Québec · Recherche & Innovation · 2026

Quebec R&D & innovation funding, layer by layer

Quebec pays innovators better than almost anywhere in Canada, but the money is split across a refundable tax credit, Investissement Québec programs, cleantech calls, and a federal layer most founders never combine. Here is the plain-English map of what a Quebec company can claim in 2026, including which layers do not stack.

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Updated September 2026 · CRIC · SR&ED · Investissement Québec · ~15 minute read

36Quebec R&D and innovation programs in the catalogue, 31 active
20–30%refundable Quebec CRIC credit rate, plus federal SR&ED up to 35%
12cleantech-tagged R&D programs, Quebec's biggest R&D cluster
22of 36 programs accept rolling or continuous intake, no deadline to miss
01 · Overview

What R&D funding can a Quebec company actually get in 2026?

Quick answer: Quebec R&D funding is a stack, not a single program. The base layer is two refundable tax credits claimed every year: federal SR&ED (up to 35% for a CCPC on the first $6M) and Quebec's CRIC (20–30%, filed with the CO-17). On top go project grants: Technoclimat (up to $18M), INNOV-R (up to $450,000, LOI due September 22, 2026), ESSOR, and Primo-Adoptants (up to $75,000). Combined support on the same work commonly exceeds 50% of eligible spend.
En bref Au Québec, le financement de la R&D se construit par couches : les crédits d'impôt remboursables (RS&DE fédéral et le nouveau CRIC, 20–30 %), puis des subventions de projet (Technoclimat, INNOV-R, ESSOR, Programme Innovation) et une couche fédérale. Les programmes d'incubation et de commercialisation forment une économie de l'innovation distincte : précieuse, mais ce ne sont pas des subventions à la R&D.

Here's what you need to know first: the GrantCompass catalogue tracks 36 Quebec R&D and innovation programs as of September 2026, 31 of them active, and they are not interchangeable. Four behave like a salary rebate claimed on a tax return (CRIC, SR&ED, the CDAEIA AI credit, the multimedia credit). A dozen more are competitive project grants with dates and matching-fund rules. And a third ring, incubators and commercialization funds, is often mistaken for R&D funding when it is really ecosystem support. This page separates the three rings honestly, then shows how the first two combine.

Start with the interactive below. Pick the profile closest to your business and watch which layers combine, which cap the total, and which carry an exclusion you would only discover in the program guide.

The Quebec R&D stacking visualizer

Figure 1 · GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026

Pick a profile, then toggle layers. The bar shows the refundable credit rates; the chips show grant envelopes; the warnings panel lists every stacking cap or exclusion stated in the program records.

Combined refundable credit rate on eligible R&D spendup to ~65%
Stacking caps & exclusions stated in the records
    Sources: program records in the GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026. Credit rates: CRIC 20–30%, SR&ED 35% CCPC on the first $6M (Budget 2025, raised from $3M directly). Percentages are gross rates before the federal base is reduced by provincial assistance.

    Every status and figure on this page is checked against the GrantCompass catalogue, 973 programs tracked, 674 active as of September 2026. Confirm the current intake on the delivering agency's page before planning around a dated grant.

    02 · The landscape

    How is Quebec R&D funding organized?

    Most founders search for "the Quebec R&D grant," find nothing that fits, and give up. The catalogue says otherwise: 36 programs carry Quebec plus an R&D purpose tag or an innovation mandate. By delivering level: 20 provincial, 7 municipal, 5 federal, 4 private (GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026).

    • Provincial (MEIE, Investissement Québec, ministries)20
    • Municipal (Laval, Gatineau, Québec City, Montréal)7
    • Federal (CED, defence, cross-province)5
    • Private (Desjardins, Hydro-Québec, hubs)4
    GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026: 36 Quebec R&D/innovation programs by delivering level.

    The four kinds of money behave completely differently, and matching your situation to the right kind is the biggest predictor of success:

    If you aredoing ongoing R&D every year, start with the refundable tax credits

    CRIC (20–30%), SR&ED (up to 35% for a CCPC on the first $6M), CDAEIA (30% on AI salaries), and the multimedia credit (up to 37.5%) have no intake window. You claim them annually on tax returns, and because they are refundable, a pre-profit company receives them as cash. They are the base layer almost every Quebec innovator qualifies for.

