PAPDE — Component 2 : Support for the development of strategic sectors and regions

• Completed and signed financial assistance application form
• Detailed project description and the project financing plan
• Financial statements for the last two years, or projected financial statements for a start-up organization
• Latest annual activity report of the organization and of the cluster, where applicable, and service offers and partnerships, where applicable
• Copy of the declaration of compliance with the Programme d’accès à l’égalité en matière d’emploi when the applicant is a for-profit business with more than 100 employees and the subsidy is $100,000 or more, plus any other document required according to the nature of the project, such as market studies or a sustainable development action plan

Who is eligible?

• Non-profit organizations and social economy enterprises
• CEGEPs, college centres for technology transfer, and university institutions in Quebec
• Research centres in Quebec
• Businesses legally constituted under Quebec or Canada law with an establishment in Quebec
• Cities, municipalities, regional county municipalities (MRCs), similar organizations, NPOs constituted under the Loi sur les cités et villes, and band councils of nations recognized by the National Assembly of Quebec

Who is not eligible

• Applicants or subcontractors listed, provisionally or definitively, in the Registre des entreprises non admissibles aux contrats publics (RENA)
• Applicants not compliant with the francization process under the Charte de la langue française, applicants that failed to meet obligations tied to prior Quebec government financial assistance within the previous two years after formal notice, or applicants that do not respect environmental laws without proof of corrective measures
• State-owned corporations, entities controlled directly or indirectly by a government, businesses majority-owned by a state-owned corporation, and applicants under creditor protection, bankruptcy, or insolvency proceedings
• Applicants whose sector of activity involves fossil fuels, gambling, tobacco or drugs, controversial weapons, violent games or combat sports, sexually explicit or exploitative activities, or activities whose main subject is protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, except where the program states a specific exception

Eligible expenses

• Professional fees
• Communication and promotion costs
• Travel and accommodation costs directly related to the project
• Rental of spaces, premises, or equipment, direct material and equipment costs, and the use or acquisition of computer tools for the project
• The real salary portion for staff or hired resources assigned to the project, administrative follow-up costs up to 5% of eligible expenses, and the non-refundable portion of sales taxes, where applicable

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Expenses incurred before the application filing date, including contractual commitments made before filing
• Refundable federal and provincial sales taxes
• Land acquisition or site preparation, and the acquisition, construction, or expansion of buildings
• Depreciation, interest, and financial charges
• Alcohol, bursaries, sponsorships, and food for participants in an activity

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec

• Alignment between the project, the objective of the stream, and priorities for strategic sectors, regions, and economic development
• Connection between the project and the objectives and actions of the cluster strategy and action plan, where applicable
• Project quality, including innovation, credibility, visibility, impacts, value added, partner synergies, structuring effect, realistic timeline, realistic costs, and financing structure with partner support
• Expected outcomes, including multiplier effects, mobilization of businesses and partners, regional or national impacts, and visibility for the Gouvernement du Québec
• The promoter’s representativeness and capacity, the project’s complementarity with other initiatives, and evidence of adopted and implemented eco-responsible practices

• Save the application form to your computer.
• Complete it using Adobe Reader, version 10 or later; do not fill it out in a web browser and do not modify the PDF.
• If your request does not concern strategic sectors, contact your territorial office to verify your eligibility.
• Complete the financial assistance application form and prepare the required supporting documents.
• Email the completed and signed application form and all required documents, using the subject line Projets structurants d’organismes en appui au développement des secteurs stratégiques et des régions.

• Applications are reviewed by the Ministère on an ongoing basis once the required documents have been provided, subject to budget availability and compliance with program rules.
• Any approved funding must be governed by a grant agreement that sets each party’s obligations and the payment conditions.
• Funding may be paid in up to three instalments per government fiscal year, with an advance of up to 50% either at the signature of the agreement or at the beginning of each year covered by the agreement.
• Subsequent payments require progress reports, statements of expenses incurred or paid, supporting documents, and, if applicable, a detailed budget and the short results-tracking form.
• The final payment requires a final report, annual financial statements, the results evaluation form, and a signed financial report, and must represent at least 10% of the total aid or of the last year’s aid when annual advances are used.

• 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.