Investissement Québec FORCE Tariff Liquidity Loan (formerly Frontière)
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
FORCE (Fonds offensif pour le renforcement des capacités économiques) is the Québec government's tariff liquidity loan, administered by Investissement Québec, and the successor to the Frontière program (the old Frontière page now redirects here). It lends up to $50 million to Québec manufacturers and primary-sector firms whose exports to the United States face a new U.S. tariff of at least 25% in force since March 4, 2025. The loan is interest-free in year one, then carries a stepped rate, runs up to seven years and allows up to 24 months before principal repayments start. Applicants need two years in business in Québec, at least $2 million in sales in the last completed fiscal year and a profit in one of the last two. The program ends March 31, 2028, and intake can be suspended without notice.
Eligibility Requirements
- For-profit business legally constituted, or a social economy enterprise under Québec's Social Economy Act (one that draws more than 40% of its funding from its own commercial revenue)
- Exports to the United States are subject to a new U.S. tariff of at least 25% in force since March 4, 2025
- Registered (immatriculée) in Québec and in business there for at least two years
- At least $2,000,000 in sales in the last completed fiscal year
- Profitable in at least one of the last two completed fiscal years
- In manufacturing (production of goods) or a primary sector such as agriculture, mining or forestry; softwood lumber producers are excluded and are directed to the separate FORET program
- Loans of $10M or less: U.S. exports made up at least 25% of sales in at least one of the last two completed fiscal years
- Loans above $10M: the Ministère must recognise the business as strategic, either as a key supplier or major customer in its sector or as a major employer (at least 50 employees, or 100 in the Montréal and Québec City metropolitan areas)
- Businesses that borrowed under Frontière can apply only for a new tariff on a product not covered when their Frontière loan was granted; Frontière borrowers may also ask to refinance that loan on FORCE terms
- Businesses with sales under $2M that are hit by tariffs are referred to their MRC's economic development service instead
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Loan up to $50MRepayable loan of up to $50,000,000. Interest-free in year 1, then the government's cost of funds in year 2 and cost of funds plus 0.75% from year 3. Term up to 7 years, with up to 24 months before principal repayments start. For loans of $10M or less, eligible expenses are capped at 50% of last year's U.S. export sales and the loan covers up to 50% of eligible expenses; above $10M, the loan covers up to 75% of pro forma liquidity needs. A 1.0% study fee applies.
- Type
- Loan
- Level
- Provincial
- Deadline
- Ongoing until the program ends on March 31, 2028, unless intake is suspended earlier
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Difficult — significant preparation needed
Below average competition
Complex — detailed documentation needed
How to qualify
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipTwo numbers drive the loan size for requests of $10M or less: last year's U.S. export sales and your tariff rate.
Rejection Pitfalls 7
- Sales under $2M in the last completed fiscal year
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
Everything you need to secure Investissement Québec FORCE Tariff Liquidity Loan
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 7 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 7-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 3-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what lenders look for
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 7
Eligible Expenses 4
Ineligible Expenses 3
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
- 4 more application steps
- 5 more required documents
- 4 eligible expenses
- 3 ineligible expenses
- Deadline notes
- Ineligible organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Medium RiskHow Investissement Québec FORCE Tariff Liquidity Loan Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Investissement Québec FORCE Tariff Li... | up to $50,000,000. | Hard | Loan | Ongoing until the... |
| BDC Pivot to Grow | Up to $5,000,000 | Moderate | Advance Payment | Ongoing |
| Regional Tariff Response Initiative (... | Up to $3,000,000 | Moderate | Reimbursement | Ongoing. Intake varies... |
| EDC Trade Impact Program | Varies by solution type | Easy | Loan | Ongoing |
| Investments in Forest Industry Transf... | Up to $10 million | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Between intakes —... |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Investissement Québec FORCE Tariff Liquidity Loan