    If you arerunning one specific project, reach for a project grant

    Technoclimat (cleantech demonstration, up to $18M per project), INNOV-R (GHG-reduction R&D, up to $450,000), the ESSOR components, the Primo-Adoptants call (up to $75,000), and sector calls like MAPAQ's biofood innovation and Innovation Bois. Competitive, dated, and usually requiring matching funds.

    If you area startup or ecosystem player, the innovation-economy ring is yours

    Incubators and accelerators (District 3, NEXT AI, IO Venture Path), commercialization funds (Capitale-Innovation, PME MTL, Fonds C), and research partnerships (CQDM, IVADO). These build capability; they are not R&D funding and should not be counted as such in your stack.

    If you arescaling or defending a market, add the federal and scale-up layer

    CED's permanent programs accept applications year-round (SMEs receive repayable assistance; non-profits and municipalities, non-repayable under specific streams), the Regional Tariff Response Initiative serves tariff-impacted manufacturers ($100,000 to $1M), and RDII supports defence supply-chain projects at up to 75% of costs through March 31, 2028.

    LayerExamplesHas a deadline?Cash or repayment
    Refundable tax creditsCRIC 20–30% · CDAEIA 30% · multimedia 37.5% · SR&ED 35% (CCPC)No intake; claim with the annual return (CRIC: within 18 months of fiscal year-end)Refundable cash, even pre-profit
    Project grantsTechnoclimat · INNOV-R · ESSOR 1A/2/3 · Primo-Adoptants · MAPAQ · Innovation BoisDated calls or rolling frameworks with end dates (ESSOR framework ends March 31, 2027)Non-repayable, usually 50–75% of costs with matching funds
    Scale-up & federalCED permanent programs · RTRI · RDII · defence supply-chain integrationMostly continuous intake; RDII ends March 31, 2028Repayable for SMEs (interest-free contributions), non-repayable for specific streams
    Innovation-economy ringDistrict 3 · NEXT AI · Capitale-Innovation · PME MTL funds · CQDM · IVADOCohort- or call-based; several currently between intakesCoaching, loans, or partnership funding, not R&D cost recovery
    The verdict

    Build from the base up. Lock in the refundable credits first: they arrive every year, and 22 of the 36 programs here accept rolling intake. Then layer a dated project grant on top. Chasing one big grant while ignoring the credits is the most expensive mistake a Quebec innovator makes.

    Sources: program records in the GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026; Revenu Québec; Investissement Québec; MEIE; Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.
    03 · The base layer

    What is the CRIC credit, and how exactly do you claim it?

    The single most important R&D program in Quebec in 2026 is a tax credit, not a grant. The CRIC (crédit d'impôt pour la recherche, l'innovation et la commercialisation) is Quebec's consolidated R&D credit, and it reaches more companies than any grant here.

    Quick answer: for taxation years beginning after March 25, 2025, the legacy Quebec SR&ED credit is replaced by the CRIC, a refundable 20–30% on eligible research, innovation, and pre-commercialization spending. Claim it annually with your CO-17 return using form RD-1029.8.CR-T, within 18 months of fiscal year-end; the federal T661 must also be filed within 18 months. There is no application window.

    Two features make it powerful. It is refundable: a pre-profit startup with no tax to offset still receives the credit as cash. And it reaches past lab research: the "innovation and pre-commercialization" wording covers work moving a validated technology toward market, a wider net than the strict federal SR&ED test.

    Eligibility spine, per the record: a corporation incorporated and filing taxes in Quebec (sole proprietors and partnerships ineligible), with a permanent establishment in Quebec, conducting eligible SR&D in the province, filing within the 18-month window.

    The claim-year sequence

    1. Open the R&D log: salaries by project, contractor invoices, materials. One evidence base feeds both credits.
    2. The standard corporate deadline passes; the 18-month outer limit is now the clock that matters.
    3. File the federal T661 (SR&ED) and the Quebec CO-17 with form RD-1029.8.CR-T (CRIC).
    4. Refundable credits are paid as cash, often the largest non-dilutive cheque an early-stage deep-tech company receives.
    Mechanics and deadlines: quebec-r-d-tax-credit record, GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026.

