Finance your productivity

Loan guarantees

• Fonds afro-entrepreneurs 

  ​Filaction​
  Are you a member of one of Quebec's black communities? You could receive a loan or loan guarantee for your business' needs.

• Local investment fund 

  Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation
  Loans and loan guarantees to start or expand a business, or purchase at least 25% of an existing business, in Quebec.

• Project Financing 

  Investissement Québec
  Loans, loan guarantees or capital investments of $50,000 and up for projects involving expansion, exporting, modernization, innovation, buildings and equipment, marketing and more.

Equity investments

• Ambition ME 

  ​Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
  Obtain financing in the form of investment, support from specialists and access to an international network to propel the development and growth of your medium-sized Quebec company.

• BDC Capital — Venture Capital 

  Business Development Bank of Canada
  Get financing and advice from venture capital investors to help you build and grow your business in Canada and internationally.

• Fonds de solidarité FTQ 

  ​Fonds de solidarité FTQ
  ​If your Quebec business is in a period of growth and profitability, you can use this fund to obtain personalized business solutions that meet your needs.

• Indigenous Growth Fund 

  National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA)
  Access investments to help you develop your Aboriginal business.

• Industrial, Clean and Energy Technology (ICE) Venture Fund 

  ​Business Development Bank of Canada
  ​Benefit from this funding if your business is in industrial, clean and energy technology sector and has a strong potential for productivity growth.

• National Bank SME Growth Fund 

  ​National Bank
  ​Receive up to $15 million for the growth, transfer or purchase of your company.

• Scotiabank Women Initiative 

  ​Scotiabank
  Access capital, training, consulting and mentoring to develop your women-owned business.

• Solunov 

  ​Fonds de solidarité FTQ
  ​If you would like to implement an innovative solution into your business, you could benefit from coaching assistance as well as funding.

• Ubisoft Entrepreneurs 

  ​Ubisoft
  Get funding, coaching and a chance to network with Ubisoft partners to grow your techno-creative business.

• Vector 

  ​Zú
  Does your start-up operate in the creative and entertainment industry? Do you have an innovative idea that will drive your growth? The Vector program is designed for you.

Loans and cash advances

• AgriInnovate Program 

  Government of Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  Get up to $5 million in repayable contributions to cover 50% of the cost of projects that aim to accelerate demonstration, commercialization and/or adoption of innovative products, technologies, processes or services that increase agri-sector competitiveness and sustainability.

• Apollo13 startup support program (in French only)

  ​Apollo 13
  Do you have an entrepreneurial idea to put into action or a desire to grow your business? The Apollo13 support program may be right for you.​

• BDC - Business loans 

  Business Development Bank of Canada
  ​You could get money to help you start or grow your business.

• BDC Capital — Growth Equity Partner 

  Business Development Bank of Canada
  Get financing and advice from growth equity partners to help grow your business in Canada and internationally. This support will be provided through partnerships, funding and access to potential growth capital.

• BDC — Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) 

  Business Development Bank of Canada
  Get a loan of up to $100,000 to help small and medium sized enterprises adopt digital technologies to increase their competitiveness.

• Black Entrepreneurship Program – Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund 

  ​Government of Canada
  Get a loan of up to $250,000 (including microloans in some cases) to help your for-profit, Black-led startup business or SME scale up and grow domestically and internationally.

• Compétivert — Funding Solution 

  ​Investissement Québec
  Get a term loan and guarantee starting at $50,000 to increase productivity by financing your green projects.

• Créavenir 

  ​Desjardins​
  If you are under 35 years of age and starting a business or developing a business that is less than 3 years old, obtain financial assistance in the form of a line of credit of up to $15,000 at a preferential rate of 0.5% and a grant of up to $5000.

• EDC — Women in Trade Investments Program 

  Export Development Canada
  Get equity capital for your high-revenue, women-led business in the form of direct investment or venture capital funds, to grow and scale to new markets.

• Farm Credit Canada — Loans and lending options 

  Farm Credit Canada
  You could access flexible financing options for your farming, agri-food or agribusiness operation.

