Prepare a development strategy

Is your region dependent on natural resources, or on a single industry or employer? Do you wish to mobilize your region's economic players and drivers of development?

To find out if this activity is emphasized in your region, contact an advisor from your region's business office. He or she will be able to inform you, advise you or guide you in carrying out your project on the basis of the region’s action priorities and availability of Agency funding.

For an immediate overview of the main eligibility criteria, the type of activities that can be supported or the available funding, please consult the following tabs.

Eligible clients

  • Non-profit organizations
  • Municipalities and regional county municipalities (MRCs)
  • Business groups or associations

Main analysis criteria

Projects are reviewed based on specific criteria, i.e.:

  • anticipated results of your project;
  • viability of your business or organization;
  • your technical and financial management capacity;
  • partner contributions in financial resources or professional services;
  • level of risk.

Submitting a project

Do you wish to submit a project? For information on project submission and funding application procedures, consult the project submission guide and contact an advisor from the business office in your region.

Examples of activities

  • Strategy development
  • Networking
  • Development of business leads and searching for funding
  • Recruitment of specialized resources
  • Implementation of initiatives

Types of assistance

  • Repayable contribution
  • Non-repayable contribution

Rate of assistance

  • Generally up to 50 percent of authorized costs for SMEs
  • Generally up to 90 percent of authorized costs for NPOs

Authorized costs

All costs directly related to the project, deemed reasonable and essential to its completion. Restrictions may apply in certain cases.

Non-eligible costs

All costs that are non-essential and not directly related to the project.

The following costs in particular are non-eligible:

  • refinancing of an existing debt;
  • depreciation costs;
  • goodwill costs.

For more information on authorized and non-eligible costs, contact an advisor from your region's business office.

Our Partners

The Agency works in partnership with Info entrepreneurs and Ressources Entreprises who provide information and reference services to entrepreneurs or economic development stakeholders. Info entrepreneurs, which is located in Montreal, serves the 514, 450 and 819 areas, and Ressources Entreprises, located in Quebec City, serves the 418 area.

Through its network of collaborators, the Agency also ensures that most Quebec communities have local access to information on Government of Canada programs and services.

Tools and resources