    CRIC beside CDAEIA and the multimedia credit

    CreditRateWhat it coversClaimed with
    CRIC (recherche, innovation et commercialisation)20–30%Research, innovation, and pre-commercialization spendingCO-17 + form RD-1029.8.CR-T
    CDAEIA (AI adoption)30%Eligible AI-related salaries; fiscal years beginning in 2026, replacing the CDAE creditAnnual return; attestation via Investissement Québec within 15–18 months of year-end
    CDTIM (multimedia titles)Up to 37.5%Eligible multimedia titles: video games, interactive software, e-learning; Quebec labourAnnual return, after an Investissement Québec eligibility certificate
    SR&ED (federal)Up to 35% (CCPC)Scientific research and experimental development anywhere in CanadaForm T661 + T2, within 18 months per the CRIC record
    If you're pre-profit

    The refundable credit is cash, not a future deduction

    A loss-making Quebec startup doesn't wait to be profitable: file and receive money. Plan your runway around the assessment timeline, not around a tax bill you don't have.

    Expert deep-dive: the legacy-credit transition

    The CRIC replaced Quebec's older suite of R&D credits for taxation years beginning after March 25, 2025. If you straddle the date: you can still claim the legacy credits for any taxation year beginning before March 26, 2025 (for a partnership claim, its fiscal period must begin before that date), each with its own filing deadline. Revenu Québec has released form RD-1029.8.CR-T for the new credit. If your year-end fell near the transition, a tax advisor who has run a CRIC claim before is worth the fee: the first filing sets the mapping your future claims reuse.

    The verdict

    For a Quebec corporation doing genuine development work, the CRIC is not optional money: a 20–30% rebate on eligible spend that arrives even in loss years, stacks with federal SR&ED, and reuses the same evidence base.

    Sources: Revenu Québec (CRIC); quebec-r-d-tax-credit, quebec-ai-adoption-tax-credit, and quebec-tax-credit-for-production-of-multimedia-titles records, GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026.
    04 · The inventory

    Which Quebec R&D and innovation programs are open right now?

    The honest inventory: of the 36 programs in this space, 31 are active, 4 between intakes, 1 closed. Statuses use each record's exact word; amounts are per program, not aggregates.

    36Quebec R&D / innovation programs tracked
    31active
    4between intakes (NEXT AI, IVADO, MEDTEQ+ AVISÉ, Fonds Écoleader business stream)
    1closed (Fonds Écoleader Volet 2, closed February 23, 2026)
    GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026.

