Reduce the costs of your digital project by financing it!
Did you know that you can finance several digital projects, as well as the creation and improvement of your transactional platform?
It's no secret that setting up and maintaining a platform, portal or website can involve significant costs. Good news, though! In electronic commerce, the return on investment is generally higher than the costs involved.
What's more, a subsidy could reduce your digital project costs by up to 50%.
Some reimbursable grants may also give you access to an interest-free loan, or one at very advantageous rates. As a result, you'll be able to retain the cash you need to keep your manufacturing business running smoothly, and amortize the costs of your transactional platform over several years. That's why we've compiled a directory of organizations that offer financing to manufacturing companies incorporated in Quebec or Canada that want to go digital. Whether you want to set up a portal connected to your operations, optimize your current platform or transform your showcase site into a B2B and B2C eCommerce site, there's plenty of financial assistance available for you!
An investment that pays off
Moving from a showcase website to an electronic commerce site will enable you to sell to businesses and consumers simultaneously. Responding to your customers' new requirements will enable you to automate a number of actions, boost your performance and save time and money. By investing in a high-performance site with optimized SEO and a personalized user experience, you could quickly recoup your investment and see your sales soar.
According to emarketer, online shopping in Canada is growing significantly, with a record 75% increase in sales in 2020. This upward trend in online shopping will continue to climb, with sales forecast to increase by at least 10% annually until 2024. As a manufacturer, investing in online commerce to be able to sell directly to consumers is a necessity since the pandemic transformed buying habits.
Companies that refuse to make the digital shift will miss out on many sales opportunities, and may see their market share shrink, to the detriment of organizations that have modernized their business processes.
Summary of programs
Subsidies and financial assistance
Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP)
Programme de soutien à la commercialisation et à l'exportation (PSCE)
Crédit d’impôt pour investissement et innovation (C3i)
Momentum Fund — Digital transformation category
Repayable loans and financial assistance
Subsidies and financial assistance
ESSOR — Investissement Québec
Financial assistance designed to accelerate the completion of a project requiring major investment, improve a company's productivity and ultimately enhance its profitability. Available in 4 distinct sections, sections 1 and 2 are particularly relevant to manufacturers.
Component 1: Support for investment projects aims to make feasibility studies, digital diagnostics and action plans more accessible. Component 2: Support for investment projects promoting business productivity and expansion has been set up to encourage the implementation of new technologies such as software. It is available to manufacturing companies wishing to invest more than $100,000 in a specific project.
Subsidy offered
Component 1: Support for investment projects
Non-repayable contribution of up to 50% of eligible expenses, with a maximum amount of financial assistance starting at $20,000 per project for a digital diagnosis, and up to $100,000 for the implementation of a digital plan.
Component 2: Support for investment projects promoting business productivity and expansion
In the form of a repayable or non-repayable contribution, or a loan guarantee, assistance varies according to the nature of the project. For example, financial assistance of up to 20% of total working capital expenses essential to the realization of the project may be granted in the form of a loan guarantee or repayable contribution.
Find out more about this financial aid here : ESSOR.
Canadian Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) - Government of Canada
Government grants divided into two components: the first for small businesses wishing to go digital and develop their first e-commerce business, and the second for SMEs wishing to improve their existing technologies.
Grants available
Component 1: Grow Your Business Online
Small business grant of up to $2,400 to reimburse a portion of the costs associated with setting up an online store.
Component 2: Boost Your Business Technology
Reimbursement of 90% of the cost of consulting experts to develop a plan for the targeted digital project. The amount awarded is up to $15,000. The company can also apply for an interest-free loan of up to $100,000 from the BDC to implement the plan.
Find out more about this financial aid here : Canadian Digital Adoption Program (CDAP).
Programme de soutien à la commercialisation et à l'exportation (PSCE) - Investissement Québec
Non-repayable subsidy dedicated to Quebec companies to help them strengthen their capacity to market in Quebec and export abroad. The program has three components, offering a range of financial assistance for companies of all sizes and with all business objectives.
