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Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores - Quebec - Canada
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Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores

Supports local commerce vitality in small Quebec communities
Gouvernment of Québec
Last Update: March 3, 2026
Funding available
$ 10,000 - $ 150,000
Timeline
  • Open Date : December 15, 2025
  • Closing date : February 16, 2026
Location
Quebec, Canada

Overview

The "Fonds Régions et Ruralité" grant aims to support local businesses in municipalities with less than 20,000 inhabitants in Québec by providing funding of up to $150,000 per business. Eligible activities include establishing, maintaining, or enhancing businesses that offer essential goods like food and construction materials to ensure community vitality.

/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.

At a glance

Funding available

Financing goals
  • Launch or market a product/service
  • Renovate or expand facilities
Eligible Funding
  • Maximum amount : 150,000 $
  • Minimum amount : 10,000 $
  • Up to 85% of project cost
Timeline
  • Open Date : December 15, 2025
  • Closing date : February 16, 2026

Eligible candidates

Eligible Industries
  • Retail trade
Location
  • Quebec
Legal structures
  • For-profit business
  • Social economy enterprise
  • Non-financial cooperative
Annual revenue
  • All revenue ranges
Organisation size
  • All organization sizes
Audience
  • Rural or Northern Residents

Next steps

1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility

Activities funded

  • Establishing new convenience stores that provide essential daily products to local communities.
  • Maintaining existing convenience stores to ensure continued access to basic goods and services.
  • Expanding or enhancing the range of essential products and services offered by local convenience stores.

Eligibility

Who is eligible?

  • For-profit businesses established and operating in Quebec
  • Social economy enterprises, such as cooperatives and non-profit organizations defined under Quebec's Social Economy Act

Who is not eligible

  • Municipal organizations.
  • Non-profit organizations that are not social economy enterprises.
  • Government ministries, budget-funded agencies, Crown corporations, and companies controlled directly or indirectly by a provincial or federal government or Crown corporation.
  • Private financial sector businesses and financial cooperatives.
  • Companies involved in the production or commercialization of cannabis.
  • Businesses listed in the Register of Enterprises Ineligible for Public Contracts (RENA), including their subcontractors listed in RENA.
  • Companies in bankruptcy or under creditor protection laws.
  • Businesses that have failed to meet prior financial aid obligations with Quebec government departments or agencies in the past two years.

Eligible expenses

  • Working capital replenishment when part of starting or restructuring the business, if supported by the local MRC's economic development service.
  • Costs for the use or rental of equipment, materials, buildings, or land.
  • Acquisition, design, adaptation, delivery, and installation costs for equipment or materials.
  • Construction costs for a new building.
  • Costs for acquisition, improvement, or adaptation of a premises, building, or land.
  • Direct labour costs related to activities for project implementation, proportional to their project-related involvement.
  • Promotion and advertising expenses directly related to the project.

Eligible geographic areas

  • Municipalities in Quebec with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants.

Additional information

  • Two initial application periods are scheduled: from October 1 to November 29, 2024, and from February 24 to April 11, 2025; a third period is planned for autumn 2025.
  • The program will end on March 31, 2027, or earlier if all allocated funds are exhausted.
  • The ministry may request additional documentation, such as a business plan or financial statements, during the evaluation process.
  • It is strongly recommended to seek personalized support from your MRC's economic development service before submitting an application.

Documents and links

Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores

Frequently Asked Questions about the Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores Program

Here are answers to the most common questions about the Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.

What is the Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores?

The "Fonds Régions et Ruralité" grant aims to support local businesses in municipalities with less than 20,000 inhabitants in Québec by providing funding of up to $150,000 per business. Eligible activities include establishing, maintaining, or enhancing businesses that offer essential goods like food and construction materials to ensure community vitality.

How much funding can be received?

Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores Funds up to 85% of admissible expenses, capped at $150,000 per project.

What is the deadline to apply?

The application deadline for this grant program was February 16, 2026.

Who is eligible for the Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores program?

To be eligible for the Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores program, you must: For-profit businesses established and operating in Quebec Located in a municipality with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants Not engaged in excluded sectors (e.g., financial sector, cannabis industry)

What expenses are eligible under Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores?

Establishing new convenience stores that provide essential daily products to local communities. Maintaining existing convenience stores to ensure continued access to basic goods and services. Expanding or enhancing the range of essential products and services offered by local convenience stores.

Where is the Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores available?

The Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores program is available the province of Quebec.

Is the Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores a grant, loan, or tax credit?

Regions and Rurality Fund — convenience stores is a Grant and Funding

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