ESSOR Volet 3 — Green Technology and Environmental Footprint Reduction

Program Description

Quebec loan and loan guarantee program for businesses investing in clean technologies, renewable energy, green hydrogen, or circular-economy projects that significantly reduce their environmental footprint. Minimum $100,000 in eligible project expenses; government aid capped at 50% of project cost (75% for renewable energy/green hydrogen). Program sunsets March 31, 2027.

Eligibility Requirements

• For-profit enterprise or social economy enterprise registered in Quebec
• Must conduct or commit to conducting business activities in Quebec within 12 months of project authorization
• Project must have minimum $100,000 in eligible expenses; maximum aid is $10M of budgetary impact per project
• Primary objective must be significant reduction of environmental footprint via clean tech, renewable energy, or green hydrogen
• A minimum private contribution equal to at least 20% of total project cost is required, because combined public aid cannot fund 100% of eligible expenses. For the cumulation calculation only, financing from BDC, Farm Credit Canada (FAC) and La Financière agricole du Québec (FADQ) counts as a PRIVATE contribution
• Businesses with 25 or more employees in Quebec for at least 6 months must be compliant with the francisation process under the Charter of the French Language: hold an OQLF francisation certificate or, failing that, a valid attestation issued by the Office québécois de la langue française, and must not appear on the OQLF's list of businesses that are non-compliant with the francisation process (the threshold was 50 employees before June 1, 2025)
• Ineligible if listed, provisionally or permanently, on the Registre des entreprises non admissibles aux contrats publics (RENA) — this extends to the project's subcontractors
• Ineligible if, in the two years preceding the application, the business defaulted on its obligations after being formally put on notice in connection with earlier financial aid from a Quebec government department or agency
• Ineligible if the applicant is a Crown corporation or a company controlled directly or indirectly by a municipal, provincial or federal government
• Ineligible if under the protection of the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act or the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act
• Ineligible if the business operates in a prohibited domain: production or distribution of weapons; exploration, extraction, drilling, production or refining of fossil fuels such as oil and thermal coal (except activities aimed at a transition to a low-carbon economy); gambling and games of chance; violent games or combat sports; sexual exploitation; or the production, sale and services related to the consumption of tobacco or drugs
• A project that qualifies under ESSOR volet 2 cannot claim volet 3
• Working capital eligible up to 20% of total eligible costs under certain conditions
• Project must start within 6 months of authorization; must complete within 5 years
• Must not be in an excluded sector: agriculture (except greenhouse/forestry/packaging), mining, real estate, construction (except projects aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of their activities), utilities, healthcare, education, finance/insurance, hospitality (except tourism-linked accommodation), telecommunications, broadcasting, arts/entertainment, management of companies and enterprises, other services (except public administration), public administration