• Financing for sustainable agri-food businesses (in French only)

  ​Fondaction
  If you are planning to grow your agri-food business, you could benefit from coaching and customized financing.

• Fonds Mosaïque (in French only)

  Filaction
  If you are a member of one of Quebec's cultural communities, you may be eligible for funding to start a business or run a business that has been in operation for less than five years.

• Fonds afro-entrepreneurs 

  ​Filaction​
  Are you a member of one of Quebec's black communities? You could receive a loan or loan guarantee for your business' needs.

• Fonds de développement des entreprises touristiques (in French only)

  ​Filaction
  Obtain a loan ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 for the realization of innovative projects that will improve the tourism offer in Quebec.

• Fonds de microcrédit agricole (in French only)

  ​MRC de la Vallée-du-Richelieu
  Get an interest-free loan to help you develop your farm business.

• Fonds de solidarité FTQ 

  ​Fonds de solidarité FTQ
  ​If your Quebec business is in a period of growth and profitability, you can use this fund to obtain personalized business solutions that meet your needs.

• Le Fonds YUL / 375 idées (in French only)

  ​Jeune chambre de commerce de Montréal
  ​Are you a Montreal entrepreneur between the ages of 18 and 40? If so, you can receive a loan to start or grow your business.

• Local investment fund 

  Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation
  Loans and loan guarantees to start or expand a business, or purchase at least 25% of an existing business, in Quebec.

• MicroEntreprendre 

  MicroEntreprendre
  Quebec entrepreneurs who are unable to obtain financing in conventional financing networks can obtain loans of $2 000 to $20,000 and support.

• Nicolet-Yamaska Agri-Food Investment Fund (in French only)

  Service de développement économique de la MRC de Nicolet-Yamaska​
  You could receive financial assistance of up to $10,000 to start or expand your non-conventional-sized agri-food business.

• Project Financing 

  Investissement Québec
  Loans, loan guarantees or capital investments of $50,000 and up for projects involving expansion, exporting, modernization, innovation, buildings and equipment, marketing and more.

• RBC Black Entrepreneur Program 

  ​Royal Bank of Canada
  Get financing and expert advice to drive economic growth and wealth creation for your business.

• Shopify Capital Funding 

  ​Shopify Capital
  ​Are you a Shopify merchant? If you are, you could receive a loan of up to $500,000 from Shopify.

• Solunov 

  ​Fonds de solidarité FTQ
  ​If you would like to implement an innovative solution into your business, you could benefit from coaching assistance as well as funding.

• Women Entrepreneur Program 

  Farm Credit Canada
  Get access to financing, as well as resources designed specifically to help you develop your skills as you start or grow your business.

Tax refunds and credits

• Invest-AI (in French only)

  ​Vooban​
  Have you started your digital transformation and have one or more projects with an AI component? You could receive a grant to cover up to 50% of your activities.

• Tax credit for the design of factory-made products (industrial design component) 

  ​Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation
  Tax credit of 12% to 24% on the cost of in-house design activities (salary costs up to $60,000 admissible) or on the cost of external design activities by a consultant (65% of contract fees admissible).

• Tax credit relating to information technologies in small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses (in French only)

  Revenu Québec​
  Looking to modernize your business processes? Your manufacturing or primary sector SME could get a refundable tax credit for the integration of IT.

• Workplace Learning Program (in French only)

  ​Emploi-Québec
  ​To enhance the skills of your employees, you can use the expertise of your most experienced employees to train workers with less experience.

Grants, contributions and financial assistance

• Aboriginal Business Financing Program - Private Project 

  Native Commercial Credit Corporation
  Get a non-refundable contribution of up to $99,999 for business start-up or expansion, marketing, project management, professional advisory services, and development of a business plan, marketing plan or feasibility studies.

• Aboriginal Business Financing Program — Community project 

  Native Commercial Credit Corporation
  Get a non-refundable contribution of up to $1 million for businesses owned by a First Nation, the Native Alliance of Quebec, or by one of their members. Funds can be used for business start-up or expansion, marketing, project management, professional advisory services, and development of a business plan, marketing plan or feasibility studies.