Subsidy offered
Components 2 and 3 are particularly relevant for organizations wishing to develop their business activities online. In fact, this assistance covers up to 50% of expenses related to setting up an e-commerce site, to a maximum of $20,000 per platform. For example, a company wishing to develop its market outside Quebec could obtain a $40,000 e-commerce project, 50% of which would be reimbursed by this grant.
Find out more about this financial aid here : Programme de soutien à la commercialisation et à l'exportation (PSCE).
Crédit d’impôt pour investissement et innovation (C3i) — Government of Quebec
A tax credit encouraging Quebec businesses to invest in the purchase of manufacturing, processing and computer equipment, the C3i is available to taxpayers operating an organization in Quebec. The vast majority of manufacturers are therefore eligible if they have purchased goods in eligible categories after March 10, 2020 and before January 1, 2025. This credit could, for example, be applied to expenses incurred when implementing a management software package such as an ERP or a platform facilitating interactions with your customers.
Credit offered
Tax credit of up to 40% for eligible expenses incurred after March 26, 2021 and before 2024. Varying according to the economic vitality of your region, companies in high-vitality areas like Montreal and Quebec City are entitled to a 20% credit, while those in low-vitality areas have access to a 40% rate.
Find out more about this financial aid here : Crédit d’impôt pour investissement et innovation (C3i) .
Momentum Fund [Digital transformation category] — Desjardins
Created to stimulate local purchasing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this financial assistance is available to entrepreneurs wishing to improve the security of their eCommerce and implement measures to protect customer data.
Financement offert
Desjardins provides assistance of up to $10,000. 25% of costs related to digital projects covered by this program are reimbursed in the form of a grant.
Find out more about this financial aid here : Momentum Fund — Digital transformation category.
Fonds d’aide aux entreprises — Accès Entreprise Beauharnois-Salaberry
Financial assistance reserved for companies based in the Beauharnois-Salaberry RCM, created to give them the means and skills to manage an e-commerce platform and implement web marketing strategies.
Financing offered
Monetary contribution of up to $5,000, corresponding to 75% of eligible expenses such as consulting fees for a digital marketing expert.
Find out more about this financial aid here : Fonds d’aide aux entreprises.
Repayable loans and financial assistance
CanExport SMEs — Government of Canada
Financing set up by the Canadian government to encourage the commercial expansion of Canadian companies in international markets. Expenses covered by this program include consulting with eCommerce specialists, search engine optimization and market diagnostics, all of which are essential to building a successful ecommerce business.
Financing available
Since the financial assistance granted is 50% of eligible expenses, the maximum amount granted is between $10,000 and $50,000, since a company can submit a project with a budget of between $20,000 and $100,000. Following analysis of the application and the project's specific risk, funding will be awarded in the form of a grant or contribution to be repaid.
Find out more about this financial aid here : CanExport SMEs.
Regular Investment Fund — CAEHM
The operating business loan enables organizations located in the Haute-Montérégie region to finance part of their operating expenses and consolidate their growth.
Financing offered
Businesses can apply for loans from $15,000 up to a maximum of $75,000. The interest rate is tailored to each application.
Other financing options include an emergency loan and a loan specifically for entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 39.
Find out more about this financial aid here : Regular Investment Fund.
Small Business Loan — BDC
Loans available to small, medium and large businesses to encourage the growth of Canadian organizations. The Canadian Entrepreneurs Bank also offers a range of tools and services that can be very useful to business leaders, such as a list of 8 sources of start-up financing.
Financing offered
Loan applications up to $100,000. The process is online, with access to affordable interest rates tailored to each customer.
Find out more about this financial aid here : Small Business Loan.
REGI Program [Business scale up and productivity] - Government of Canada
Financial assistance available to manufacturing companies with a project aimed at innovation and organizational growth. Funding could be offered for a project to develop new markets and enable the company to put in place an additional showcase through the use of technologies such as B2B/B2C eCommerce.
Financing offered
Amount granted in the form of an interest-free loan, repayment of which must begin two years after project completion. The financial assistance determined represents up to 50% of the expenses authorized by the program.
Find out more about this financial aid here : Program REGI — Business scale-up and productivity.
Personalized support
You need help determining which grants are relevant to your situation and how to apply for them? Talk to one of our digital transformation consultants to draw up a plan for your digital project.
