Quebec Digital & Tech Adoption Grants
Quebec pays businesses to adopt technology — implement software, automate a process, add e-commerce, embed AI — not just to invent it. This is the plain-English map of the 2026 grants and refundable credits behind the province's digital-transformation push, and how a Quebec business actually reaches them.
See the top programs →Quebec funds digital transformation through three instruments, not one. There is a non-repayable implementation grant — ESSOR Component 1C, up to $50,000 covering 50% of eligible costs to deploy a digital project — plus refundable tax credits for AI adoption (CDAEIA, up to 30% of eligible salaries) and e-business, and training funding (Productivité-Compétences) to upskill your team. Unlike R&D credits, these pay you to adopt proven technology, not invent something new. The federal CDAP grant that many businesses search for has closed — Quebec's provincial programs are the live route.
Digital funding is its own lane — not R&D
The single most useful thing to understand about Quebec digital funding is that it is separate from R&D funding. R&D programs — the CRIC tax credit, federal SR&ED — reward you for inventing something: resolving a technological uncertainty, building something the market doesn't have. Digital-transformation programs reward the opposite: taking proven, off-the-shelf technology and putting it to work in your business. Buying and configuring an ERP, automating a production line, launching an online store, embedding an AI tool into your operations — none of that is research, and it doesn't need to be to qualify.
That distinction changes where the money comes from. In Quebec, digital-adoption support flows mainly through Investissement Québec and the Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie (the MEIE), which run the province's digital-transformation and Industry 4.0 push, alongside Revenu Québec for the refundable credits. The tech ecosystem that surrounds this — Montréal's AI cluster around Mila and IVADO, the manufacturing base in Québec City and the Sherbrooke region, digital-services firms across the province — is exactly who these programs are built for.
If your project is "we're adopting technology that already exists," you're in the digital-transformation lane, and you should not be spending effort framing it as R&D. ESSOR 1C, the AI-adoption credit, and the e-business credit are designed precisely for adoption — and they're easier to qualify for than research credits because you don't have to prove novelty.
Technology support in Quebec: which door comes first for your project?
Technology support in Quebec reaches a small business through three doors, in this order, as of October 17, 2026: the economic development office for your address, then Investissement Québec's ESSOR Component 1C grant, then a Revenu Québec credit claimed with your tax return. Pick your place and project below.
Where is your business?
What are you buying?
Worked example: a Montréal business building an online store.
- 1Your local door PME MTL Fonds Entrepreneuriat commercial: up to $25,000, at most 80%, for street-front retailers. Under five years old with a PME MTL loan: Fonds Jeunes Entreprises, where website, branding and launch campaigns count. PME MTL innovation and productivity fund: up to $50,000, at most 80% of the project, for technological equipment, robotization or automation, with a sustainable-development approach. Tech Shift (Virage techno commerce), for retailers two years in business: 50% up to $15,000 for equipment and software, or $5,000 to develop an AI solution. Manufacturers: Virage Techno. Virage Techno, manufacturier: up to $50,000 for a Laval manufacturer's automation, robotization or software project, while funds last. Capitale-Commerce: 30% up to $35,000 for an independent street-level retailer in one of 11 named districts, to open, expand or re-equip. Bons d'accompagnement vers la croissance: 30% of a consultant, up to $30,000 a year, in named sectors. The City approves the mandate before you sign. Capitale-Productivité: 40% up to $150,000 for equipment or automation, for incorporated firms in six named sectors, manufacturing among them. PME MTL innovation and productivity fund: up to $50,000, at most 80%, to test, launch and make first sales of an innovation. Laval's Tech Shift and Virage Techno fund retailers and manufacturers. A firm selling its own digital product goes to steps 2 and 3. Capitale-Innovation: up to $500,000 (50% to $250,000, 40% above) to produce and sell an innovative product you own. R&D itself is not covered. Your MRC's local investment fund and your SADC lend. Manufacturers and value-added services firms: ADRIQ Trans Num pays 50% of an advisor, up to $25,000.