    The directory

    ProgramTypeAmount (per record)StatusIntake
    Quebec R&D Tax Credit (CRIC)Refundable tax credit20–30%activeNone; CO-17 + RD-1029.8.CR-T within 18 months of year-end
    Quebec AI Adoption Credit (CDAEIA)Refundable tax credit30% of AI salariesactiveYear-round attestations; applies to fiscal years beginning 2026
    Multimedia Title Credit (CDTIM)Refundable tax creditUp to 37.5% ($75K–$11M range)activeYear-round; IQ certificate first
    Technoclimat (cleantech demonstration)Grant$100K–$18M per projectactiveBioenergy stream continuous; TRL 4–7 stream periodic calls
    INNOV-R PME (GHG-reduction innovation)GrantUp to $450K (50% of costs)activeLOI due September 22, 2026; full application November 2, 2026 by invitation
    ESSOR Component 1A (feasibility study)GrantUp to $50KactiveRolling, to March 31, 2027
    ESSOR Volet 2 (Chantier Productivité)LoanUp to $10M per projectactiveContinuous to March 31, 2027
    ESSOR Volet 3 (green technology)Forgivable loan$100K–$10MactiveRolling to March 31, 2027 or budget exhaustion
    Programme Innovation — Primo-AdoptantsGrant$10K–$75Kactive2026 deadlines: April 3, July 17, November 4
    CQDM SynergiQC (life-sciences R&D)GrantUp to $1.5M over 3 yearsactiveCalls every 3 months; current call closes November 4, 2026
    MAPAQ Innovation bioalimentaireGrant$10K–$210KactiveVolet 2 call to October 5, 2026; Volets 1 & 3 continuous to March 1, 2028
    Programme Innovation BoisGrant$75K–$2.5MactiveReopened call closes September 18, 2026 (Volets 1A, 2, 3)
    CED permanent programs (REGI BSP, QEDP)Grant / contribution$50K–$5M (varies)activeContinuous year-round
    CED Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI)Grant$100K–$1MactiveContinuous until funds are fully used
    CED RDII (defence supply chain)LoanUp to 75% of costsactiveContinuous within April 2025 – March 2028
    Hydro-Québec Solutions Efficaces (OSE 5.1)Grant$1K–$5M per projectactiveContinuous; annual envelopes
    ÉcoPerformance — Simplified trackGrant$5K–$100K/yractiveContinuous, subject to Cap-and-Trade budget
    Programme DÉPART (low-vitality territories)Grant$15K–$125KactiveContinuous; projects finish by December 31, 2028
    Capitale-Innovation (Québec City)GrantUp to $500K (40–50%)activeContinuous since August 27, 2025
    MEDTEQ+ AVISÉ (medtech)GrantUp to $700K non-repayablebetween intakesLast deposit closed April 17, 2026; no new call published
    NEXT AI (accelerator)ProgramNon-monetarybetween intakesAnnual; 2026 cohort deadline was December 10, 2025
    IVADO Scientist in Action (AI intern)Program$3.75K–$11.25Kbetween intakes2026 window closed January 12, 2026; next call expected Q4 2026 or Q1 2027
    Fonds Écoleader Volet 2GrantUp to $300KclosedStopped accepting applications February 23, 2026
    All statuses and amounts per record, GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026. The full roster also includes the Québec City and Laval municipal funds, PME MTL funds, Fonds C, the defence supply-chain integration program, and REGI ecosystems, profiled below.

    What kinds of R&D do the programs fund?

    Purpose tags show where Quebec concentrates its R&D money: cleantech ties general R&D as the biggest clusters, with manufacturing, software and digital, biotech and health, and space and defence behind.

    • Cleantech12
    • General R&D12
    • Manufacturing8
    • Software & digital6
    • Biotech & health2
    • Space & defence1
    GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026: rd-* purpose tags across the 33 R&D-tagged records. Tags are not mutually exclusive.
    Reading the amounts honestly: 25 of the 36 records carry amount data; the median maximum across them is $250,000. The $18M headline belongs to Technoclimat alone, and the smallest maximum, $11,250, is IVADO's intern subsidy. Treat any single number as one program's envelope, never as what Quebec R&D grants pay in general.
    The verdict

    For breadth, the tax credits win: four refundable credits, no intakes, every sector. For depth on one project, cleantech has the deepest bench (12 tagged programs), and tariff-related manufacturers have CED's RTRI ($100K–$1M, continuous). Immediate dates: Innovation Bois closes September 18, 2026; INNOV-R's letter of intent is due September 22, 2026; Primo-Adoptants and CQDM both close November 4, 2026.

    Sources: program records listed above, GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026.
    05 · The signature move

    How do CRIC, SR&ED, and project grants stack together?

    Quebec is one of the best places in Canada to do R&D because the layers combine: federal SR&ED on your T2, Quebec's CRIC on your CO-17, on the same underlying work, plus a project grant whose record explicitly allows cumulation.

    35%Federal SR&ED · CCPC
    Refundable ITC on the first $6M of qualified R&D (Budget 2025, raised from $3M)
    20–30%Quebec CRIC
    Refundable provincial research, innovation & pre-commercialization credit
    Combined effective support on eligible R&D spend, before grant layerscommonly exceeds 50%
    The honest nuance: the credits do not simply add to 55–65%: provincial assistance reduces the federal SR&ED base, so the real combined figure lands lower. The visualizer shows gross rates; the combined line is the planning number.

