archived
Social economy support program (PSES) – Stream 2
Last Update: March 4, 2026
Quebec, Canada
Supports development of strategic sectors in Quebec’s social economy
Grant and Funding
Overview
The Social Economy Support Program (PSES) – Stream 2 offers up to $500,000 in funding per project to promote the development and deployment of strategic initiatives in the social economy. This program supports collaborative projects and structured activities such as studies, promotional strategies, networking, training, and pilot projects among eligible Quebec-based social economy organizations.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increasing community impact
- Strengthening governance
- Develop strategic partnerships
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 500,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
Timeline
- Archived
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Transportation and warehousing
- Information and cultural industries
- Finance and insurance
- Real estate and rental and leasing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Accommodation and food services
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration
Location
- Quebec
Legal structures
- Social economy enterprise
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Canadians
Activities funded
- Collaborative projects to address strategic social needs such as population aging, environmental sustainability, economic inclusion, or other socioeconomic challenges.
- Studies and analyses aimed at advancing sectors within the social economy.
- Development and rollout of promotion strategies and related activities for social economy sectors.
- Networking and partnership-building activities among social economy stakeholders.
- Implementation of pilot projects, innovative experiments, and knowledge-sharing activities in strategic social economy sectors.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 48,000
Purchase of specialized cold storage to extend food bank operations
$ 99,000
Accessibility upgrades for community arts centre including elevator installation
$ 82,000
Upgrading manufacturing equipment to support recycling processes
$ 60,250
Installation of high-efficiency LED lighting and smart thermostats
$ 29,500
Training new staff in digital accounting and payroll systems
$ 72,500
Developing a mobile app to support local food delivery cooperatives
Eligibility
- The applicant must be a lead organization representing a collective project composed of social economy support organizations, social economy enterprises, sectoral associations or federations, and organizations involved in knowledge transfer.
- The applicant must be one of the following and have an establishment in Quebec: a social economy support organization, an association or federation representing several social economy enterprises, a knowledge transfer or liaison organization (such as an innovation transfer entity or a college technology transfer center), or a social economy enterprise (cooperative or non-profit organization as per the Loi sur l’économie sociale).
- For Stream 2B, only projects that have previously received financial support under Stream 2A are eligible.
- The application must include all required documents, such as a completed application form and letters of commitment from project partners.
Who is eligible?
- Organizations supporting the social economy with an establishment in Quebec
- Associations or federations grouping several social economy enterprises in Quebec
- Organizations for consultation or knowledge transfer (such as innovation liaison and transfer organizations or college centers for technology transfer) in Quebec
- Social economy enterprises (cooperatives or non-profit organizations) as recognized by the Social Economy Act (RLRQ, chapter E 1.1.1)
Who is not eligible
- Crown corporations and companies directly or indirectly controlled by a government (provincial or federal), as well as businesses majority-owned by a Crown corporation.
- For-profit enterprises with an establishment in Quebec.
- Companies under protection of the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act or the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.
- Enterprises listed in the Register of Enterprises Ineligible for Public Contracts (RENA).
- Organizations that have not fulfilled previously required financial obligations to the Ministry or Economic Development Fund in the past two years.
Eligible expenses
- Costs associated with studies and analyses directly related to the project.
- Expenses for promotional strategies and related activities.
- Fees for organizing and conducting networking activities.
- Development and implementation of support tools.
- Training activity costs.
- Costs for promotional activities specific to the project.
- Expenses related to pilot projects and experimentation.
- Costs for coordination and mobilization activities.
- Knowledge transfer activities expenses.
Eligible geographic areas
- Organizations with an establishment in Quebec.
How to apply
1
Review eligibility requirements
- Determine eligibility of your organization as lead applicant
- Confirm collective nature and sector involvement
- Ensure project aligns with program objectives
2
Prepare application documents
- Collect required documents, including letters of commitment from partners
- Complete the financial aid application form
- Prepare other project-specific required documents
3
Validate application completeness
- Ensure all documents are complete and signed
- Check for completeness to avoid inadmissibility
4
Submit application package
- Submit completed application form and all required documents to the designated email address
- Indicate the program stream targeted in your submission
5
Wait for results
- Await review and decision from the Ministry after submission
- Respond to any additional requests if contacted
Additional information
- A plan of action for the targeted strategic sector must be submitted for all funded consultation and analysis projects.
- Dynamic PDF forms for application are available and must be used with Adobe Reader version 10 or later.
- Incomplete applications, including missing required documents, will be deemed ineligible.
- Only projects that previously received Stream 2A support are eligible for Stream 2B.
Contacts
economie.sociale@economie.gouv.qc.ca
4186915698
