Metropolis Signature Fund

Description

The Fund aims to maintain the competitiveness of the metropolis and its attractiveness.

Goals

The Fund aims to maintain the competitiveness of the metropolis and its attractiveness.

Its specific objectives are to:

• consolidate the reputation of the metropolis as a hub of creativity that stages large-scale festivals and events;
• promote the economic, cultural and social strengths that characterize the metropolis by supporting new projects that have the potential to constitute a legacy;
• strengthen, in the long term, the distinctive identity of the metropolis in order to support its driving role for Quebec and its influence on the Quebec, Canadian and international scale.

Shutters

Component 1 — Support for festivals and major events

This component aims to consolidate the reputation of the metropolis by supporting a pool of festivals and large-scale cultural, sporting or business events.

Component 2 — Support for new major initiatives

This component aims to highlight the economic, cultural and social assets of the metropolis by supporting new  large-scale initiatives  (start-up or one-off projects) that showcase them and have the potential to create a  legacy .

A legacy project is one that leaves a lasting mark or has the potential for long-term impact.

Here are some examples of distinctive characteristics of the metropolis that could be targeted by projects in component 2: dynamic city centre, French-speaking character, island aspect, Nordic character, festive spirit, cultural vitality, gastronomy, quality of life, social innovation, social cohesion, active mobility, urban agriculture, etc.

Eligibility

Eligible organizations

The Fund is aimed at:

• non-profit organizations (NPOs) legally constituted under the laws applicable in Quebec;
• cooperatives incorporated under the  Cooperatives Act  (RSQ, chapter C 67.2) or the  Canada Cooperatives Act  (LC 998, c. 1);
• private for-profit companies incorporated under the laws applicable in Quebec (section 1 only).

The applicant must also be established in Quebec.

Eligible projects

Projects that meet the  objectives  of the Fund and the  component  in which they fall are eligible for analysis.

In addition, they must:

Part 1:

• be carried out on the territory of the Metropolitan Community of Montreal ;
• meet the definition of “  festival  ” or “  event  ”:
  • festival: a series of artistic events or shows of exceptional quality organized in the same place for a limited period;
  • event: activity or set of activities including commercial or professional activities (with the exception of trade fairs, fairs and markets) taking place on an ad hoc basis according to a schedule, in particular around a product, a resource or a theme ;
• have a schedule of at least 2 days.

Part 2:

• be carried out on the territory of the administrative region of Montreal (island of Montreal) ;
• constitute a new initiative , i.e. a project that has not already been started or is in the start-up phase .

Ineligible projects

Part 1:

• festivals and events presenting a first edition, unless it is a major event previously held outside the territory and able to demonstrate its impact and influence;
• trade shows  , fairs and markets ;
• tourist attractions  or attractions  including their programming;
• the shows;
• exhibitions;
• projects financed by the  Regions and Rurality Fund (FRR) — Section 1 – Support for the influence of the regions ;
• infrastructure projects, including studies and technical plans related to the implementation of such projects.

Part 2:

• infrastructure projects ,  including studies and technical plans related to the implementation of such projects;
• trade shows  , fairs and markets .

Project selection criteria

Projects are selected according to the following general criteria :

• the essentiality  of the aid: the applicant must demonstrate the need for financial assistance from the Fund for the implementation of the project;
• the  relevance  of the project in terms of its consistency with the applicant's main mission and its concordance with the objectives of the program;
• the   organization's ability to carry out the project, measured by:
  • the relevance of the project team's experience;
  • the partnerships and collaborations established to ensure the completion of the project;
  • the organization's past achievements, if applicable;
  • sound governance (number, diversity, expertise and independence of board members);
  • compliance with obligations arising from an agreement linked to previous financial assistance, where applicable.
• the  quality  of the project, measured by:
  • the clarity and precision of the objectives pursued;
  • the realism of the project implementation plan.
• the  solidity  and  coherence  of the financial framework of the project, measured by:
  • the diversity of funding sources;
  • the weight of public funding and cash contributions in financing the project;
  • the realism of financial forecasts;
  • the financial situation of the applicant.
• the contribution of the project to  sustainable development  in each of its dimensions (environmental, social and economic).

