CED · REGIONAL TARIFF RESPONSE INITIATIVE

Tariff relief funding in Quebec

CED delivers RTRI across Quebec.

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) delivers the Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Quebec. Unlike agencies with an open portal, CED starts with a conversation. It assesses your eligibility first, then sends the application form. A well-prepared first contact makes the rest of the process faster.

How to apply in Quebec

Free one-on-one consultation. Practical guidance for your business. No obligation to hire us.

Checked against CED's RTRI pages on October 29, 2026 • Official sources linked below

Read the Canada-wide tariff relief guide

FUNDING IN QUEBEC

Liquidity assistance
and pivot projects.

Liquidity assistance covers tariff-related cash-flow shortfalls in your existing labour and overhead. Pivot projects fund net-new investment on top of the business you already run. You can apply for either, or both. CED applies the national terms below in Quebec.

You do not need a pivot project to request liquidity assistance. Not-for-profits that support businesses can apply for project funding but not for liquidity.

01 / EXISTING LABOUR AND OVERHEAD

Liquidity assistance

Non-repayable support for a tariff-related cash-flow shortfall in the business you already run. It is based on your average payroll over the last 12 months, with overhead such as rent, utilities, insurance and property taxes considered where needed.

Funding
Up to $2M, non-repayable
Basis
50% of average monthly payroll, capped at your demonstrated 12-month need
Period
Up to 12 months, ending by March 31, 2028

In Quebec

CED sizes liquidity at the lesser of your projected 12-month cash-flow need and 50% of payroll, up to $2M. It says it is a priority to process applications from Quebec businesses affected by tariffs.

Tariffs, customs duties, raw materials, inventory and debt payments are not eligible liquidity costs. Dividends are restricted while liquidity support is in place.

02 / NET-NEW INVESTMENT

Pivot projects

Funding for net-new investment on top of your existing labour, overhead and operations: equipment, automation, expansion, new markets and reinvestment in the business.

Non-repayable
Up to $1M; up to 50% of eligible costs
Repayable
Over $1M; up to 75% of eligible costs, interest-free
Completion
By March 31, 2029

In Quebec

Pivot projects can start up to 12 months before you apply. CED also funds not-for-profit organizations that support businesses affected by tariffs.

Land and building purchases, entertainment, vehicles and refinancing are not eligible. Projects need measurable, incremental results.

How the limits fit together

Up to $3M in combined non-repayable support: $2M for liquidity plus $1M for a non-repayable pivot. Total RTRI support, including repayable funding, is capped at $20M per business. The same costs cannot be funded twice.

WHO CAN APPLY

Who qualifies in
Quebec.

CED funds incorporated, for-profit businesses located and operating in Quebec.

Retail, local consumer services (such as hotels, restaurants, utilities, healthcare and recreation), oil and gas extraction and construction services are generally not eligible.

$1M+ in annual revenue

In at least one of your last two fiscal years. This is a revenue threshold, not a minimum project size. Smaller firms can still ask the agency about other options.

Viable before tariffs

Assessed through your attestation, financial statements and operating history. Businesses founded after March 21, 2025 are considered case by case.

U.S. and China tariffs

CED's page names U.S. and China tariffs, Canadian countermeasures and countervailing duties as trade disruptions that can count.

Services tied to exporters

Transportation companies tied to forestry exporters, and professional, technical, warehousing and logistics firms critical to a manufacturing exporter's supply chain, may qualify.

THE CORE OF THE APPLICATION

Tariff impact is
what gets assessed.

Every RTRI application has to show how tariffs, Canadian counter-tariffs or the uncertainty around them affected your business. You need to meet at least one of these tests, and liquidity requests must also show a cash-flow need caused by tariffs.

CED looks at program criteria, demonstrated need and how your business is responding to tariffs. In our experience, CED asks about the tariff impact and cash flow early, during its eligibility review, so it pays to have those figures ready before the first call.

  1. 01

    Operates in a sector hit by Section 232 or Section 338 tariffs, including indirect exposure as a supplier to an affected exporter, or in another tariff-impacted sector.

  2. 02

    Earns at least 25% of revenue from goods that are ultimately exported to the U.S.

  3. 03

    Can show harm from tariffs or the uncertainty they created: higher input costs, supply chain disruption, or lost revenue and customers.

A general slowdown on its own does not establish tariff impact. The connection has to be documented.

HOW TO APPLY WITH CED

The CED process,
step by step.

Contact CED first; CED assesses eligibility, then sends the form. Here is how the process runs in Quebec, based on CED's published guidance.

  1. 01

    Make first contact

    Existing CED clients contact their advisor. New clients call CED or send its short online request form: name, company, email, phone, city, postal code and a brief project description.