• Accélérateur d'opportunités - Soutien à la productivité (in French only)

  ​Ville de Laval
  Get support and a grant of up to $125,000 for your Laval company's digital transformation project.

• AgriCompetitiveness Program 

  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  National associations and Indigenous groups can apply for up to $5 million over 5 years to cover 70% of the costs of activities that help the agricultural sector to leverage, coordinate and build on existing capacity; enhance safety; adapt to changing commercial and regulatory environments; seize new opportunities; share best practices; and provide mentorship opportunities.

• CED Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative 

  ​Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
  If your SME or non-profit is working on a project to become more environmentally friendly, improve productivity, strengthen commercialization or integrate with regional and global supply chains, you could get a contribution to help with some of the costs.

• Canada Pavilion Program 

  ​Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  If your export-ready company features products from the agriculture and agri-food sectors, you can get funding to offset the cost of booth prices on a show-by-show basis when you exhibit at trade shows.

• Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program 

  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  If you’re a not-for-profit or Indigenous organization working towards sustainability and competitiveness by adopting new technology or building capacity, get up to $1 million per project in cost-shared funding to cover up to 50% of eligible project costs in most cases, and up to 75% for high-priority projects for the sector.

• Community Futures Network of Canada 

  ​Community Futures
  If your business is located in a rural community, you may be eligible for financing and business support services through your local Community Futures organization.

• Creating, Knowing and Sharing — Short-Term Projects 

  ​Canada Council for the Arts
  Get a grant of up to $100,000 for projects up to 12 months involving creating (research/writing), knowing (mentorship, training) or sharing (exhibitions, presentations, collaborations) — including those with non-Indigenous artists.

• Créavenir 

  ​Desjardins​
  If you are under 35 years of age and starting a business or developing a business that is less than 3 years old, obtain financial assistance in the form of a line of credit of up to $15,000 at a preferential rate of 0.5% and a grant of up to $5000.

• Farm Credit Canada — Loans and lending options 

  Farm Credit Canada
  You could access flexible financing options for your farming, agri-food or agribusiness operation.

• Financial assistance for music production and variety programming (in French only)

  ​SODEC
  ​Do you own a music, entertainment-production, or artist management company? If so, you could get a grant for your commercial activities.

• Fonds Entrepreneuriat commercial 

  PME MTL
  Receive up to $25,000 in financial assistance to develop your business in the retail sector.

• INNOGEC - Relance Fund (in French only)

  ​Filaction
  ​Get up to $10,000 to cover the fees of experts who will help your collective business assess the situation following the health crisis and up to $30,000 for them to assist you with your change management plan, recovery or business model adjustment.

• INNOGEC Fund (in French only)

  ​Filaction
  ​Get up to $15,000 to cover a portion of the service fees of management and governance consultants employed by your group company.

• Invest-AI (in French only)

  ​Vooban​
  Have you started your digital transformation and have one or more projects with an AI component? You could receive a grant to cover up to 50% of your activities.

• NGen Cluster Building Project 

  NGEN - Next Generation Manufacturing
  You can get a funding of up to $150, 000 to cover a maximum of 50% of eligible costs if you work within an industry-led, membership-based organization to enhance capabilities and growth through the application of, or access to advanced manufacturing technologies, best practices and principles.

• Plateforme d'innovation panneaux (in French only)

  Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs
  Get a grant of up to $375,000 for your wood-to-panel project.

• Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program — Stream 1 

  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  Get a non-repayable contribution to cover up to 70% of the costs of on-farm investments in modernizing operations, increasing efficiency, biosecurity, environmental sustainability, and meeting changing consumer demands, retroactive to March 19, 2019.

• Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program — Stream 2 

  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  If you were 35 years old or younger on January 1, 2021, get a non-repayable contribution to cover up to 85% of the costs of on-farm investments in modernizing operations, increasing efficiency, biosecurity, environmental sustainability, and meeting changing consumer demands, retroactive to March 19, 2019.

• Programme Compétitivité et environnement 2022-2024 (in French only)

  Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation
  Obtain financial assistance for the contribution of expertise, the improvement of competitiveness and the realization of structuring projects in your company in the dairy and meat processing sectors.