- 2The provincial grant For firms with $2.5 million or more in revenue and 250 or fewer employees: ESSOR 1C pays 50% of carrying out your digital plan, up to $50,000, after the 1B diagnostic (50%, up to $20,000). Until March 31, 2027. Or CED Quebec's Regional AI Initiative: an interest-free loan, repaid, for up to 50% of an AI adoption project. Under $2.5 million? Step 1 is your grant; BDC LIFT lends from $1 million in revenue.
- 3At year-end
The C3i credit covers computer hardware and management software, not the website build itself.
The C3i credit on an ERP, CRM or supply-chain package and computer hardware, on the cost above $5,000 per item.
CDAEIA: 30% of eligible salaries, for IT firms only (75% of revenue from IT, six full-time eligible employees). Others: the C3i credit on hardware and software.
The C3i credit on new manufacturing and processing equipment, on the cost above $12,500 per item.
CDTIM: up to 37.5% of eligible labour on multimedia titles such as games and e-learning. Equipment: the C3i credit.
C3i rate here: 15% (Montréal and Québec metropolitan areas).
C3i rate here: 20% or 25%, set by your territory's economic vitality.
- Property bought before January 1, 2030 counts.
- Claimed with your return. No application deadline.
Your city, sector and revenue decide the rest. See every Quebec program your business clears →
The top Quebec digital programs in 2026
These are the programs a Quebec business is most likely to use to fund a digital or technology-adoption project, grouped by what they actually give you. Amounts and rates below are drawn from official program pages — always confirm the current terms with the delivering agency before you build a plan around them.
| Program | What it gives | Typical amount | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESSOR — Component 1C (Investissement Québec) | Non-repayable grant | Up to $50,000 | Implementing a digital-transformation project (50% of costs) |
| AI Adoption Credit — CDAEIA (Revenu Québec) | Refundable tax credit | Up to 30% | Salaries tied to integrating AI into operations |
| Multimedia Title Credit — CDTIM (Investissement Québec) | Tax credit | Up to 37.5% | Digital / interactive product companies |
| Productivité-Compétences (CPMT / MESS) | Training-cost reimbursement | $55M envelope | Upskilling staff on new digital tools |
| Laval Économique — Virage Techno (Ville de Laval) | Non-repayable grant | Up to $50,000 | Technology adoption by Laval manufacturers |
| E-business Credit — CDAE (Revenu Québec) | Tax credit | Phasing out | IT / software firms (payroll-based) — replaced by CDAEIA for fiscal years beginning in 2026 |
PCAN is closed: what replaces the digital adoption subsidy in Quebec
PCAN, the Programme canadien d'adoption du numérique (CDAP in English), is closed: its $15,000 advisor grant stopped taking applications on February 19, 2024, and its $2,400 micro-grant on September 30, 2024. As of October 17, 2026, a Quebec business looking for a subvention PCAN gets the same jobs done through ESSOR's diagnostic and implementation grants, or its city's fund.
- PCAN = CDAP
- transformation numérique = digital transformation
- CDAEIA = the AI e-business credit
- volet 1C = Component 1C
| What PCAN paid | The Quebec door now | What it pays |
|---|---|---|
| $15,000 for an advisor's digital plan | ESSOR 1B digital diagnostic | 50%, up to $20,000 (revenue $2.5M+, 250 or fewer staff) |
| A 0% BDC loan up to $100,000 to act on the plan | ESSOR 1C grant, or a BDC LIFT loan | 50% up to $50,000 (revenue $2.5M+); loans of $25,000 to $2M (revenue $1M+) |
| $2,400 to get a small business online | Your city's fund, such as Tech Shift in Laval | 50% up to $15,000, for retailers |
Received a CDAP or PCAN grant? Our guide to whether business grants are taxable in Canada covers it.
Sources: BDC's CDAP page, via our CDAP guide (updated September 19, 2026); GrantCompass catalogue records. Read October 17, 2026.ESSOR Component 1C: the digital anchor grant
If there is one program to know for digital transformation in Quebec, it is ESSOR Component 1C — Digital Transformation Implementation. It is the closest thing the province has to a straight "adopt technology" grant: up to $50,000, non-repayable, covering up to 50% of eligible costs to implement a digital project. Delivered by Investissement Québec, it runs on a rolling basis with a program horizon through March 31, 2027.