Specific selection criteria for section 1

In addition to section 1, there are specific criteria related to the large scale of the event. The following guidelines dictate the selection.

Quantitative criteria:

• For festivals and cultural events:
  • Budget of at least $1 million;
  • 100,000 visitors or 25,000 spectators/entrances (ticket office or closed site), where applicable.
• For sporting events:
  • Budget of at least $1 million;
  • 30% of foreign or non-Quebec athletes, applicable for national or international competitions;
  • 40,000 visitors or 25,000 spectators/entrances (ticket office or closed site), where applicable.
• For business events:
  • Budget of at least $500,000;
  • 250 delegates, including at least 125 delegates from outside Canada, where applicable.

Other criteria:

1. Significant economic benefits, measured by:
   • investments in the metropolis and job creation;
   • participation in the economic vitality of the metropolis through a contribution to the different sectors (hotels, restaurants, retail, tourism, etc.);
   • support from sectoral and local donors.
2. Large contribution to radiation, measured by:
   • the ability to competitively position the metropolis in a niche where the festival or event stands out;
   • national or international caliber programming;
   • traffic made up of national or international tourists;
   • significant notoriety, particularly measured by recognition awards, media coverage in Canada and abroad, the number of accredited media and their origin, the origin of participants, artists, athletes, etc.

Specific selection criteria for section 2

In addition to section 2, the following specific criteria are added :

Large scale

• The project budget must be at least $1 million;
• The project must have a structuring character measured by: 
  • pooling of resources and partners;
  • multidisciplinary and intersectoral collaborations;
  • the potential for significant long-term impact (significant positive spin-offs and leverage).

Sustainability​

Measured by:

• its potential to constitute a legacy or to have a lasting character;
• the solidity of its financial structure and its financial health (are the partners confirmed? How autonomous will the project be once the financial assistance from the Fund ends?).

Contribution to the identity of the metropolis

Measured by:

• its ability to reflect an  important distinctive feature of the metropolis ;
• its ability to contribute to distinguishing or creating a signature for the metropolis;
• its potential to inspire future actions, to constitute an example of good practice.

Visibility

Measured by:

• its potential for visibility outside the territory;
• its ability to strengthen the reputation of the metropolis.

Innovative character

Measured by:

• its potential for progress;
• its ability to initiate or reinforce a trend;
• its avant-garde character.

Determination of financial assistance

Eligible expenses

Eligible expenses are:

• operating costs necessary to carry out the project, including salaries, rent, acquisition of materials and equipment;
• communication and promotion costs related to the project, including the design and production of Internet and advertising tools, costs associated with public and press relations, and other costs related to marketing the project in Quebec and outside Quebec;
• the costs of carrying out plans and studies (salaries and professional fees) relating to the improvement of the project, namely:
  • the creation of a business plan;
  • the assessment of the opportunity of a project, including the market analysis of a project;
  • the estimation of the technical and financial feasibility of a project;
  • the definition and improvement of a concept;
  • activity programming;
  • the development and fine-tuning of instruments or indicators to better measure a sector of activity, including studies of traffic and economic impact linked to projects.
• training costs related to the project;
• costs related to commitments to sustainable and responsible development;
• the portion of eligible travel expenses, which may be revised downwards if deemed excessive, based on the following comparable guidelines in effect in the Quebec government:
  • the  Directive on reimbursable expenses during travel and other inherent   expenses .
    
    The remuneration policy of the subsidized organization must be deemed reasonable based on the guidelines of the maximum amounts provided for in the remuneration policy in force in the Government of Quebec Read the contents of note number1. Otherwise, eligible salaries will have to be revised downwards in order to comply with government policy standards.

 

Ineligible expenses

The aid cannot be used to finance:

• expenses relating to the financing of a debt or the repayment of a loan;
• expenses incurred eight months before submitting an application for financial assistance to the Fund for a project under section 1;
• expenses incurred before submitting an application for financial assistance to the Fund for a project under section 2;
• expenses for a project already completed;
• capital expenditures;
• expenses not directly related to the project.