  2. 02

    CED reviews eligibility

    CED commits to contacting you within one business day to assess your eligibility, answer questions and, if you fit, send the RTRI application form. If you do not, it points you to other programs.

  3. 03

    Complete the application

    Answer the form CED sends and attach the documents it asks for: financial statements, tariff impact evidence, and for liquidity, payroll records and cash-flow forecasts.

  4. 04

    Assessment and agreement

    CED assesses program fit, demonstrated need and your response to tariffs. Liquidity recipients attest to maintaining Canadian operations and employment, and report on payroll.

Documents to prepare

  • Corporate information and a business profile
  • Financial statements for the past two years
  • Evidence of tariff impact, such as export sales information
  • Liquidity: payroll records and a quantified liquidity need, such as cash-flow forecasts
  • Employment retention targets and operational obligations
  • Information on other government funding received

What is different in Quebec

Contact first, form second

There is no open online application. CED screens eligibility in a first conversation and sends the form to businesses that fit.

One business day

CED commits to calling back within one business day of your phone call or online request.

China tariffs named

CED's criteria explicitly include China tariffs alongside U.S. tariffs and Canadian countermeasures.

Phone
1-800-561-0633
TTY
1-844-805-8727
Existing clients
Contact your CED advisor directly

HOW FUNDSPOKE HELPS

You run the business.
We build the funding case.

Because CED decides early whether to send the form, the first conversation matters. We help you go in with the tariff impact, revenue history and a draft cash-flow picture ready, then prepare the full application once CED sends it.

01

Find the fit

Review your operations, revenue history and tariff exposure against CED's criteria. Decide on liquidity, a pivot project, or both.

02

Prepare the application

Build the tariff impact evidence, payroll and cash-flow forecasts, project budget and narrative. You review and approve everything before you submit.

03

Stay through delivery

Support due diligence, the contribution agreement, claims and reporting after approval. You speak with the agency; we prepare you for each conversation.

A useful starting point

Your location, revenue for the last two fiscal years and a short description of how tariffs have affected you. We will work through the rest together.

CED RTRI QUESTIONS

Tariff relief in
Quebec, answered.

Answers drawn from CED's published RTRI guidance.

CED's official RTRI page
How do I apply for tariff relief funding in Quebec?

Start by contacting CED. Existing clients contact their advisor; new clients call 1-800-561-0633 or send CED's online request form. CED contacts you within one business day to assess your eligibility for RTRI, answer questions and send the application form if your business fits.

What does CED's first contact form ask for?

It is a short general request form for CED funding programs. It asks for your name, company, email, phone number, city, postal code and a brief description of the project. The detailed RTRI application comes after CED's eligibility review.

Does CED count China tariffs for RTRI?

Yes. CED's eligibility criteria refer to ongoing trade disruptions including U.S. and China tariffs, Canadian countermeasures or countervailing duties. You still need to show at least one specific form of impact on your business.

How is liquidity support calculated in Quebec?

Mainly on 50% of your average monthly payroll for up to 12 months. The maximum is the lesser of your projected 12-month cash-flow need and 50% of payroll, up to $2 million. Certain essential operating costs can be considered if necessary, and support may be reduced to account for other government assistance.

What if my Quebec business does not meet the RTRI criteria?

CED says it will direct businesses that do not meet the RTRI criteria to other programs and resources. For businesses under $1 million in revenue, it will continue to work with them to understand their needs, focusing on those critical to a value chain, sector or local economy.

ONE NATIONAL INITIATIVE. SEVEN AGENCIES.

Operating in more
than one region?

Each regional development agency funds its own region. If you have employees in more than one agency's area, separate requests are needed for each. See how RTRI works elsewhere in Canada.

FedDev Ontario

Southern Ontario

Fillable PDF form, submitted from Adobe Acrobat Reader

FedNor

Northern Ontario

FedNor self-service portal, after a call with a FedNor officer

ACOA

Atlantic Canada

MyACOA Client Portal, after talking to your nearest ACOA office

PrairiesCan

Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba

Detailed application in the PrairiesCan online portal

PacifiCan

British Columbia

PacifiCan online portal, stream “BC (PacifiCan) - RTRI-Business”

CanNor

Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut

PDF application form, submitted from the form or by email to CanNor

CANADA-WIDE

Tariff relief guide

How RTRI works, indirect impacts and common questions

LET'S FIND YOUR NEXT STEP

Tariffs changed the plan.
Let's work on the response.

Tell us what has changed for your business. In a free, one-on-one consultation, we will help you understand your CED funding options and next steps, whether or not you work with us.

Independent advisory by Fundspoke. We are not a government agency. Your business remains the applicant and speaks with CED directly. Program terms and intake availability may change; CED's current rules and your contribution agreement govern funding.