Grant
Municipal
Active
PME MTL — Commerce X Design
PME MTL Centre-Est and PME MTL Centre-Ville (City of Montreal / Bureau du design)
Maximum Funding
$10,000 non-repayable (up to 20% of project cost; minimum...
Ongoing until funds exhausted
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Milestone-Based
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
20%
PME MTL — Commerce X Design provides up to $10,000 non-repayable (up to 20% of project cost; minimum $50,000 project). Non-repayable $10,000 grant for small proximity retailers in Montreal's Centre-Est and Centre-Ville territories to integrate professional design services — graphic, display, commercial, or architectural — into their business. The program covers up to 20% of eligible costs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
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Eligibility & Details
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Program Description
Non-repayable $10,000 grant for small proximity retailers in Montreal's Centre-Est and Centre-Ville territories to integrate professional design services — graphic, display, commercial, or architectural — into their business. Minimum project cost of $50,000; grant covers up to 20% of total costs.
Eligibility Requirements
- Small proximity retailer (street-level storefront) located in PME MTL Centre-Est or Centre-Ville territory only
- Business must have street-facing frontage — non-storefront businesses are ineligible
- Applicant must provide at least 20% of total project costs from own resources
- Minimum total project cost of $50,000 (grant covers up to 20%, maximum $10,000)
- Must obtain minimum two quotes per design service category
- At least 75% of the $10,000 grant must be allocated to professional design fees (not renovation costs)
- Business plan or project summary including a design component and 3-year budget required
- Startups and established businesses are both eligible
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- $10,000 non-repayable (up to 20% of project cost; minimum $50,000 project)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Municipal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 20% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing until funds exhausted
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win PME MTL — Commerce X Design
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 7 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 5-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
- 3-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
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Insider TipAt least 75% of the $10,000 must go to professional design fees — not renovation labour or materials.
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Rejection Pitfalls 7
- Business not located in PME MTL Centre-Est or Centre-Ville territory
+6 more pitfalls
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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7 reasons applications get rejected, what winners look like, and exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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6 steps
5 docs
Application Steps
1
Submit interest form Complete the interest form at commerce-design.paperform.co. Describe your project concept, design service types planned, and business location.
Required Documents 5
✓ Completed interest form (via commerce-design.paperform.co)
✓ Business plan or project summary with design component and 3-year budget
Eligible Expenses 5
Ineligible Expenses 5
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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3 partners
Compatible Programs
CDEC or local BIA storefront improvement grants
Quebec PDIT (Programme de diversification des industries touristiques)
Federal CHPI or CDAP programs
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How PME MTL — Commerce X Design Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PME MTL — Commerce X Design | $10,000 non-repayable | Easy | Milestone-Based | Ongoing until funds... |
| Storefront Improvement Grant | Up to $25,000 | Moderate | Reimbursement | Three intake windows:... |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Applications accepted... |
| Commercial Façade Improvement Grant P... | Up to $12,500 (50% of costs) | Easy | Reimbursement | Annual Intake |
| Storefront Refresh Grant | Up to $1,000 (50% of costs) | Easy | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
Related Programs
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about PME MTL — Commerce X Design
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Does my business need to be incorporated to apply for Commerce X Design?
Yes. The program targets registered businesses with a street-level storefront in the PME MTL Centre-Est or Centre-Ville territory. Informal or unregistered businesses are not eligible.
Can the $10,000 grant cover renovation labour and materials?
Only partially. At least 75% of the grant ($7,500) must go to professional design fees (graphic, display, commercial, or architectural designers). The remaining 25% can cover certain renovation costs directly tied to the design work.
What is the minimum project size to qualify for Commerce X Design?
Your total project cost must be at least $50,000. The grant covers up to 20% of eligible costs, capped at $10,000, so the minimum project cost that maximizes the grant is $50,000.
Is Commerce X Design available to businesses outside the Centre-Est and Centre-Ville PME MTL territories?
No. The program is strictly limited to street-level businesses located within the PME MTL Centre-Est or Centre-Ville territories. Businesses in other Montreal boroughs or elsewhere in Quebec are not eligible.
When is the grant actually paid out?
The $10,000 is disbursed after you have completed at least 60% of the project and submitted supporting documentation (invoices, progress photos). You must finance the first 60% of project costs before receiving the grant.
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Full Playbook: PME MTL — Commerce X Design
6 steps · 5 docs · reviewer insights