ESSOR Volet 3 — Green Technology and Environmental Footprint Reduction
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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
- Primary objective must be significant reduction of environmental footprint via clean tech, renewable energy, or green hydrogen
- 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 productivity projects), utilities, healthcare, education, finance/insurance, hospitality (except tourism-linked accommodation), telecommunications, arts/entertainment, public administration
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Loan or loan guarantee (up to 70% of net loss coverage); non-repayable contribution possible in exceptional cases; minimum $100,000 in eligible expenses
- Type
- Forgivable Loan
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing until March 31, 2027
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win ESSOR Volet 3 — Green Technology and Envir... — $19
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 7-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 4-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipContact an Investissement Québec account manager or call 1-844-474-6367 before applying to validate project scope and expected documentation. This is the only ESSOR stream explicitly targeting environmental outcomes; projects where clean tech is a secondary benefit (e.g., equipment bought primarily for productivity that also reduces GHGs) are better suited to Volet 2. Renewable energy and green hydrogen projects qualify for an elevated 75% government aid ceiling. All documentation must be submitted in French.
Rejection Pitfalls 6
- Project is in an excluded sector (agriculture mainstream, mining, construction, real estate, hospitality)
- Environmental footprint reduction is a secondary objective rather than the primary driver
- Project is primarily regulatory compliance work with minimal innovation
Success Profile
A Quebec manufacturing, food-processing, or industrial SME investing $500K+ in capital equipment to switch from fossil fuels to electrification, install renewable energy generation, implement carbon capture, or transition to circular-economy production methods. The ideal applicant already has revenue exceeding $1M, stable operations, and a documented environmental impact study showing meaningful GHG or resource-use reduction.
Evaluation Criteria
Investissement Québec assesses the magnitude and permanence of environmental footprint reduction, the commercial and financial viability of the applicant, project feasibility and timeline realism, alignment with Quebec's clean growth and GHG reduction priorities, and the quality of supporting documentation. Projects where environmental impact is secondary to productivity gain are redirected to Volet 2. No competitive scoring panel — evaluated on individual merit by an IQ regional director.
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 7
Eligible Expenses 8
- Capital expenditures for buildings and facilities supporting the environmental project
- Equipment, machinery, and technology systems for clean tech adoption
- Software licenses and digital tools integral to the environmental project
- Engineering, architecture, and professional fees directly related to the project
- Measurement and verification tools for environmental impact tracking
- Working capital (up to 20% of total eligible expenses, under specific conditions)
- Carbon capture, pollution reduction, or circular-economy infrastructure
- Renewable energy generation equipment (solar, wind, green hydrogen systems)
Ineligible Expenses 5
- Environmental compliance work without productivity or footprint-reduction innovation
- Projects in excluded sectors (agriculture mainstream, mining, construction, real estate, hospitality)
- Working capital exceeding 20% of total eligible costs
- Projects already started before Investissement Québec authorization
- General operational costs not tied to the clean tech project
Intake Periods
Rolling intake year-round until March 31, 2027 or budget exhaustion. Investissement Québec may suspend new applications without notice.
Deadline Notes
Rolling intake under the 2025-2027 normative framework. Program ends March 31, 2027 or when budget exhausted. Investissement Québec may suspend new applications without notice. Projects must begin within 6 months of authorization and complete within 5 years (3 years preferred).
Open Application Portal →Ineligible Organizations
- Agricultural businesses (except greenhouse cultivation, forestry operations, and packaging)
- Mining and extraction companies
- Real estate service companies
- Construction companies (except for productivity-focused projects)
- Utilities and public services
- Healthcare and education institutions
- Finance and insurance companies
- Telecommunications and broadcasting companies
- Hospitality businesses (except tourism-linked accommodation)
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation businesses
- Public administration bodies
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Medium RiskIf the project does not achieve the committed environmental footprint reduction outcomes, Investissement Québec may require partial or full repayment of non-repayable components. Standard loan guarantee obligations apply if the underlying loan defaults. Businesses must remain operational in Quebec throughout the project period.
How ESSOR Volet 3 — Green Technology and Envir... Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about ESSOR Volet 3 — Green Technology and Envir...