    The stacking rules the records actually state

    ProgramCumulation rule stated in the recordPractical meaning
    TechnoclimatTotal combined government assistance (federal + provincial + energy distributors + Technoclimat) cannot exceed 75% of total eligible project expensesYour project needs at least 25% private money
    ESSOR Volet 2 / Volet 3At least 20% of total project cost from private sources, because combined public aid cannot fund 100% of eligible expenses; BDC, FCC, and FADQ financing counts as private for the stacking calculationPublic layers can cover up to 80%
    Programme DÉPARTCumulative government aid must not exceed 80% of eligible expensesSame 80% ceiling, in low-vitality territories
    Fonds ÉcoleaderOrganizations already funded by FAQDD under another stream may be restricted from stackingA rare explicit cross-stream restriction; check before combining FAQDD programs
    CQDM SynergiQCThe funded applicant must be a Quebec public research institution; a business cannot be the funded applicantReach this layer only through a university, hospital, CCTT, or public research centre partner
    REGI Regional Innovation EcosystemsFor-profit companies are not eligible under this stream; they are directed to REGI Business Scale-up & Productivity or QEDPAs a company this is an exclusion, not a layer
    CRICFederal T661 must be filed within 18 months; the CRIC rides on the CO-17 with form RD-1029.8.CR-TCoordinated filings, not rival applications
    The verdict

    The default stack for a Quebec CCPC is SR&ED + CRIC every year, plus one project grant per initiative. Only two layers are genuinely off-limits: REGI ecosystems (non-profits) and CQDM SynergiQC (public institutions). Everything else is sequencing.

    Sources: technoclimat, essor-volet-2, essor-volet-3, programme-depart, fonds-ecoleader-business-stream, cqdm-synergiqc, regi-regional-innovation-ecosystems, and quebec-r-d-tax-credit records, GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026; Canada Revenue Agency (SR&ED).
    06 · The ecosystem

    Where does Quebec's innovation-economy ring fit?

    Beside the R&D funding sits a ring of incubators, accelerators, commercialization funds, and research partnerships. It matters enormously to who wins grants, but it is not R&D funding, and counting it as such inflates your plan. Three records carry no R&D purpose tag at all; they are included by their innovation mandate. Here is the honest split.

    Ecosystem & coaching (non-monetary or indirect)

    District 3 (Concordia) offers free, no-equity coaching, in-person in Quebec, on an ongoing basis. NEXT AI runs an annual cohort; the 2026 deadline was December 10, 2025, so it is between intakes. IO Venture Path serves Ottawa-Gatineau with quarterly Ignition intakes and a selective ScaleUp track. REGI Regional Innovation Ecosystems funds the non-profits, municipalities, and RCMs running incubators and accelerators (up to 90% of costs): an exclusion for companies, but the hubs it funds are your on-ramp.

    Why the ring still decides grant outcomes: the Primo-Adoptants call requires a commitment letter from an approved Quebec incubator or accelerator, and IVADO eligibility leans on completion of a recognized program. Ecosystem participation is not R&D money, but it is frequently the key that unlocks it.
    The verdict

    Join the ring early for the doors it opens, not the cash it pays: District 3 or a PME MTL service centre costs nothing and satisfies the accompaniment Primo-Adoptants and IVADO explicitly ask for. Chasing CQDM money as a business means recruiting the public research institution, not applying yourself.

    Sources: district-3, next-ai, io-venture-path, regi-regional-innovation-ecosystems, capitale-innovation, pme-mtl, fonds-c, cqdm-synergiqc, ivado, and medteq records, GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026.
    07 · Fit by sector

    Which programs fit your sector?

    Beyond the two base credits, the right project layer depends on what you're building. Four sectors have dedicated Quebec money worth planning around.

    Cleantech and energy (the deepest bench)

    With 12 cleantech-tagged programs, this is Quebec's biggest R&D cluster. The stack pairs Technoclimat (up to $18M per project, 75% combined-assistance ceiling) with INNOV-R (up to $450K for innovations that can cut or avoid 100,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent in ten years); for implementation, Hydro-Québec's Solutions Efficaces (up to $5M) and ÉcoPerformance's simplified track (up to $100K/yr). ESSOR Volet 3 funds the green-technology investment itself.

