requested by the Ministry at any time during and up to five years after the project.
• Participating organizations may be required to respond to surveys or interviews for program evaluation purposes.