• Programme de soutien financier aux orientations gouvernementales en action communautaire et en action bénévole (in French only)

  Ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale
  Obtain financial support of up to $400,000 for the research and implementation of projects that support government orientations in community action.

• Programme de soutien à l'économie sociale - volet 3: Projets structurants de mutualisation (in French only)

  Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation
  Obtain support for projects involving the sharing or pooling of resources, services or activities between social economy enterprises in order to optimize access to these resources and ensure the economic viability of the enterprises.

• Programme de soutien à l'économie sociale - volet 4: Approvisionnement auprès des entreprises d'économie sociale (in French only)

  Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation
  Get financial support for promotional and outreach activities that allow your company to access government, municipal and private markets.

• Programme d’appui au développement des secteurs stratégiques et des créneaux d’excellence (in French only)

  Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation
  Receive a grant of up to 50% of the cost of eligible expenses for the implementation of departmental and governmental strategies for the development of strategic sectors and niches of excellence.

• Programme d’appui financier au développement du secteur des pêches et de l’aquaculture commerciales - Volet 1 - Appui au développement [PDF](in French only)

  Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation
  Obtain financial assistance of up to $1,000,000 for the development of products or the implementation of innovative processes aimed at increasing your company's production and sales.

• Programme d’appui financier au développement du secteur des pêches et de l’aquaculture commerciales - Volet 2 - Amélioration de la compétitivité des entreprises de transformation des produits [PDF](in French only)

  Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation
  Receive up to $300,000 in financial assistance to improve the productivity, food safety and security of your products in order to strengthen your company's competitiveness.

• Quebec Economic Development Program 

  Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
  ​Find out about financial and other resources that can help you develop your Quebec business.

• REGI — Business Scale-up and Productivity — CED (QC) — Private sector 

  ​Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
  Get a financial contribution to help you scale up and expand, adopt and commercialize innovative technologies and processes, or diversify your markets.

• REGI — Regional Innovation Ecosystems — CED (QC) — Not-for-profit 

  ​Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
  Your organization could get a financial contribution to assist businesses at all stages of development in scaling up and becoming more globally competitive. Investments will focus on enhancing business support networks for under-represented groups — including women, Indigenous peoples and young entrepreneurs — and supporting regional strategic clusters, accelerators and incubators, and projects that attract foreign investments.

• Soutien aux initiatives de développement économique dans l'arrondissement d'Ahuntsic-Cartierville (in French only)

  ​Ville de Montréal
  Get financial assistance to propel your collective economic development initiatives.

• Supply Management Processing Investment Fund 

  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  Receive up to 5 million dollars in cost-sharing funding for your for-profit organization in the supply-managed sectors to invest in your processing facilities to improve productivity and/or efficiency through the acquisition of new automated equipment and technology.

• Support for innovation projects 

  Investissement Québec
  Get up to $350,000 to cover 50% of the costs of project planning, R&D, technology validation and technological showcase activities relating to the development of innovative products or processes.

• Sustainable Growth Investment — Agri-Environmental Enhancement of Cultivated Land 

  ​La Financière agricole du Québec
  Get a grant of up to $20,000 when you secure a loan guarantee of up to $200,000 from La Financière agricole for on-farm agri-environmental projects, or ones that will enhance the value of your cultivated land.

• Sustainable Growth Investment — Growth Support 

  ​La Financière agricole du Québec
  Get a grant of up to $15,000 when you secure a loan guarantee of up to $150,000 from La Financière agricole for agribusiness projects related to supply-managed production or maple syrup production.

• Sustainable Growth Investment — Growth Support Plus 

  ​La Financière agricole du Québec
  Get a grant of up to $150,000 when you secure a loan guarantee of up to $600,000 from La Financière agricole for all projects except those related to supply-managed production or maple syrup production.

• TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good 

  ​Telus
  Get funding for your innovative projects in health, education, agriculture and the environment.

• Transformation numérique des entreprises collectives (in French only)

  Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité
  Get funding of up to $20,000 and training for the digital transformation of your collective business (cooperative or NPO).