Grants and tax credits: getting your AI project funded in Quebec
Part of the cost of an AI project can be covered by public programs, in Quebec and at the federal level. Here are the five families of support to know, and what makes an application strong.
2 min read
Updated The SynAI team
Key points
- Five families of support exist: federal advisory support, Quebec investment programs, tax credits, training and regional programs.
- Several programs require the application to be filed before you sign with a supplier.
- A strong application has a precise scope, before-and-after figures, a written quote and an internal owner.
Why talk about it before you sign?
Most SMBs look for funding once the supplier is chosen and the work has started. By then, several programs can no longer help: they only fund expenses incurred after the application is filed.
What support exists in Quebec and Canada?
| Family | What it funds | Who to contact |
|---|---|---|
| Federal advisory support | An advisor and financial support for innovative projects | NRC IRAP |
| Investment and digital shift | Productivity projects, including digital diagnostics | Investissement Québec (ESSOR program) |
| Tax credits | Part of R&D and innovation expenses, recovered afterwards | Your accountant: SR&ED federally, CRIC in Quebec, and CDAEIA if your business is in the IT sector |
| Training | Part of the training tied to a new technology | Services Québec (workforce training program) |
| Regional programs | Local financing and support | PME MTL in Montreal, your MRC elsewhere |
Family
Federal advisory support
- What it funds
- An advisor and financial support for innovative projects
- Who to contact
- NRC IRAP
Investment and digital shift
- What it funds
- Productivity projects, including digital diagnostics
- Who to contact
- Investissement Québec (ESSOR program)
Tax credits
- What it funds
- Part of R&D and innovation expenses, recovered afterwards
- Who to contact
- Your accountant: SR&ED federally, CRIC in Quebec, and CDAEIA if your business is in the IT sector
Training
- What it funds
- Part of the training tied to a new technology
- Who to contact
- Services Québec (workforce training program)
Regional programs
- What it funds
- Local financing and support
- Who to contact
- PME MTL in Montreal, your MRC elsewhere
These programs change often: criteria are revised, budgets run out during the year. Eligibility is confirmed case by case, with the program's contact.
What makes an application strong?
- A precise scope. "Automate the processing of orders received by email", not "integrate AI".
- Before-and-after figures. Time spent on the task, volume handled, error rate, and the target.
- A written quote. The steps, deliverables, timeline and detailed costs.
- An internal owner. Who leads the project, who gets trained, how the new process replaces the old one.
What does SynAI provide for the application?
We are not grant advisors. Our scoping produces the raw material of the application: a map of your processes with the time actually spent on each, a step-by-step plan, baseline indicators with their targets, and a detailed quote. These documents are yours, and your advisors can build on them.
Where do you start?
- Pick the process that costs you the most time, and describe it.
- Before signing anything, call your accountant and your regional economic development office.
- Get the project scoped so you have figures and a plan to file.
Frequently asked questions
- Is my AI project eligible?
- It depends on the program, your sector and when you file. Only the program's contact can confirm it, on your file.
- Do grants cover the whole project?
- No. They cover part of the costs, never all of them, and never automatically.
- Can you combine several programs?
- Sometimes, depending on each program's stacking rules. Your accountant or advisor checks what can be combined in your case.
Sources
- 1National Research Council Canada · Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP)
- 2Investissement Québec · ESSOR program (in French)
- 3Canada Revenue Agency · SR&ED tax incentives
- 4Government of Québec · Tax credit for R&D, innovation and commercialization (CRIC)
- 5Investissement Québec · Tax credit for e-business development integrating AI (CDAEIA, in French)
- 6Government of Québec · Workforce training program (in French)
- 7PME MTL · Financing and support