    If your project is…Reach forWatch for
    A pre-commercial cleantech demo (TRL 4–7)Technoclimat · up to $18M75% combined-government cap; regular stream runs periodic calls
    A GHG-reducing product, process, or serviceINNOV-R PME · up to $450K (50%)LOI due September 22, 2026; 50% private matching; needs a Quebec partner
    Energy efficiency or electrification in your own facilityOSE 5.1 (up to $5M) · ÉcoPerformance simplified (up to $100K/yr)OSE prescriptive vs custom paths; ÉcoPerformance excludes large energy consumers
    A green-technology investment of $100K+ESSOR Volet 3 · $100K–$10M20% private minimum; framework ends March 31, 2027

    AI, software, and multimedia

    Montréal's AI ecosystem now has a salary-side credit: the CDAEIA at 30% of eligible AI salaries for fiscal years beginning in 2026, claimed through the annual return with an Investissement Québec attestation. Multimedia producers claim the CDTIM at up to 37.5% after an IQ eligibility certificate.

    If your work is…Reach forWatch for
    Adopting or integrating AICDAEIA · 30% of AI salariesReplaces the CDAE e-business credit; attestation within 15–18 months of year-end
    Building an eligible multimedia titleCDTIM · up to 37.5%Interactivity requirements; certificate before claiming
    Core R&D under the hood of eitherSR&ED + CRIC, same as any R&DOne evidence base serves all three claims

    Manufacturing and the regions

    Manufacturers adding genuine development work qualify for the base credits, and their investment side is covered by ESSOR: Component 1A funds feasibility studies up to $50K, Volet 2 loans up to $10M per productivity project (minimum $100K in eligible expenses, 20% private share), and Volet 3 covers green investments. Tariff-impacted manufacturers with $2M+ revenue should look at CED's RTRI ($100K–$1M, continuous until funds are used); Laval manufacturers have two local funds up to $50K. In lower-vitality territories, Programme DÉPART adds $15K–$125K with an 80% cumulative-aid cap.

    If your situation is…Reach forWatch for
    A productivity investment ($100K+ eligible expenses)ESSOR Volet 2 · up to $10M20% private minimum; expenses before filing are ineligible
    Feasibility work before committingESSOR 1A · up to $50KYou cover 50% of costs; all documentation in French
    Tariff-impacted, $2M+ revenue, 3+ years operatingCED RTRI · $100K–$1MContinuous until the allocation is used; short-term projects prioritized
    Located in a targeted low-vitality MRCProgramme DÉPART · $15K–$125KSME of 250 employees or less; project complete by December 31, 2028

    Biofood, wood, life sciences, and defence

    Four narrower lanes round out the map. MAPAQ's Innovation bioalimentaire runs a Volet 2 call until October 5, 2026 ($10K–$210K) with continuous Volets 1 and 3 to March 1, 2028. The Programme Innovation Bois reopened with a call closing September 18, 2026 ($75K–$2.5M, minimum 25% private contribution). Life-sciences firms route research through CQDM SynergiQC and watch for a possible MEDTEQ+ AVISÉ return. Defence and aerospace suppliers have CED's RDII (up to 75% of costs, to March 31, 2028) and the defence supply-chain integration program (up to $4.5M, rolling through 2028–29, delivered via STIQ, Aéro Montréal, or Propulsion Québec).

    If you're a deep-tech or AI startup

    Your stack is credits plus accompaniment, not one big grant

    Build on SR&ED + CRIC for the R&D, add CDAEIA for AI-adoption salaries, and get accompanied early: District 3, PME MTL, or a recognized accelerator. That accompaniment letter is what Primo-Adoptants ($10K–$75K, next deadline November 4, 2026) explicitly requires of young pre-commercial companies.

    Sources: sector program records, GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026.
    08 · Execution

    How do you claim and apply, step by step?

