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).

• Relevance of the project in relation to the company’s business model.
• The company’s capacity to carry out the project, considering its financial and human resources.
• Need for financial assistance to enable the company to carry out the project.
• Potential benefits in Québec in terms of jobs and investments.
• Compliance with government export priorities, where applicable (and the project’s eco-responsibility, where applicable).

• Step 1: Check intake period (calendar)
  • Verify that the PSCE – Component 2 intake period is open for your target territory (per the program calendar).
  • Note that the program indicates it may suspend intake and analysis without notice to ensure budget availability.
• Step 2: Complete prequalification (eligibility pre-check)
  • Fill out the prequalification form (available when the intake period opens).
  • Use the prequalification result to confirm preliminary eligibility of your business and project (it is not an authorization of funding).
  • Review the client kit before proceeding.
• Step 3: Prepare the application package (follow the official guide)
  • Consult the “Guide de présentation des demandes – Component 2” and the client kit to structure your request.
  • Prepare the required project information and budget based on the program’s eligible activities and eligible expenses.
• Step 4: Submit the application to Investissement Québec (program administrator)
  • Submit your financial assistance request to Investissement Québec during the open intake period (as Investissement Québec administers the program on behalf of the Québec government and is responsible for receiving and processing applications).
  • If you have questions about submitting your request, contact Investissement Québec’s Reception and Information Service at 1 844 474-6367.

• 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 program is administered by Investissement Québec on behalf of the Government of Québec.
• Only one financial assistance award may be granted per company per fiscal year across all PSCE components.
• Project expenses must be supported by the required documents; incomplete requests may be refused.
• The program reserves the right to limit the number of requests selected to stay within the available budget.