PSCE – Component 2

• Compliant service offer for professional fees, when applicable.
• CV and job description for the new full-time commercial representative, when applicable.
• Supporting documents for eligible expenses, including proof required by the program.

Who is eligible?

• For-profit businesses
• Non-financial cooperatives
• Social economy enterprises (cooperatives and non-profits/OBNL) as defined under Québec’s Social Economy Act
• All industries are eligible except the excluded sectors listed by the program (e.g., agriculture/forestry/fishing/hunting; mining/oil & gas; utilities; construction; retail trade with limited exception; broadcasting; telecommunications; finance & insurance; real estate/rental & leasing; management of companies; administrative/support services; educational services; health care & social assistance; arts/entertainment/recreation; accommodation & food services; other services excluding public administration; public administration)

Who is not eligible

• Businesses in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector.
• Businesses in mining and quarrying, oil and gas extraction.
• Businesses in public utilities.
• Businesses in finance and insurance, or in real estate and rental/leasing services.
• Businesses in sectors such as construction, retail trade (unless the specific retail exceptions are met), telecommunications/radio broadcasting, education, health and social assistance, arts/entertainment/recreation, accommodation and food services, other services (except public administration), or public administration.

Eligible expenses

• Professional fees (up to $25,000 in eligible expenses per project; excludes the external expert’s travel and accommodation costs).
• Short-term rental of exhibition space, an office, or other premises outside Québec for exhibitions or prospecting activities.
• Purchase of market studies or access to databases.
• Testing and analysis fees required to obtain an approval, compliance, or certification that facilitates exporting (including environmental certification).
• Shipping/transport costs for goods, samples, and promotional materials needed for an out-of-Québec trade event.
• Salary (up to 52 weeks, excluding bonuses and benefits) for hiring a new full-time export sales representative for a new position outside Québec (one hire per company for the program’s duration).
• Advertising and digital marketing costs (social media publications, newsletters, and search engine marketing such as Google Ads), up to $10,000 in eligible expenses per project.
• Registration fees or passes for out-of-Québec trade events (in-person or virtual).
• Fees to access a business matchmaking platform.
• Purchase of standards documents.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Travel and accommodation costs for the external expert.
• Bonuses and benefits included in the salary of the new commercial representative.
• Activities of mission, travel and accommodation expenses.

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec (company must be registered in Quebec and have an establishment there).

• Investissement Québec is responsible for processing the application (eligibility, analysis, and decision), as an agent of the Government of Québec.
• The application is rigorously analyzed according to the program’s selection criteria.
• A decision is rendered by Investissement Québec; prequalification (where applicable) does not constitute authorization for financial assistance.
• The Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie (MEIE) and Investissement Québec may, without prior notice, suspend the submission and analysis of applications in order to ensure the availability of the budget envelope.

• The intake for Component 2 is planned to open from January 15 to 29, 2026 for projects targeting Canada, and future intakes are scheduled by target territory (with dates to be confirmed for several periods).
• The program may be suspended without notice by the MEIE and Investissement Québec to ensure budget availability.
• Investissement Québec administers the program as the Québec government’s mandatary, and it is responsible for processing applications (eligibility review, analysis, and decision).
• Significant changes have been made to the PSCE; applicants are advised to review the updated program sections carefully.