Financial support for northern initiatives

The Fonds d'initiatives nordiques is designed to support projects in the northern territory that promote:

• community development;
• the development of the northern territory;
• solutions derived from applied research.

This section applies to projects that will be carried out either in Québec's northern territory, or for the benefit of communities or businesses located there.

Financial support is intended to supplement the financing of projects for which the contributions of the community and other government programs are not sufficient. Applicants must demonstrate that they have sought additional funding from at least:

• one of the local or regional government structures;
• one of the relevant departments and agencies of the Gouvernement du Québec or the Government of Canada offering a program for which the project is eligible.

Eligible clienteles

Below are the entities which are eligible for Section A funding:

• incorporated or non‑profit organizations;
• cooperatives with activities similar to a non‑profit organization;
• mutual organizations with activities similar to a non‑profit organization;
• band councils of Indigenous communities and Indigenous communities;
• northern village corporations, northern villages or Inuit landholding corporations;
• municipalities, regional county municipalities (RCM) and municipal bodies;
• the Administration Régionale Baie‑James, the Kativik Regional Government, the Cree Nation Government and the James Bay Eeyou Istchee Regional Government;
• band councils of Indigenous communities and Indigenous communities themselves;
• an educational institution recognized by the Ministère de l'Éducation and the Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur, only for projects supporting research and the dissemination of knowledge;
• companies legally incorporated in Québec or Canada, for social development infrastructure projects only.

Project categories

To be eligible, the projects must fall within one of the following categories:

• public services;
• environmental conservation;
• socio-economic diversification;
• support for research and dissemination of knowledge from the northern territory (when the project is submitted by a recognized educational institution, it must meet needs identified by local organizations);
• knowledge acquisition projects or studies;
• education and worker training projects (other than those eligible for the Programme de formation de la main‑d’œuvre en milieu nordique);
• seminars, trade shows, conventions, conferences and networking activities;
• social development infrastructure. These aim to reduce or alleviate the social inequalities of the target population, through the mobilization and concerted commitment of various players.

For private companies, this type of project must meet one of the following criteria:

• provide access to local services;
• meet essential community or employee needs, while promoting corporate social responsibility.

Eligible expenses

The following expenditures are eligible:

• operating costs necessary for the completion of the project, such as wages and other remuneration and one‑off rent payments;
• cost of purchasing or leasing materials and equipment;
• cost of producing plans and studies;
• professional fees;
• administrative expenses;
• travel and living expenses;
• capital expenditures;
• expenses related to organizing an event.

Ineligible expenses

The following expenditures are not eligible:

• recurring expenditures;
• representation expenses, donations and sponsorships;
• expenses related to the purchase of any motor vehicle that can be registered;
• expenditures incurred to meet legislative and regulatory requirements;
• expenditures incurred before the project is submitted;
• expenses relating to a project already completed;
• expenditures eligible for another form of reimbursement (for example, a tax refund);
• expenditures connected with a project that is inconsistent with established government policy or current laws and regulations;
• deficit of an organization or enterprise, or reimbursement of accumulated debt;
• working capital;
• expenses related to renovation or other enhancements pertaining to the ongoing or deficient maintenance of a building or infrastructure such as roofs, doors and windows, external cladding, and earth work, except if the latter ensure the maintenance of an essential service in the community;
• expenditures planned for after December 31, 2028.

The applicant or the community must contribute at least 10% of the allowable costs.

The maximum financial assistance authorized for a social development infrastructure project is $500,000. The maximum financial assistance authorized for all other types of projects is $100,000.

The maximum rate of public financial assistance is:

• 50% of eligible costs for private projects;
• 90% of eligible costs for public projects.

The maximum amount of financial assistance, in the form of a non‑repayable grant, will be determined by taking into account all sources of government assistance provided to the project.

The calculation will also take into account the amount received from government departments and agencies that maintain financial assistance agreements with the Société du Plan Nord. Financial assistance may come from:

• departments and agencies of the Gouvernement du Québec;
• departments and agencies of the Government of Canada;
• partners with intervention funds whose financing is mainly from government sources.

You may apply for funding for the current call for projects by March 27, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. 

To apply, you mustconsult the application guide (PDF 351 Kb) first. Then, you must complete the application form for financial support (PDF 505 Kb) and provide the following documents:

• a copy of the most recent financial report of your organization;
• a copy of the resolution by the board of directors authorizing you to submit projects and sign agreements;
• letters of support from project partners (if any);
• all other documents considered relevant to the assessment of the project.

Projects may be submitted to the Société du Plan Nord at the following e‑mail address: fin@spn.gouv.qc.ca.

You can also send them by fax or by mail to the Société du Plan Nord. The postmark is proof of the date of submission.

If your project is selected, it will be subject to a financial assistance agreement with the Société du Plan Nord. The agreement will specify the terms of payment and the conditions for granting financial assistance, as well as the terms of accountability.

For each payment, you must submit an activity and utilization report for the grant, in accordance with the deadlines set out in the funding agreement.

This report must include:

• a detailed description of the project and the activities carried out with the grant;
• the cost of the project and of each activity carried out;
• the sources of funding and the amounts obtained from each source;
• the number of jobs created, if applicable;
• an appendix containing supporting documents for eligible expenses and a financial report detailing project expenses;
• a report on the project's benefits according to sustainable development criteria.

Any questions regarding the Fonds d’initiatives nordiques can be directed to the Société du Plan Nord at the following e‑mail address: fin@spn.gouv.qc.ca.