Taxi Industry Modernization Support Program (PSMITT)

• Financial assistance of up to $250,000 per project, covering 50% of eligible expenses for modernization.
• Funding for branding initiatives: up to $40,000 (50% of eligible expenses) for new brand creation, and up to $1,000 per vehicle (50% of eligible expenses) for applying visual signatures.
• Support for driver training: up to $325 per qualified driver, covering 50% of advanced training registration fees, granted once per driver.
• Eligible equipment and website development expenses are capped at 15% of the total grant amount.
• Disbursements are typically split into two installments: 50% upon project approval and execution of agreement, with the balance upon submission and acceptance of financial reports and proof of payment.

• The applicant must be a grouping of registered dispatchers, qualified taxi owners, or qualified taxi drivers operating a taxi business as defined by the Quebec Sales Tax Act and constituted as a non-profit legal entity.
• For certain components, the applicant must be a professional training center as defined by the Regulation respecting the training of qualified drivers.
• The project submitted must directly support the modernization, branding, or professional training in the taxi industry.
• The application must be completed using the prescribed form and include all required supporting information and documentation.

Who is eligible?

• Regroupings of registered dispatchers, qualified taxi owners, and qualified taxi drivers operating a taxi business as a non-profit legal entity
• Professional training centers as defined by the Regulation on the training of qualified taxi drivers

Who is not eligible

• Companies that do not operate within the taxi industry or are not registered as taxi enterprises under the relevant Quebec law.
• Organizations that are not non-profit legal entities, in the case of the image branding support component.
• Entities seeking to claim for retroactive branding expenses if the image or visual signature has already been developed in whole or in part.
• Companies whose main activity does not align with transportation of persons by taxi or associated support services (where specified for certain components).

Eligible expenses

• Salaries and benefits, without markup, for internal personnel and partners working directly on the project.
• Acquisition and implementation costs for digital products.
• Professional fees for required project services (subject to public sector contract regulations and maximum rates as set by the Minister when not established by law or policy).
• Purchase of equipment (up to 15% of the total subsidy granted).
• Costs related to website design and development (up to 15% of the total subsidy granted).
• Professional fees for communication, marketing, and graphic design services related to branding (subject to applicable regulations and rates).
• Expenses for deploying a new brand image or implementing a visibility plan for the new visual identification.
• Expenses for applying the new visual signature to vehicles or roof lights (e.g., materials, paint, wrapping, lettering, magnetic signs, logos).

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec

• Contribution of the project to achieving the objectives of the grant component.
• Efficiency in relation to project costs (diversified funding structure or support from partners to facilitate project completion and long-term sustainability).
• Innovative nature of the project.
• Quality of the submitted application (the implementation team’s experience and competence; clarity and detail in the information provided).

• Beneficiaries must retain all documents and supporting evidence related to their application for five years and provide them upon request to authorized representatives.
• Failure to submit required documentation may result in the full or partial reimbursement of previously disbursed funds.
• The Minister reserves the right to refuse, modify, reduce, or terminate financial aid for reasons of public interest, following a formal written notice to the applicant.
• Recognition of government financial support is required in all communications and public relations activities related to the project; materials must be pre-approved by the Ministry.