How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 60% of admissible expenses, capped at $1000000 per project.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Who are the financial supporters of the Support for the development of strategic sectors and regions?

Support for the development of strategic sectors and regions is funded by Gouvernement du Québec

What are Support for the development of strategic sectors and regions's eligibility criterias?

The applicant must not use services from subcontractors registered in the RENA (Registre des entreprises non admissibles aux contrats publics). The applicant must not be in bankruptcy or insolvency. The applicant must not be a state-owned enterprise or a company controlled by a municipal, provincial, or federal government.

Support for the development of strategic sectors and regions

Last Update: April 18, 2025

QC, Canada

Support the economic development of strategic sectors and regions

Support for the development of strategic sectors and regions at a glance

Eligible Funding

Max. $1,000,000
Up to 60% of project cost

Timeline

Continuous Intakes

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

Information and cultural industries
Professional, scientific and technical services
Educational services

Grant Providers

Gouvernement du Québec

Status

Open

Overview of the Support for the development of strategic sectors and regions program

The "Support for the Development of Strategic Sectors and Regions" program aims to support structuring economic projects that promote the development of strategic sectors and regions. It offers a non-repayable grant of up to $1,000,000 per organization, per year, for activities such as conducting studies, mobilization, and promotion.

Financing terms and conditions

The financial aid is provided as a non-repayable grant.
The maximum funding rate is 60% of eligible expenses for nonprofit organizations and 40% for businesses.
The combined government aid must not exceed 80% of eligible expenses for nonprofit organizations and 50% for businesses.
The maximum financial aid is $1,000,000 per organization per year, up to a total of $3,000,000 over three years.
Eligible expenses may only be considered over a continuous period not exceeding 36 months.
Recipients must provide supporting documentation proving that activities and financial commitments were conducted as outlined in the grant agreement.

Eligible projects & activities

Conducting technological, commercial, or competitive positioning studies of a sector.
Performing studies or analyses on themes, issues, or common needs among multiple companies within a sector or associated sectors.
Carrying out feasibility studies necessary for project planning that could positively impact sector development.
Organizing forums, seminars, conferences, or colloquiums, and holding recognition activities.
Establishing and managing networks for exchange, collaboration, and support to enhance sector competitiveness.
Developing training content.
Producing informational and management materials or tools.
Implementing sectoral development agreements.
Preparing and executing a branding strategy for a sector.
Conducting promotional activities in Quebec, including organizing trade shows or matchmaking events.
Organizing missions that facilitate knowledge acquisition in research and innovation for sectoral enterprises.
Engaging in international promotional activities, training, or coaching to prepare promotional tools for foreign market development.
Initiating steps towards establishing international partnerships.

Eligibility criteria of the Support for the development of strategic sectors and regions program

Applicants must be non-profit organizations, CEGEPs, collegial technology transfer centers, university institutions, research centers of Quebec, companies, cities, municipalities, or regional county municipalities (MRCs).
Applicants must not be or use subcontractors registered in the Register of enterprises ineligible for public contracts (RENA).
Applicants must have respected all their obligations related to any prior financial aid received from the Government of Quebec or Investissement Québec for at least two years.
Applicants must not be a state-owned enterprise or a company directly or indirectly controlled by a government, municipal entity, or state majority-owned enterprise.
Applicants must not be in a state of bankruptcy or insolvency.
Applicants must not engage in ethical misconduct or offer products or services that might compromise the integrity of the Government of Quebec.

Who is eligible?

Non-profit organizations (NPOs)
Cégeps
Collegiate technology transfer centers
Universities in Quebec
Research centers in Quebec
Businesses
Cities
Municipalities
Regional county municipalities (MRC)
Organizations with activities similar to municipal institutions
NPOs constituted under the Cities and Towns Act

Who is not eligible

Companies that are state-owned or controlled directly or indirectly by a municipal, provincial, or federal government.
Entities that are majority-owned by a state-owned company.
Organizations that are in bankruptcy or insolvency.
Enterprises registered in the Register of Ineligible Enterprises for Public Contracts (RENA).
Companies committing ethical breaches or offering products/services harming the integrity or credibility of the Quebec government.

Eligible expenses

Fees for professional services.
Communication and promotional costs.
Travel and lodging expenses related to the project's execution.
Rental expenses for spaces or facilities other than the headquarters of the organization.
The portion of actual salary paid by the employer corresponding to the time allocated by an employee or a contracted resource for project execution.
Administrative follow-up costs of up to 5% of eligible expenses.
Direct costs of materials and equipment calculated based on the project's duration.
Rental costs for equipment directly related to the project, calculated according to the project's duration.
Costs associated with the use of computer tools, calculated according to their use within the project framework.
If applicable, the non-recoverable portion of sales taxes.

Eligibility criteria of the Support for the development of strategic sectors and regions program

Cohesion between the project, the objective of the relevant program component, and strategic sector and regional economic development priorities.
Project connection with the objectives and planned actions within the niche strategy and action plan, if applicable.
Project quality, assessed for its innovation, credibility, visibility, and impacts.
Value added beyond normal activities of sectoral, regional development, or research partners.
Synergy, indicating collaboration among partners in a unified effort.
Structuring nature of the project for targeted businesses.
Realism of the proposed timeline.
Realism of the project costs.
Financial structure, particularly partner support.
Expected outcomes, such as the project's multiplier effect on businesses in a sector and the targeted clientele.
Mobilization of businesses, partners, and economic stakeholders in the sector or region.
Regional or national impacts.
Visibility for the Government of Québec.
Promoter’s capabilities, including representativeness in the relevant community and their ability to oversee and manage the project.
Complementarity with other initiatives targeting the industry sector concerned.
Promoter's evidence of adopting and implementing eco-responsible practices.

How to apply to the Support for the development of strategic sectors and regions program

Prepare the application form

Download and save the application form on your computer
Fill out the form using Adobe Reader version 10 or later
Do not complete the form in a web browser
Do not alter the PDF document

Gather required documents

Provide a detailed project description and its financial setup
Include the organization's financial statements for the last two years or forecasts for new entities
Attach the latest annual activity report, if applicable
Incorporate service offers and partnerships, if relevant
Provide a certificate of linguistic compliance, if applicable

Submit the application via email

Email the completed and signed application form and all necessary documents
Ensure the email subject line reads "Projets structurants d’organismes en appui au développement des secteurs stratégiques et des régions"

Application evaluation process

Expect the request to be analyzed based on criteria such as project coherence with program objectives, project quality, anticipated impacts, and the promoter's capacities

Additional information

The financial aid offered through this grant is non-repayable.
The financial support for organizations can reach up to a maximum of 60% of eligible expenses, while for businesses, it can cover up to 40%.
The combined government aid cannot surpass 80% of eligible expenditures for organizations and 50% for enterprises.
The maximum amount of financial assistance is $1,000,000 per organization annually, with a cap of $3,000,000 over three years.
Beneficiaries are required to provide documentation, including a report produced at the end of each fiscal year and a report from an external auditor confirming the financial activities.
Recipients must submit a report detailing the activities realized as per the agreement, demonstrating the fulfillment of financial conditions.
Documents required by the subsidy agreement include a report of expenses paid and sources of financing and any other specified documents.
Assistance is available for regional organizations or sectoral associations and for associations related to cooperative development.
Contact information for obtaining assistance: PAPDE_PAFODE@economie.gouv.qc.ca or toll-free at 1-866-691-5666.