Quebec Startup Grants: Investissement Québec Explained
Quebec's main funding body isn't a grants office in the traditional sense — Investissement Québec (IQ) is a Crown corporation that provides loans, guarantees, and equity investments alongside more traditional grant-style contributions. That structure means Quebec startups often access larger amounts than federal grant programs offer, in exchange for a more investment-style relationship. This guide covers the programs and how they compare to what's available federally.
Start federal
The same federal programs apply in Quebec as everywhere else in Canada, and for most early-stage startups they're still the fastest path to funding:
Investissement Québec programs
Early-stage investment
IQ provides equity-style early-stage investment ranging from $250,000 to $2,000,000 for innovative Quebec startups across all industries — significantly larger than most federal grant ceilings, but structured as an investment rather than a non-repayable grant.
Project financing
Financing solutions — loans, guarantees, and equity — covering up to 50% of eligible project costs, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis. Available to Quebec businesses at all stages of development, not just startups.
Green investment program
A larger fund specifically for greener investment projects: $100,000 to $10,000,000, covering up to 75% of project costs across commercialization, AI, environment and climate, construction/renovation, and digital transformation projects.
Tariff-response and supply-diversification programs (new)
In response to 2025–2026 U.S. tariff disruption, IQ launched new programs aimed specifically at Quebec manufacturers and exporters exposed to tariffs — worth checking if your business has any manufacturing or export exposure, even as a tech company.
Who's not eligible
Most IQ streams exclude retail businesses, restaurants, catering companies, and transportation service providers, along with government bodies and non-profits. If you're a B2B SaaS or hardware startup, this exclusion list generally doesn't affect you.
The honest tradeoff vs. federal grants
IQ funding amounts are larger than most federal grants, but several streams are structured as investment or repayable financing rather than pure non-repayable grants — read the terms of each stream carefully before assuming it's "free money" the way IRAP or SR&ED effectively are.
Next steps
Run FundScout's free eligibility check to see your federal matches alongside what IQ programs might fit your stage and sector. Check your matches.
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