Virage Vert

8 March 2022

The Jobs and Growth Fund provides funding to businesses and organizations to help create jobs and position local economies for long-term growth. Delivered by Canada’s regional development agencies (RDAs), the new fund provides $700 million to support a regional response to this COVID-19 crisis by investing in projects that will help to create jobs over the next three years and beyond, which includes up to $70 million dedicated to businesses created after January 2020 that meet eligibility criteria.

 

In Quebec, CED is investing $140M to help job creators and the organizations that support them to future-proof their businesses, build resiliency and prepare for growth by transitioning to a green economy, fostering an inclusive recovery, enhancing competitiveness, and creating jobs in every corner of the country.

 

Eligible applicants

  • Businesses, including co-operatives.
  • Not-for-profit organizations and community economic development partners.
  • Indigenous-led organizations and/or businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.

 

Eligible activities

Activities that support the transition to a green economy, including those that:

  • Support the development and adoption of clean technology.
  • Help communities and businesses plan and drive clean, sustainable economic growth.
  • Partner with organizations to catalyze the development of green regional clusters.
  • Work with organizations supporting businesses to transition to a green economy.

 

Activities that foster an inclusive recovery, including those that:

  • Support businesses owned or majority-led by underrepresented groups, such as Indigenous peoples, members of racialized communities, women, youth, LGBTQ2, persons with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, and members of official language minority communities.
  • Increase the participation of underrepresented groups in the economy by supporting not-for-profit organizations that provide funding, business services, training and access to resources to build a more inclusive and equitable workforce.

 

Activities that preserve Canada’s competitiveness and future-proof SMEs through digital adoption, including those that:

  • Support the development or adoption of digital and technological solutions (i.e., Industry 4.0 solutions) to increase and promote business productivity.
  • Invest in technologies that help scale businesses, enhance their capabilities and increase resilience.

 

Activities that strengthen capacity in sectors critical to Canada’s recovery and growth, including those that:

  • Support scale-up and market expansion activities that bolster traditional areas of strength.
  • Develop emerging areas of global competitive advantage.
  • Support supply chain adaptation and diversification opportunities to build Canadian capacity in critical sectors such as food production, medical supplies and biomanufacturing.

 

Assistance available

  • Eligible businesses could receive interest-free repayable contributions for up to 50 percent of eligible costs.
  • Eligible not-for profit organizations could receive non-repayable contributions for up to 90 percent of eligible costs.
  • Eligible Indigenous recipients can receive non-repayable contributions for up to 100 percent of eligible costs.

Applications will be accepted on a continuous intake basis until such time as the funding is fully allocated.

For more details on the eligibility criteria, please consult the applicant’s guide.

 

How to apply

 

To find out if the Jobs and Growth Fund fits your needs, contact us. Our agents are well-versed in existing funding options and can help you submit your project or find other available solutions.

For more information on the resources available for businesses, visit Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan page, consult the Managing your business during COVID-19 page or download the Canada Business application.