What it funds is deliberately practical — the cost of putting new technology into your operations: acquiring and configuring management software (ERP, CRM), automation and connected equipment, e-commerce and digital-sales integration, and the specialised expertise to deploy it. Because it funds implementation rather than research, you don't need to demonstrate technological novelty; you need a clear project, credible quotes, and your 50% share.
ESSOR 1C plus an Industry 4.0 audit is the classic pairing
The proven sequence is: run a digital or Industry 4.0 audit through the MEIE's transformation offering to define the project, then use ESSOR 1C to fund the implementation (up to $50,000 at 50%). The audit gives you the plan the grant application expects — and de-risks the technology choice before you spend.
E-commerce and digital-sales projects count
ESSOR 1C isn't only for factories. Integrating an online store, a booking or point-of-sale system, or a customer-data platform is exactly the kind of digital-transformation project it's built to co-fund — provided the costs are eligible and you can show the business case.
Your city's digital fund comes first: Montréal, Laval, Québec City and the regions
The first door for a small digital project in Quebec is usually your city or MRC, as of October 17, 2026. PME MTL, Laval Économique and Ville de Québec each run grants that take applications while funds last, and they are the route for a firm under ESSOR 1C's $2.5 million revenue floor. Outside those cities, your MRC and SADC mostly lend.
Apply before you sign. Laval Économique refuses expenses and commitments confirmed before your application date, and Ville de Québec does not count costs committed before your file is in.
Montréal3 funds, up to $50,000
- PME MTL innovation and productivity fund: up to $50,000, at most 80%, for equipment, robotization, automation.
- PME MTL Fonds Entrepreneuriat commercial: up to $25,000 in 12 months, at most 80%, for street-front retailers.
- PME MTL Commerce X Design: $10,000 (20% of a $50,000+ project) for design fees, retailers in Centre-Est and Centre-Ville.
Laval2 funds, up to $50,000
- Virage Techno, manufacturier: up to $50,000 for manufacturers' automation, robotization and software.
- Tech Shift (Virage techno commerce): 50% up to $15,000 for retailers' equipment and software.
Québec City3 funds, up to $150,000
- Capitale-Productivité: 40% up to $150,000 for equipment and automation, named sectors.
- Capitale-Commerce: 30% up to $35,000 for street-level retailers in 11 districts.
- Bons d'accompagnement: 30% of a consultant, up to $30,000 a year.
Gatineau1 fund, $25,000
- ID Gatineau Fonds de soutien aux entreprises: 50% up to $25,000 for manufacturing and high-value firms.
Anywhere in Quebec1 fund, $25,000
- ADRIQ Trans Num: 50% of an accredited advisor, up to $25,000, for manufacturing and value-added services.
A Montréal storefront can get design fees paid. Read the Commerce X Design rules → A Laval retailer can get half its new tech paid. Check the Tech Shift rules → Québec City pays the most of any city here. See what Capitale-Productivité covers → Your region has its own funds too. See every Quebec program →
Sources: Laval Économique (Tech Shift) and PME MTL (innovation fund) pages, read October 17, 2026; GrantCompass catalogue records.The digital tax credits: no deadline, claimed at year-end
Grants are competitive and have to be applied for up front. Quebec's refundable tax credits work the opposite way: there's no intake to win — you incur the eligible spending, then claim the credit with your corporate return. For digital and technology firms, three matter most.
CDAEIA
Up to 30% of eligible salaries for integrating artificial intelligence into your operations. Refundable — a pre-profit firm gets cash back.
CDAE
Payroll-based credit for eligible IT and software-services firms whose staff build and maintain e-business solutions. Being replaced by CDAEIA for fiscal years beginning in 2026 — claimable only for earlier fiscal years.
CDTIM
Up to 37.5% of eligible labour for producing interactive digital and multimedia titles — games, e-learning, apps.
