INNOV-R PME — Quebec GHG-Reduction Innovation Program for SMEs
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Quebec R&D collaboration program that funds Quebec SMEs developing innovative products, processes, or services with strong greenhouse-gas (GHG) reduction potential in Quebec. Projects must be conducted in collaboration with at least one other Quebec company or eligible end-user, and must demonstrate a pathway to reducing or avoiding at least 100,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent within the first ten years of commercialization. Funded through Quebec's Fonds d'électrification et de changements climatiques (FECC) and administered by InnovÉÉ on behalf of the Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie (MEIE). The last published call (2025) closed its Letter of Intent stage on March 20, 2025; no 2026 call has been publicly announced as of April 23, 2026.
Eligibility Requirements
- Quebec-incorporated SME with internal production or R&D activities in Quebec
- Project conducted in collaboration with at least one other Quebec company or eligible end-user (public bodies — municipalities, ministries, transport authorities — now admissible as partners with up to 10% contribution)
- Project must target a technological innovation (new product, process, or service) with demonstrable GHG-reduction potential
- Project must show potential to reduce or avoid at least 100,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent within the first ten years of commercialization in Quebec
- Applicant must cover at least 50% of eligible expenses from private sources (matching contribution required)
- Project must have a credible commercialization pathway
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $450,000 per project, covering up to 50% of eligible expenses
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Between intakes — 2025 call closed March 20, 2025; next call TBD
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win INNOV-R PME — Quebec GHG-Reduction Innovat... — $19
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 8-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 7-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
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipThe 100,000-tonne CO2-equivalent threshold is the single biggest screen. Before you invest in the LOI, build a defensible bottom-up GHG-reduction model: what's the baseline emissions profile, what's your technology's delta per unit, and what's the realistic Quebec market size over 10 years. If you can't credibly hit 100,000 tonnes with conservative adoption assumptions, you're not in scope for this program — consider PSO or a Prompt Innov program instead. InnovÉÉ's team can advise on whether your project fits before you invest in the full LOI.
Success Profile
Quebec cleantech or industrial SME with an R&D team, a prototype or pilot-stage technology, and one or more committed Quebec industrial or municipal partners ready to pilot the solution. Sectors represented in past calls include transport electrification, industrial process electrification, green hydrogen, advanced materials, and circular-economy processes.
Evaluation Criteria
Projects are evaluated on: (1) GHG-reduction potential (Quebec-focused, minimum 100,000 tonnes CO2-eq over 10 years); (2) technological and business novelty — new product, process, or significant improvement; (3) technological and business risk (real uncertainty that requires R&D); (4) commercial viability and clear market pathway; (5) strength of the Quebec collaboration; (6) one-time project nature (ongoing operations are not fundable).
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 8
Eligible Expenses 7
- R&D salaries and benefits
- Subcontracting to Quebec research centres or specialized partners
- Materials, consumables, and prototype components
- Pilot-scale equipment directly tied to the project
- Analytical testing and performance validation
- Project-related travel within Quebec and Canada
- Specialized software and data acquisition
Ineligible Expenses 5
- Core operating expenses unrelated to the project
- Commercial marketing and sales activities
- Capital infrastructure or building construction beyond project-specific equipment
- Activities completed before project approval
- Indirect overhead beyond program caps
Intake Periods
Annual-ish calls, typically launching in late winter / early spring with LOI deadlines in Q1. Next call timing TBD as of April 2026.
Deadline Notes
As of April 23, 2026, InnovÉÉ has not publicly announced the next INNOV-R PME call. The 2025 call's Letter of Intent stage closed on March 20, 2025. The program page (innovee.quebec/en/programme/innov-rpme/) confirms the structural parameters (up to $450K, 50% of eligible expenses, 100,000 tonnes CO2-eq threshold) but does not advertise an open deadline. Quebec-based SMEs with qualifying GHG-reduction projects should contact InnovÉÉ directly to check call timing and be notified when a new intake opens.
Open Application Portal →Ineligible Organizations
- Companies not incorporated in Quebec
- Non-profit organizations acting as sole applicant (partners allowed)
- Individual consultants without corporate structure
- Large enterprises outside the SME scope of the PME stream
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Medium RiskFunds may be clawed back if the project is not executed per the approved plan or if the applicant fails to meet material reporting obligations. Standard Quebec program terms apply.
How INNOV-R PME — Quebec GHG-Reduction Innovat... Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| INNOV-R PME — Quebec GHG-Reduction In... | Up to $450,000 | Hard | Reimbursement | Between intakes — 2025... |
| Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... | Up to $50 million | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing — continuous... |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Next deadline: May 29,... |
| Innovative Solutions Canada | up to $150,000 | Hard | Milestone-Based | Challenge-specific — new... |
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