Updated August 2026 · Verified against Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions guidelines
✓ First-Timer Friendly Reimbursement Est. 2018
Loan Federal Active

CED Quebec — Quebec Economic Development Program (QEDP)

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Loan Range
$50,000 to $500,000 typical — interest-free repayable...
Ongoing
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Financing share
50%
CED Quebec — Quebec Economic Development Program (QEDP) provides up to $50,000 to $500,000 typical — interest-free repayable contribution for SMEs (up to 50% of costs); non-repayable for NPOs (up to 90%). Financial assistance of up to 50% of authorized costs for Quebec SMEs pursuing community economic development, tourism, and regional diversification projects. The program covers up to 50% of eligible costs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Approval odds: ~30–50% (GrantCompass analysis)
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Real recipient data

Who actually receives this funding

132 businesses received this funding in 2025 — 4,978 awards since 2011. Typical award: $204.5K. Half of all awards fall between $100K and $485K. Top provinces: Quebec 100%. Covers: CED-Quebec QEDP contributions — broad Quebec economic development program serving firms, nonprofits, municipalities, and associations. 4,978 rows across three name variants; ACTIVELY DISBURSING (newest agreements 2025-12). Source: Government of Canada proactive disclosure data · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Data through Q3 2026.

The typical CED Quebec award is $204.5K — the median of 4,978 awards since 2011. In 2025, 132 organizations were funded.

132funded in 2025
$204.5Ktypical award
4,978awards since 2011

Award size distribution. Half of awards fall between $100K and $485K, with a typical award of $204.5K.

Award sizes middle 50% of awards
$204.5K typical $485K
Top provinces QC 100%
132 organizations received this grant in 2025. See the 36 most recent — and how much each received. Get Premium — $39/mo

Source: Government of Canada proactive disclosure

Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

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Program Description

Financial assistance of up to 50% of authorized costs for Quebec SMEs pursuing community economic development, tourism, and regional diversification projects. For SMEs the contribution is fully repayable without interest — nothing is forgiven — with repayment beginning two years after the end of the project. Non-profit organizations receive non-repayable contributions of up to 90% of authorized costs. Unlike CED's REGI program (which focuses on innovation), QEDP supports local entrepreneurship, tourism experience development, community facility improvements, and social economy initiatives. Average project: ~$279,000.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Small and medium enterprises and local businesses operating commercially in Quebec
  • Non-profit organizations and cooperatives
  • Tourism organizations, economic development organizations and business associations
  • Municipalities and regional county municipalities (RCMs)
  • Indigenous organizations
  • Excluded: retail, food services (restaurants and cafés), transportation services, housing construction, daycare services, hair and beauty salons, nightclubs/bars/cabarets, universities
Provinces
Industries
All
Business Stage
Startup Growth Established

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Low
First-Timer
Friendly

Funding Details

Amount
$50,000 to $500,000 typical — interest-free repayable contribution for SMEs (up to 50% of costs); non-repayable for NPOs (up to 90%)
Type
Loan
Level
Federal
Financing share
Up to 50% of eligible costs
Deadline
Ongoing

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Competition
Low
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Moderate
Approval Rate
~30–50%
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
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What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to secure QEDP

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How to qualify

Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like

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Insider Tip

QEDP is CED's 'other' program — most applicants default to REGI, so QEDP has less competition for SME projects.

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Rejection Pitfalls 6

  • Business in excluded sector (retail, restaurants and cafés, transportation, housing construction, daycare, hair and beauty salons, nightclubs/bars/cabarets)
+5 more pitfalls
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Success Profile

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Evaluation Criteria

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6 reasons applications get rejected, what approved applicants look like, and exactly what lenders look for
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Application Playbook

Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses

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Application Steps

1 Contact regional CED office (mandatory) QEDP is less well-known than REGI. Call your CED regional office or initiate via CED Client Space. Describe your project fully — the advisor will confirm whether QEDP or REGI BSP (or a split between both) is the right fit. Budget 4-8 weeks for this phase.

Required Documents 7

CED Client Space online application form
Business plan or project proposal with objectives and timeline

Eligible Expenses 9

Ineligible Expenses 9

Deadline Notes

Ineligible Organizations

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Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

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Compatible Programs

SR&ED Tax Credits Investissement Québec Ministère du Tourisme du Québec Community Futures Program (CFP) CanExport SMEs BDC Financing
Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

Low Risk

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How QEDP Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

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Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
CED Quebec — Quebec Economic Developm... $50,000 to $500,000 Moderate Reimbursement Ongoing
Investissement Québec — Project Finan... Varies Hard Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Ongoing
Community Futures Program — Ontario (... Up to $150,000 Easy Loan Ongoing (year-round...
CanExport SMEs Up to $50,000 Moderate Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Applications accepted...
Quebec R&D Tax Credit (CRIC — Researc... 20-30% tax credit (CRIC) Hard Tax Credit Offset Ongoing

Related Programs

Other programs you might be eligible for

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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about QEDP

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Can sole proprietors apply for QEDP?
No. Sole proprietors must incorporate to apply. QEDP requires legal entity status (corporation, non-profit, co-op, municipality, or RCM).
What's the typical award for a tourism project?
$50,000-$150,000 for tourism projects. Larger community facility projects can reach $500K+ but are less common for first-time applicants.
Do I need to be incorporated to apply?
Yes. Sole proprietors must incorporate before applying. QEDP requires legal entity status (corporation, non-profit, co-op, municipality, or RCM).
How long does approval take?
4-8 weeks for standard applications. Tourism projects with pre-consultation may get faster processing. Budgets follow fiscal year (April 1-March 31).
Why do most applications fail?
Project in excluded sector (retail, restaurant, transportation), or no pre-application consultation with CED regional advisor.

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