How much funding can be received?

There is no informations about how much funding can be received.

What is the deadline to apply?

The program is accepting continuous intake

Who are the financial supporters of the SME in action?

SME in action is funded by Ministère de l'économie, de l'innovation et de l'énergie du Québec (MEIE)

What are SME in action's eligibility criterias?

The business must be a Quebec-based SME (small or medium enterprise). Projects must aim to increase productivity or business growth.

SME in action

Last Update: July 22, 2025

QC, Canada

Supports Quebec SMEs in productivity, growth, and competitiveness

SME in action at a glance

Eligible Funding

No Condition

Timeline

Open Date : April 1, 2015
Closing date : March 31, 2019

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

Manufacturing

Grant Providers

Ministère de l'économie, de l'innovation et de l'énergie du Québec (MEIE)

Status

Archived

Overview of the SME in action program

The "SME in Action" program provides up to $17.5 million in financial support to businesses, aiming to boost productivity and competitiveness among Quebec SMEs. Eligible activities include investment project feasibility studies, implementation of productivity-enhancing business practices, and support for business recovery and retention initiatives.

Financing terms and conditions

Total financial assistance of $17.5 million was allocated for the period from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2019.
In projects supported under Component 1 of the program, 74 projects were slated for investments totaling $852 million, representing an average investment of $11.5 million per project.
The program achieved a leverage effect of 3.9 for financed projects, significantly surpassing the target leverage of 2, indicating a strong capacity to mobilize additional private investment per dollar of government support.

Eligible projects & activities

Conducting preliminary studies for investment projects, including assessments of processes or technologies and market analyses.
Implementing targeted business practices or actions aimed at productivity gains, such as introducing integrated management systems and optimizing supply chains.
Undertaking analyses to support business recovery or retention, including financial or operational assessments and the development of turnaround plans.

Eligibility criteria of the SME in action program

The applicant must be a Quebec-based small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).
The project should aim to increase productivity, particularly in the business or manufacturing sector.
The initiative must align with objectives of business growth, competitiveness, or productivity improvement.

Who is eligible?

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Quebec
Companies in the manufacturing sector in Quebec

Eligible expenses

Costs related to preliminary studies such as process or technology evaluations and market analyses.
Expenses for implementing integrated management systems or customer relationship management systems.
Costs for optimizing supply chains and implementing cost accounting systems.
Expenses associated with preserving major industrial assets.
Financial or operational situation assessments of the company.
Development and monitoring costs for business recovery plans.

Eligible geographic areas

Quebec

Eligibility criteria of the SME in action program

Relevance of the project in addressing persistent productivity challenges among Quebec SMEs, particularly in the manufacturing sector.
Potential effectiveness of the project in contributing to business development and achieving targeted outcomes for productivity and competitiveness.
Coherence and complementarity of the proposed project with other government support programs aimed at SME growth.
Reasonableness of project costs relative to expected results (cost-efficiency).
Proper alignment of project management and reporting practices with the program’s normative framework.

Additional information

The program's evaluation emphasizes maintaining complementarities with other government support programs targeting business growth.
There are proposed improvements related to digitalizing project result data collection and ensuring completion of all result forms for finished projects.
High satisfaction rates were recorded among program beneficiaries, with levels exceeding 94% across surveyed elements.
The evaluation recommends considering the addition of quantified targets in the program's normative framework during future renewals.