Grant
Provincial
Active
Programme DÉPART — Développement économique pour l'aide à la redynamisation des territoires
Investissement Québec (MEIE)
Maximum Funding
Non-repayable contribution of up to $125,000 per project;...
Ongoing intake, subject to budget availability; the MEIE and Investissement Q...
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
New Program
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
60%
Programme DÉPART — Développement économique pour l'aide à la redynamisation des territoires provides up to Non-repayable contribution of up to $125,000 per project; minimum $15,000 per project; covers up to 60% of eligible expenses; cumulative government aid capped at 80% of eligible expenses. Non-repayable Québec contribution for projects in targeted low-vitality territories, offering $15,000 to $125,000 per project and covering up to 60% of eligible expenses. The program covers up to 60% of eligible costs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
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Eligibility & Details
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Program Description
Non-repayable Québec contribution for projects in targeted low-vitality territories, offering $15,000 to $125,000 per project and covering up to 60% of eligible expenses.
Eligibility Requirements
- For-profit SME of 250 employees or less, OR a collective enterprise (cooperative or NPO) under Québec's Social Economy Law with mainly commercial activity.
- Legally incorporated under Québec or Canada laws.
- Registered in Québec, with an active establishment and active operations in Québec.
- Located in a targeted low-vitality MRC or territory.
- Project falls in eligible sectors such as primary/secondary transformation, manufacturing, high-value tertiary activities, or tourism.
- Cumulative government aid must not exceed 80% of eligible expenses.
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- Non-repayable contribution of up to $125,000 per project; minimum $15,000 per project; covers up to 60% of eligible expenses; cumulative government aid capped at 80% of eligible expenses.
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 60% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing intake, subject to budget availability; the MEIE and Investissement Québec reserve the right to suspend intake/analysis without notice.
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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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipApply early because the MEIE and Investissement Québec can suspend intake without notice once the budget envelope runs low.
Rejection Pitfalls 10
- The application is incomplete or non-conforming, which is refused automatically with no opportunity to correct it
+9 more pitfalls
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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All 10 pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win Programme DÉPART — Développement économiqu...
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 10 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 8-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 8-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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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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8 steps
8 docs
Application Steps
1
Confirm your MRC is on the targeted list The program covers MRCs in the last quintile of the Institut de la statistique du Quebec economic vitality index, which is republished every two years, plus the Gaspesie and Iles-de-la-Madeleine MRCs, the MRC des Appalaches, the MRC du Granit including Lac-Megantic, and the MRCs of Maskinonge and Charlevoix-Est. Indigenous communities inside the perimeter of an eligible MRC, from a Nation recognized by the Assemblee nationale, also qualify. Check the current list rather than an old one, because the quintile is recalculated.
Required Documents 8
✓ The completed and signed financial assistance application form
✓ A business plan conforming to the Guide de presentation des demandes
Eligible Expenses 10
Ineligible Expenses 4
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
Other programs of the ministere de l'Economie, de l'Innovation et de l'Energie (MEIE)
MEIE Programme Innovation
Other government financial assistance (federal, municipal or other Quebec bodies)
Combined Funding Potential
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Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How Programme DÉPART — Développement économiqu... Compares
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| Programme DÉPART — Développement écon... | up to $125,000 | Moderate | Reimbursement | Ongoing intake, subject... |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Programme DÉPART — Développement économiqu...
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How much can DEPART provide?
A non-repayable contribution of at least $15,000 and at most $125,000 per project, covering up to 60 percent of eligible expenses. Cumulative government assistance on the project may reach up to 80 percent of eligible expenses.
Who is eligible?
A for-profit business of 250 employees or fewer, legally incorporated under Quebec or Canadian law with an operating establishment in Quebec, or a collective enterprise (cooperative or non-profit) under Quebec's Social Economy Law whose activity is mainly commercial. The business must be registered in Quebec, have an establishment there and actively operate there.
Which territories does the program cover?
MRCs in the last quintile of the economic vitality index published every two years by the Institut de la statistique du Quebec, the MRCs of the Gaspesie and Iles-de-la-Madeleine region, the MRC des Appalaches, the MRC du Granit including Lac-Megantic, and the MRCs of Maskinonge and Charlevoix-Est. Indigenous communities within the perimeter of an eligible MRC, from a Nation recognized by the Assemblee nationale, are also covered.
What kinds of projects qualify?
Feasibility studies, investment projects in equipment and buildings including creating a new business or expanding and modernizing an existing one, technology transition projects, productivity practice projects, tourism facilities and attractions and new tourist accommodation construction, support for a new owner after a business transfer, and the development or demonstration of new products and processes.
Can I use DEPART to pay for a new hire?
Partly. Hiring a qualified professional the business did not already have in house is an eligible expense, but a project cannot consist only of a hire, salary expenses cannot exceed 50 percent of eligible expenses, the position must be new rather than a replacement, and the minimum qualification required is a professional, technical or university diploma.
Can DEPART be combined with other funding?
It cannot be combined with assistance from another MEIE program for the same project, but it can be combined with other government financial assistance, provided cumulative government aid stays within 80 percent of eligible expenses. Where a project meets the criteria of the MEIE Innovation program, that program takes precedence.
How long does it take and when is the money paid?
The conformity review takes about three weeks, analysis five to six weeks, and an offer letter follows within six weeks of a favourable committee decision. Expenses become eligible from the date of the automated acknowledgment of receipt. The final cheque arrives two to three months after the final disbursement amount is confirmed, and projects must be completed by December 31, 2028.
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Full Playbook: Programme DÉPART — Développement économiqu...
8 steps · 8 docs · reviewer insights