Treat the credits as the reliable, no-deadline backbone of your digital-funding plan, and grants like ESSOR 1C as the one-time boost for a specific project. If you're hiring for AI or e-business work, the payroll-based credits can be worth more over time than any single grant — and they don't require you to win a competition.
Funding AI adoption specifically
Quebec is unusually well-positioned to fund AI adoption because it built the ecosystem first. Montréal is home to Mila — one of the world's largest academic AI institutes — and IVADO, and the province has spent years turning that research base into commercial adoption. The CDAEIA credit is the financial expression of that strategy: it pays information-technology firms whose staff develop or integrate AI.
The mechanics matter. CDAEIA gives back up to 30% of eligible salaries tied to AI integration, delivered as a refundable credit — so even a company not yet paying tax receives it as cash. One caveat to budget for: the refundable rate is being phased down over time (around 22% in 2026, declining toward 20% by 2028), so the sooner you begin qualifying activity, the more generous the rate you lock into for that year.
The strongest AI-adoption funding stacks combine a one-time implementation grant with the ongoing salary credit. A typical path: use ESSOR 1C to fund the up-front project cost of deploying an AI system (integration expertise, software, connected equipment) at 50%, then claim CDAEIA on the salaries of the people who operate and integrate that AI year over year. Because the grant funds project costs and the credit funds salaries, they generally don't cover the same dollar twice — but confirm eligible-cost boundaries with Investissement Québec so you're not double-counting.
Beyond the money, the ecosystem itself is a resource. Mila and IVADO run adoption-support and partnership programs, and Investissement Québec advisors can point you to the right combination. For genuinely novel AI work — where you're advancing the technology, not just adopting it — the R&D credit (CRIC) and federal SR&ED come back into play; but for an IT firm, "adopting AI" is a CDAEIA question, not an R&D one.
The digital-funding journey: diagnose, implement, integrate
Most Quebec digital funding follows a natural sequence. Matching the right program to the right stage of your project is what separates a funded plan from a stalled one.
Start with a digital or Industry 4.0 audit through the MEIE's transformation offering. It produces the implementation plan that grant applications expect and de-risks your technology choice.
ESSOR Component 1C covers up to 50% of eligible implementation costs — software, automation, e-commerce integration. Laval manufacturers can use Virage Techno for the same purpose.
Claim the CDAEIA (AI) or e-business credit on eligible salaries, and reimburse staff training through Productivité-Compétences as your team adopts the new tools.
What digital funding actually covers
Grants for digital marketing in Quebec: what a fund will pay for
Grants for digital marketing in Quebec mostly pay for the tools that change how you sell, not for the ads, as of October 17, 2026. City funds pay toward an online store, sales software, design and branding.
- An online store or booking system tied to your sales: Tech Shift for Laval retailers; ESSOR 1C counts e-commerce integration for larger firms.
- A student in a digital marketing role: the ICTC WIL Digital Program pays 50% of the wage, up to $5,000; this term's applications close November 15, 2026.
Who qualifies
Eligibility varies by program, but Quebec digital-transformation funding shares a common core. You generally qualify if:
- Your business is registered in Quebec (an NEQ from the Registraire des entreprises) with activity in the province.
- Your project adopts or integrates technology — software, automation, e-commerce, AI — rather than simply maintaining what you already run.
- You can show a clear implementation plan with credible vendor quotes and a business case for the technology.
- You can contribute matching funds — most grants (ESSOR 1C included) cover a share of eligible costs, often 50%, not the whole bill.
The tax credits add their own gates: CDAEIA requires a company mainly in information technology, at least six full-time eligible employees, eligible AI-integration salaries and an attestation from Investissement Québec; the e-business (CDAE) credit is aimed at firms whose primary activity is IT and software services (for fiscal years beginning in 2026 it is replaced by CDAEIA); and the multimedia (CDTIM) credit targets interactive digital-title producers. Crucially, none of these require you to be doing R&D — adoption alone qualifies.
How to apply
There is no single digital-grant portal in Quebec — each program is submitted to the body that delivers it. The path that works for most businesses:
- Run a digital diagnostic first. A digital or Industry 4.0 audit (via the MEIE's transformation offering) defines the project and produces the plan the grant expects.
