Overview
Quebec’s grant landscape is broad, but the strongest applications always start with the project — not the program.
Most Quebec and federal funding programs are designed to support specific economic objectives: business productivity, innovation and technology adoption, food processing, regional development, and increasingly AI adoption. The best-funded projects are the ones that align with both a genuine business growth objective and a current government policy priority.
In this webinar, Shane Thompson, Grants Consultant at Leyton, walks through the current Quebec funding landscape, highlights the programs businesses should have on their radar right now, and explains how to evaluate whether a program is actually the right fit before investing time in an application.
What You’ll Learn
From evaluating program fit to avoiding the most common application mistakes, this session covers what it actually takes to get funded.
- How to evaluate a grant opportunity — Understand the three core questions: who does it fund, what does it fund, and where does it apply.
- Which programs are open now — Get a clear view of REGI, BSP, the Regional AI Initiative, RTRI, PSCE, the Food Transformation Program, Agri-Food Innovation, and the IQ Innovation Program — including deadlines and intake windows.
- How to assess program fit — Learn the difference between modernization, commercialization/export, first-adoption, and scale-up projects, and which program aligns with each.
- What makes a project fundable — Understand what funders look for: clear alignment with program objectives, measurable benefits, detailed budgets, and team readiness.
- How to avoid common mistakes — Learn why misaligned projects, early spending before approval, and mismatched budgets and work plans can sink an otherwise strong application.
- How to plan your funding timeline — Get a practical 3–6 month roadmap from eligibility validation to post-approval reporting.
Who is this webinar for?
Built for any Quebec-based business evaluating whether a grant could support an upcoming project.
✓ Business Owners & Executives
Companies in Quebec planning growth, modernization, or expansion projects
✓ Finance & Operations Leaders
Professionals responsible for budgeting, financial reporting, and project planning
✓ Food Processing & Agri-Food Businesses
Companies exploring modernization, automation, or innovation funding in the food sector
✓ Technology & AI-Adopting Companies
Businesses adopting, piloting, or commercializing new technologies, including AI
Q&A
Below you will find the answers to the questions raised during the webinar, prepared by our expert Shane Thompson.
Please note that these answers are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice.
If you have questions related to your specific situation or that of your organization, we encourage you to contact us directly.
Could the innovation program be combined with SR&ED?
Yes, many government innovation programs can be combined with the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax incentive program. Stacking grants or subsidies with SR&ED allows businesses to maximize total funding for research and development, though it requires careful tracking.
Are the programs and grants available only for existing businesses, or can they be applied to startups?
Most of these grants are not specifically designed for startups, but startup eligibility can be possible depending on the company’s stage, revenues or traction, project readiness, financing capacity, sector, and whether the project aligns with the program’s objectives. For example, it can work when the startup is beyond the idea stage and has a defined project, such as a market-ready product, a pilot or demonstration project, confirmed financing, early revenues or traction, and a clear plan to commercialize, export, innovate, or scale.
For the RTRI Tariff grant, are there only repayable grants?
No, there both repayable and non-repayable options.
Maybe I missed it, but for the PSCE, is a trade show in the Middle East an option for this intake, for example?
Yes, absolutely, for this current intake the Middle East is one of the targeted locations.
Would the innovation program have any conflicts with SR&ED?
You can often use both an innovation grant and SR&ED, but you cannot get paid twice for the exact same expense.
Is the PSCE program only open for two weeks?
Yes! The deadline is October 1st, 2026. It will re-open In the spring of 2027 likely targeting Canadian markets as well as Europe.
Would this innovation program be good for a company that is actually developing the new technology, and not implementing it?
Yes, for the Agri-food Innovation Program, it can be a good fit for a company that is developing the new technology, product, process, or solution, as long as the project is tied to the agri-food/biofood sector and has a clear innovation, testing, validation, pilot, or demonstration component.