    Tax credits are claimed with your return; project grants are applied for to the delivering body. The path that captures the most money:

    1. Confirm the work qualifies as R&D

      The test for both federal SR&ED and Quebec's CRIC is whether you are resolving a genuine technological uncertainty through systematic investigation, not routine development.
    2. Track eligible costs from day one

      Log salaries, contractor fees, and materials tied to the R&D work as you go. Both credits are built from this evidence, and reconstructed records weaken a claim.
    3. File the federal SR&ED claim

      Submit Form T661 with your T2; a CCPC earns a 35% refundable credit on the first $6M of qualified expenditures (Budget 2025 raised the limit from $3M directly). The CRIC record states the T661 is due within 18 months.
    4. Claim the CRIC with your Quebec CO-17 return

      Use form RD-1029.8.CR-T, within 18 months of fiscal year-end, for each eligible taxation year.
    5. Layer a project grant for a specific initiative

      Technoclimat for cleantech demonstration; INNOV-R for GHG-reduction R&D (letter of intent due September 22, 2026); an ESSOR component via the clicSÉQUR Entreprises portal (listed as "Programme d'aide audit Industrie 4.0"; all documentation in French); or the Primo-Adoptants call (next deadline November 4, 2026).
    6. Add the innovation-economy ring where it fits

      CQDM SynergiQC if a Quebec public research institution carries the application with your business as partner; District 3 for free coaching; IVADO's Scientist in Action intern subsidy. IVADO and NEXT AI are between intakes as of September 2026, so queue rather than wait.

    What you'll file, per record

    ProgramCore documents the record names
    CRICForm RD-1029.8.CR-T attached to the Quebec CO-17 corporation return
    ESSOR componentsIQ online application in French via clicSÉQUR Entreprises, plus the signed representative-and-consent form
    CED programsCED Client Space application form and audited or reviewed financial statements for the last two fiscal years
    INNOV-R PMELetter of intent during the open call, then a detailed technical, commercial, and GHG-reduction description
    Primo-AdoptantsMEIE application form plus an incubator or accelerator commitment letter (template provided by MEIE)
    Language note: a Quebec company operating in English is fully eligible. Revenu Québec forms and most program guides are in French, ESSOR documentation must be entirely in French, and a bilingual R&D narrative is standard.
    Sources: requiredDocuments fields of the program records, GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026.
    09 · Freshness

    What changed for Quebec R&D funding in 2026?

    The changes that matter, dated from the program records:

    DateChange
    March 25, 2025The CRIC replaces the legacy Quebec SR&ED credit for taxation years beginning after this date; legacy credits remain claimable for earlier years
    Fiscal years beginning 2026The CDAEIA AI adoption credit takes effect at 30%, replacing the CDAE e-business credit
    February 23, 2026Fonds Écoleader Volet 2 stops accepting applications
    April 17, 2026MEDTEQ+ AVISÉ's third and last deposit closes; no further call is published
    September 18, 2026Programme Innovation Bois reopened call closes (Volets 1A, 2, 3)
    September 22, 2026INNOV-R PME letter of intent due; full applications by invitation due November 2, 2026
    November 4, 2026Primo-Adoptants deadline (5:00 p.m.) and CQDM SynergiQC current call both close
    March 31, 2027The ESSOR 2025–2027 framework (Décret 324-2025) expires unless renewed; CED RDII runs to March 31, 2028
    Federal backdrop: Budget 2025 raised the SR&ED enhanced-rate expenditure limit directly from $3M to $6M, so a CCPC earns the 35% refundable rate on a base twice as large. The CRIC transition makes this the year to re-run your credit numbers.
    The verdict

    Two things date any pre-2026 plan: the CRIC replaced the old provincial SR&ED credit, and INNOV-R is open now. Re-map last year's claim onto RD-1029.8.CR-T and check the September and November dates above.

    Sources: program records cited inline, GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026; Budget 2025 (SR&ED expenditure limit).
    10 · Avoidable losses

    Which mistakes cost Quebec innovators the most?

    The failures that recur, and the fix for each:

    If youclaimed SR&ED but skipped the CRIC, you left refundable cash on the table

    The provincial claim reuses nearly the same evidence base, and both filings share the same 18-month clock.

    If youreconstructed records at year-end, your claim shrank

    A claim built from memory in month twelve is smaller and riskier than one logged as the work happened.

    If youwaited for one big grant, the credits paid out without you

    Founders stall chasing one large grant that doesn't fit their stage, while the refundable credits arrive regardless: 22 of the 36 programs here take rolling or continuous intake.

    If youassumed "pre-profit" means "no benefit", you forfeited the best money

    The CRIC and the SR&ED CCPC credit are refundable: a loss-making startup receives them as cash. Not claiming because you owe no tax is pure lost money.

