Quebec Fisheries Fund

• A completed application for financial assistance form
• The appropriate project proposal for the selected stream
• All supporting documents, including relevant supplier quotes
• Historical and current financial statements
• Relevant operating permits and licences, if necessary

Who is eligible?

• Commercial enterprises, such as fishers, aquaculturists, and seafood processors
• Industry associations and other non-profit organizations
• Research and innovation institutions
• Academics and post-secondary educational institutions
• Indigenous groups or organizations that are not commercial enterprises

Eligible expenses

• Salaries, employee benefits, and other labour costs, including mandatory employer benefits
• Professional, technical, and other contractual services, plus training, conferences, and meetings
• Construction costs and related expenses, purchase or rental of machinery and equipment, and maintenance and repairs
• Materials and supplies, publication services, printing and imaging costs, postage, transport, telecommunications, and communications research services
• Insurance related to agreement activities, building or operating permits, eco-certification or similar certifications, and indirect administrative costs up to 10% of all other eligible costs

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Costs other than the listed eligible costs
• The cost of construction of a vessel, unless the Departments expressly agree in writing
• The cost of construction of a building, unless the Departments expressly agree in writing
• The expansion of a plant, unless the Departments expressly agree in writing
• GST/QST that the recipient is eligible to receive as an input tax credit

• Contribution to the objectives of the relevant component, such as improved sustainability, new technologies or products, or better understanding of ecosystem changes.
• Practical benefits to the sector, including collaboration among stakeholder groups and benefits that support multiple parties.
• Project feasibility and overall quality, including completeness, clarity, sound evidence, and the likelihood of achieving results within the proposed timeframe.
• The applicant’s technical, financial, and management capacity, including human resources and scientific expertise.
• Special attention may be given to projects aligned with Quebec or Canada priorities, and equivalent projects may be ranked to maximize sector benefits.

• Complete the application for financial assistance form.
• Complete the appropriate proposal for the relevant stream and include relevant supplier quotes.
• Gather all supporting documents required for the application package.
• Submit the completed application, proposal, and supporting documents in paper or electronic format.
• Send the package by email to DFO.QueQFF-FPQQue.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or FondsPechesQuebec@mapaq.gouv.qc.ca, or submit it by mail or in person to a Fisheries and Oceans Canada area office in Quebec Region or a regional directorate for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Quebec.

• Receipt of the application is acknowledged within 5 business days.
• The application form and project proposal are reviewed to confirm eligibility and other funding requirements.
• If the project meets program requirements and is approved for funding, the applicant is contacted to develop a contribution agreement.
• Incomplete claims may be delayed or returned without being processed.
• Final claims can only be submitted when the project is completed, all costs have been incurred and fully paid, and all terms and conditions of the contribution agreement have been met.

• If a recipient redistributes contribution funds to a third party, the recipient remains responsible for fulfilling its obligations under the funding agreement.
• Recipients that redistribute funds must select applicants and third parties who are eligible recipients for the relevant component and cannot act as agents of the governments of Quebec or Canada when making distributions.
• Intellectual property rights arising from a project will be conferred on the recipient or granted to the recipient by a third party by way of a licence.
• When traditional Indigenous knowledge is used in reports or other documents provided to the parties, the contribution agreement should specify how that information may be used.