- Register your business in Quebec. Get or confirm your NEQ from the Registraire des entreprises — nearly every provincial program requires it.
- Match the program to your project. Implementing technology → ESSOR 1C. Hiring for AI or e-business → a tax credit. Training staff → Productivité-Compétences.
- Assemble quotes and matching funds. Vendor quotes, an implementation timeline, and evidence of your own 50% contribution — most grants expect all three.
- Apply through the delivering agency. Submit to Investissement Québec, the MEIE, or your local economic-development office — not a central website.
- Claim your credits at year-end. Hired for AI integration or e-business work? Claim the CDAEIA credit (or CDAE for a fiscal year that began before 2026) with your corporate return through Revenu Québec — no intake to win.
What's changed in 2026
The AI-adoption credit (CDAEIA) is live — and its rate is on a schedule. Quebec now gives back up to 30% of eligible AI-integration salaries as a refundable credit, but the refundable rate is being phased down (around 22% in 2026, declining toward 20% by 2028). The practical takeaway: starting eligible AI work sooner locks in a more generous rate for that year.
The digital-transformation push intensified. ESSOR Component 1C carries a program horizon through March 31, 2027, and the MEIE continues to promote digital and Industry 4.0 audits as the on-ramp to implementation funding — a coordinated "diagnose then fund" approach that didn't exist in this form a few years ago.
The federal digital-adoption grant closed. The Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) is no longer available, which makes Quebec's provincial programs — ESSOR 1C, CDAEIA, the e-business credit — the primary route for businesses that were relying on CDAP for tech adoption.
A new training lever arrived. Productivité-Compétences added a $55M envelope to reimburse eligible training expenses, directly useful for teams adopting new digital tools who need to bring staff up to speed.
Sources: Revenu Québec (CDAEIA); Investissement Québec (ESSOR); Government of Canada (CDAP program status); Commission des partenaires du marché du travail (Productivité-Compétences).Aide financière pour la transformation numérique au Québec : par où commencer?
Au 17 octobre 2026, une PME québécoise finance sa transformation numérique par trois portes, dans cet ordre : le fonds de sa ville ou de sa MRC, le programme ESSOR d'Investissement Québec, puis un crédit d'impôt réclamé avec sa déclaration de revenus.
- La ville : PME MTL à Montréal, Virage techno commerce à Laval (jusqu'à 15 000 $ pour les détaillants), Capitale-Productivité à Québec (jusqu'à 150 000 $).
- La province : pour les entreprises de 2,5 M$ de revenus et plus et de 250 employés ou moins, ESSOR volet 1B pour le diagnostic numérique (50 %, jusqu'à 20 000 $), puis le volet 1C pour l'implantation.
- La fin d'année : le crédit C3i sur le matériel informatique et les progiciels de gestion et, pour les sociétés en TI, le CDAEIA sur les salaires admissibles.
La subvention PCAN (Programme canadien d'adoption du numérique) est fermée depuis 2024. Pour financer la formation à l'adoption de l'IA, Productivité-Compétences rembourse des formations en IA et en transformation numérique. Voir aussi notre section sur l'IA (en anglais).
FAQ
Is there a grant to help my Quebec business adopt new technology?
Is the federal CDAP digital adoption grant still available?
How much is ESSOR Component 1C worth?
Can I get funding to adopt AI in my Quebec business?
Do I have to do R&D to get digital funding in Quebec?
What replaced the PCAN digital adoption subsidy in Quebec?
Is there a grant for digital marketing in Quebec?
Is the digital adoption (CDAP / PCAN) grant taxable?
Get matched to Quebec digital funding you qualify for
Quebec's digital-transformation programs open, close, and change rates through the year. Join the list and we'll flag the grants and credits that fit your business as they become available — no French-language digging required.
Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
See your Quebec digital-funding matches in 2 minutes
Answer a few quick questions about your business and see the Quebec grants and tax credits matched to your technology project — free, and in English.
Find my funding matches →