    If youplanned around a program that's between intakes, you lost a quarter

    MEDTEQ+ AVISÉ's last deposit closed April 17, 2026; NEXT AI and IVADO are between intakes; Fonds Écoleader Volet 2 closed. For the paused ones, queue (an officer match, a newsletter) while the credits keep paying.

    If youstacked layers the records exclude, the cap surfaced at review

    Technoclimat's 75% ceiling, ESSOR's 20% private minimum, DÉPART's 80% cap, the Écoleader cross-stream restriction, CQDM's institution-only rule, REGI ecosystems' non-profit-only stream: each is knowable in advance, and the visualizer's warnings panel lists them.

    Sources: program records cited inline, GrantCompass catalogue, September 2026.
    11 · FAQ

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the Quebec R&D tax credit (CRIC) worth?
    Quebec's consolidated R&D credit, the CRIC (crédit d'impôt pour la recherche, l'innovation et la commercialisation), is refundable and worth 20 to 30% of eligible research, innovation, and pre-commercialization spending. For taxation years beginning after March 25, 2025 it replaces the legacy Quebec SR&ED credit. The claim is filed annually with the Quebec CO-17 corporation return using form RD-1029.8.CR-T, within 18 months of fiscal year-end, and the federal T661 must also be filed within 18 months. Because it is refundable, a pre-profit company receives it as cash.
    Can I claim both SR&ED and the Quebec CRIC credit?
    Yes, and most Quebec innovators should. Federal SR&ED gives a Canadian-controlled private corporation a 35% refundable credit on the first $6M of qualified expenditures, and Quebec's CRIC adds a refundable 20 to 30% provincial credit on top. Provincial assistance reduces the federal base, so the two do not simply add, but combined support on the same work commonly exceeds 50% of eligible spend. Keep one contemporaneous R&D log; both claims are built from the same evidence.
    Is INNOV-R open right now, and what does it fund?
    Yes. INNOV-R PME is active, with a two-stage 2026 call: the letter of intent is due September 22, 2026 and the full application, by invitation only, is due November 2, 2026. It funds up to $450,000 per project, covering 50% of eligible expenses, for Quebec SMEs developing a technological innovation with the potential to reduce or avoid at least 100,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent in Quebec within ten years. You must cover at least 50% of eligible expenses from private sources and partner with at least one other Quebec company or eligible end-user.
    Are there R&D grants in Quebec, or only tax credits?
    Both. The GrantCompass catalogue tracks 36 Quebec R&D and innovation programs as of September 2026, 31 of them active. Tax credits (CRIC at 20 to 30%, the CDAEIA AI credit at 30%, the multimedia title credit at up to 37.5%) reach the most firms because they have no application deadline. On top of them, project grants fund specific R&D: Technoclimat for cleantech demonstration (up to $18M per project), INNOV-R for GHG-reduction innovation (up to $450,000), the Programme Innovation Primo-Adoptants call (up to $75,000), and CQDM SynergiQC for public research institutions partnering with business (up to $1.5M over three years).
    Does my Quebec startup need to be profitable to benefit from R&D funding?
    No. The most valuable Quebec R&D credits are refundable, which means a pre-revenue or loss-making company receives them as a cash payment rather than a reduction of tax owing. That makes the CRIC credit and federal SR&ED a real source of non-dilutive cash for early-stage deep-tech and AI startups. The same is not true of every grant: several project programs require matching funds of 20% to 50% of project costs.
    What stacking limits should I plan around in Quebec?
    The program records state several caps and exclusions. Technoclimat requires that total combined government assistance, federal, provincial, energy distributors, and Technoclimat together, not exceed 75% of eligible project expenses. ESSOR requires at least 20% of total project cost from private sources, because combined public aid cannot fund 100% of eligible expenses. The Programme DÉPART caps cumulative government aid at 80% of eligible expenses. Organizations already funded by FAQDD may be restricted from stacking across Fonds Écoleader streams. And under CQDM SynergiQC, a business cannot be the funded applicant; the funding goes to the public research institution. Check each program's cumulation rule before you assume two layers combine.

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