Grants Available to
Dairy and Finished Food Product Manufacturers
Dairy and Finished Food Product Manufacturers
Initiative to Promote the Development of Specialty Products
Funded/Offered by: Ministère des Affaires municipales et des Régions
Summary: In order to sustain the creation of new activities in rural areas with projects related to resources, know-how, knowledge and innovation capacity of rural developers, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Regions, provides the rural environment with a 7-year initiative to promote the development of specialty products. This financing measure will help support micro-projects within the bio-food sector, the non-timber forest products general and forest products, and the culture and heritage and artisan products.
Funding: The minimum goal is 32 projects per administrative region, and 480 projects for the whole of rural Quebec throughout the seven-year period of the policy, which corresponds to an average of 70 projects per year. The value of the total budgetary envelope allocated to this initiative is 12 million dollars. The annual budget of $1,125,000 in 2007 will increase to $1,500,000 in 2008 and to $1,875,000 per year during the last five years of the policy.
The financial assistance takes the form of grants that can reach $25,000 per project; however, these cannot be used as a substitute for existing governmental programs. Only one grant can be allocated per product, and no business can obtain more than $75,000 in assistance for the duration of the seven years of this initiative.
Eligibility:
The following developers are eligible:
- An incorporated non-profit organization (NPO), a non-financial cooperative
- A social economy enterprise incorporated as a NPO or as a cooperative
- An incorporated private company
- A private entrepreneur, a self-employed worker
For more information:
Communications Branch
Aile Chauveau, 3rd Floor
10 Pierre-Olivier-Chauveau Street
Québec , QC G1R 4J3
Tel: (418) 691-2019
Email: communications@mamrot.gouv.qc.ca
Website : www.mamrot.gouv.qc.ca/publications/regions/ruralite/produits_specialite.pdf
Support for Innovation
Sponsored by: Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec
Summary: This program is made up of three components each of which has collective or individual sub-components.
- Component 1: Productivity and competitiveness. This component's goal is to frame the execution of innovation projects applied to products and processes and the marketing of innovations, or to assist in the implementation of an innovative process.
- Component 2: Deriving economic value from research. This component's goal is to determine the economic value of research results or emerging technologies which can have a major impact on the food processing industry to offer assistance up to the premarketing stage.
- Component 3: Design and development of intervention tools. The goal of this component is to act as a lever to help establish national or international projects which could have an impact on the innovation culture within Quebec's agrifood industry, and on the structure of this industry. TRANSAQ intends to achieve this goal by designing and developing intervention tools, namely networking, comparative analysis, and company support and assistance activities.
- Component 1: Financial support for this component cannot exceed $200,000 per project, and $300,000 per applicant for the duration of the program.
- Component 2: Financial support for this component cannot exceed $200,000 up to a maximum of $300,000 per applicant for the duration of the program.
- Component 3: Financial support cannot exceed $200,000 per project per year. The maximum subsidy is $600,000 per applicant for the duration of the program.
- Component 1: Legally incorporated businesses whose main activity is food processing in Quebec at the time of application, or financially autonomous profit centres, that is production units which belong to Quebec or foreign interests and have the authority to undertake or execute projects to improve productivity or competitiveness, are eligible.
- Component 2: Promoters, whether they are researchers or entrepreneurs, who have access to promising research results, and wish to proceed with the various steps leading to the premarketing of a product or technology are eligible.
- Component 3: Industry associations and non-profit organizations whose clients are agrifood businesses or business networks are eligible.
For more information:
www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca/fr/Transformation/md/sous-programme/Strategie/Pages/SoutienInnovation.aspx
Support for Quality in the Cheese Sector
Sponsored by: Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec
Summary: Support for quality in the cheese sector aims to help businesses acquire the skills and tools they need to improve the quality and safety of food products. By adopting such tools, businesses can ensure the quality and safety of their products thereby overcoming some market challenges. The program has three components.
- Component 1: Implementation of a quality control and management plan;
- Component 2: Implementation of a recognized quality control and management plan which incorporates HACCP principles (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point);
- Component 3: Supporting an organization which represents the sector in offering professional services in quality management or cheese plant management .
- Component 1: Financial support is set at $40,000 per business. No more than 75% of outside consultation fees, up to a maximum of $20,000 per business, and no more than 75% of other eligible costs to a maximum of $20,000 per business. The total amount of eligible expenses must be at least $5,000 per project.
- Component 2: Financial support is set at $60,000 per business. No more than 75% of outside consultation fees up to a maximum of $30,000, no more than 50% of eligible capital costs up to a maximum of $10,000 per business, no more than 75% of eligible costs other than those related to capital costs, and outside consultation fees up to a maximum of $20,000 per business.
- Component 3: The support granted is equivalent to no more than 75% of outside consultation fees up to a maximum of $300,000 and for a maximum duration of two years.
For more information:
www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca/fr/Transformation/md/sous-programme/Strategie/Pages/SoutienInnovation.aspx
Support for Management, Operations and Investment
Sponsored by: Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec
Summary: The goal of this program is to help TRANSAQ assist food processing businesses in the execution of projects which aim to improve skills and increase competitiveness. Projects must have a significant impact on the strategic development of businesses by allowing them to improve their competitiveness and accelerate their growth.
The program is intended for legally incorporated businesses of 250 employees or less. Also, at the time of application or once the project is completed, food processing must be the main activity of these businesses in Quebec. The program also targets businesses involved in agriculture or aquaculture production which have been involved in food processing for more than a year and whose processing activity is strategic for their development.
Financial Support: The total amount of support which a business can receive through this program cannot exceed $100,000 per applicant for the duration of the program. Moreover, the sum of government support (municipal, provincial, and federal) granted for a project cannot exceed the greater percentage of eligible expenses authorized by related programs, including this program.
Eligibility: In order for a project to be eligible, an analysis conducted by an external consultant must demonstrate that it fulfills specific needs. Eligible projects involve studies which specifically relate to the activities of the business. These include the implementation of management tools, the recruitment of qualified employees, the design of marketing tools, the acquisition of specialized, high-performing equipment or of advanced production technologies, specialized studies and the production of documents in support of business plans and of their execution. Projects must lead to economic benefits for Quebec.
For more information:
www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca/fr/Transformation/md/sous-programme/Strategie/Pages/SoutiengestionSGOI.aspx
For more information on available support programs in Quebec, please consult the directory of programs and services for food processing businesses published by Transformation Alimentaire Québec on the Web site of the Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ):
www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca/fr/Publications/Repertoire-programmes-24novembre2009-14-12-final.pdf