Funding Alert: ESSOR Component One

ESSOR – component one aims to accelerate the realization of investment projects supporting business productivity through grants for studies prior to the investment project, and in some cases, its subsequent implementation.

The program is composed of three sub-components:

Sub-component A: carrying out feasibility studies related to an investment project
Sub-part B: realization of a digital diagnosis, a digital plan
Sub-component C: implementation of an action plan and a digital plan

Program Funding Amount

The financial assistance granted to the company takes the form of a non-repayable contribution.

Sub-component A: 50% of eligible expenses, up to $100,000
Sub-component B: 50% of eligible expenses up to $20,000
Sub-component C: 30% of eligible expenses for a first project submitted, 20% of eligible expenses for a second project submitted, 10% of eligible expenses for a second project submitted

These rates may be increased by :

10% for companies with 250 employees or less and sales of at least $2.5 million.
10% for companies with a digital plan (Audit 4.0) resulting from the Essor program’s component 1B or from the former Industry 4.0 Audit program

Maximum amount: $100,000 per project

Eligibility

The company can be a for-profit company, a cooperative or a social economy company.

All sectors of activity are eligible except the following sectors:

Primary sector (agriculture, forestry and fishing)
- Cultivation in a greenhouse or in a building having the same purpose as a greenhouse
- Packaging activities, in the case of major projects
- Logging
Mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction
Real estate services and rental and leasing services
Construction, excluding projects related to the Action Plan for the construction sector and relating to the increase in productivity
Utilities
Management of companies and enterprises
Health care and social assistance
Educational Services
Public administration
Finance and insurance
Arts, entertainment and recreation
Telecommunications services
Broadcasting
Catering
Other services (except public administration), excluding:
- Retail and wholesale
- The tourism sector, where only projects related to accommodation services are eligible when they are attached to a tourism project

Priority is given to companies with 250 employees or less, whose turnover is at least $2.5 million.

Eligible Activities

Sub-component A: Carrying out feasibility studies to analyze or evaluate the technical or economic parameters of business implementation, modernization or expansion projects

The feasibility study project can be defined as:

A market analysis
An evaluation of the processes or technologies
Site selection analysis
An analysis related to the legal regulatory framework

The realization of the feasibility study can relate to:

A factory construction project
An expansion project
A project to add equipment
A project to add a production line

Sub-component B: Realization of digital diagnoses, digital plans and implementation plans

Sub-component C: Implementation of an action plan and a digital plan

The implementation project can be defined as:

Optimization of the supply chain
Implementation of an integrated management system (ERP) or customer relationship management (CRM)
Compliance with standards in order to achieve international production standards
Implementation of a costing system

Eligible Expenses

Professional fees
Costs related to the purchase of specialized information
Travel and living expenses

Program Requirement

A company wishing to obtain financial assistance under the ESSOR Program must:

Provide financial statements for the past two years (or projected financial statements for start-ups), as well as the other documents required depending on the nature of your project. These documents could be, for example, a copy of a service offer
Write the application form and supporting documents in French, in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the French language, with the exception of:
- Documents from sources outside Quebec
- Copies of correspondence.
Hold a francization certificate or be in the process of obtaining one, if it has 50 or more employees, in order to comply with the provisions of the Charter of the French language (CQLR, chapter C-11, ss. 135 to 154).
Undertake to implement an equal access program in accordance with the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms (CQLR, chapter C-12), if it has more than 100 employees and the financial assistance granted is $100,000 or more, because the company is then subject to the contractual obligation program.
Engage in ethical behavior not likely to tarnish, even by association, Investissement Québec’s image of integrity and probity.

Thinking of applying for financing? Don’t wait! These funds are highly competitive. Contact us today to get started!

Why Ayming?

Our team of experts will take the time to understand your current and future planned projects. We will then align these initiatives to the program in order to provide you with the highest ROI and the highest chance of approval.

We have extensive experience working with Canadian SMEs and have the expertise to properly position and maximize your application to secure your business funding.
We are the first Canadian company to establish a national grants practice.
Our proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) driven database of grants provides live access to thousands of programs, including a custom snapshot of all federal and provincial grants currently available to each company specifically.
Our highly experienced delivery teams boast over 50 + years of combined grants experience and over 200+ years of combined SR&ED experience, meaning you partner with true subject matter experts who are invested in your success.
No risk success-fee remuneration.