Amount of aid and rules for accumulation

The amount of financial assistance is established taking into account:

• the Fund's budgetary availability;
• of the total project budget;
• aid allocated to comparable projects;
• eligible expenses;
• from the financial contribution of private partners and independent income;
• from the financial contribution of the ministries and government agencies responsible for the sector of activity in which the project is included.

Financial assistance from the Fund is limited annually to $500,000 per project .

Financial assistance is granted for a maximum of 3 years and cannot be renewed for projects in section 2.

If multi-year support is desired, the request for financial assistance must also be multi-year.

The maximum assistance rate from the Fund corresponds to the cumulative rate, except for projects in section 1, for which assistance cannot exceed 50% of eligible expenses if it is an organization other than a private for-profit company, and 20% of eligible expenses if it is a private for-profit company.

The calculation of the accumulation of direct or indirect financial assistance received from departments, agencies and Crown corporations of the governments of Quebec and Canada, including tax credits, as well as municipal entities,  must not exceed 80% of eligible expenses .

For the purposes of the rules for calculating the accumulation rate of public financial assistance, the term "municipal entities" refers to municipal bodies included in section 5 of the  Act respecting Access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection of personal information  (RLRQ, c. A-2.1).

Public sponsorships and the assets referred to in subparagraph 1 of  the first paragraph of section 89 of the  Act establishing the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Regional Government  (RLRQ, c. G-1.04) are not included in the calculation of the accumulation of public assistance.

For the purposes of the rules for calculating the accumulation rate, all forms of financial assistance granted by a public body must be calculated at 100% of their value, whether they are repayable or not.

Also, when the accumulation rate of public financial assistance is less than 100% of eligible expenses, a minimum contribution from the beneficiary is required to ensure that government assistance does not finance all of the project's eligible expenses.

Furthermore, financial assistance from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and La Financière agricole du Québec (FADQ) are to be considered private contributions if they do not offer any conferred benefit, or if they are agreed to under market conditions.

In the case of a private for-profit company, the cumulative public aid cannot exceed 40% of eligible expenses – this includes tax credits and aid granted in the form of loans or loan guarantees, with the exception of studies. In the case of projects from an SME with assets of less than $25 million, the cumulative aid can reach 50%.

Contributions in kind, sponsorships or goods and services are limited to 20% of total eligible costs.

No cost overruns for activities or projects will be accepted for additional financial assistance.

Filing an application

To prepare your application and find out the list of documents to send, consult the Guide to completing the application form  (PDF 776 KB) .

Use these templates to prepare the financial plan for your project: 

• Annual financial planning template  (XLSX 20 KB)
• Multi-year financial planning template  (XLSX 25 KB)

Then complete the Fonds Signature Métropole  Financial Assistance Application Form 

 

, then send the required documents.

Submit the required documents

 

fsm@mamh.gouv.qc.ca

Once the request has been submitted, an  acknowledgement of receipt  will be sent to you.

Only duly completed applications accompanied by all required documents will be accepted. 

The same organization may submit more than one application, in different sections, if the projects submitted correspond to the objectives and selection criteria.

Application filing dates

For your application to be considered, you must respect the application deadline established for the Fund, depending on the component in which it falls.

Projects can be submitted until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the day of the call for projects deadline.

Application deadlines for Stream 1

Start of the project	Deadline — Submission of application
May 1 ,  2025 to October 31, 2025	December 13, 2024
November 1 ,  2025 to April 30, 2026	June 15, 2025
May 1 ,  2026 to October 31, 2026	December 15, 2025

 

Application deadlines for component 2

November 29, 2024

November 28, 2025

Processing of requests

Applications for financial assistance are reviewed in batches, based on available budgets and selection criteria.

Prior request to the relevant sectoral ministries

The WSF does not replace existing programmes in other ministries; it is complementary. Projects must first be submitted for funding to the relevant ministries or sectoral bodies when an aid programme is available. Aid or additional financial assistance may only be granted by the Fund after consultation with the relevant ministry or public sectoral body.

The applicant for financial assistance must demonstrate that the project for which he is applying has first been submitted for funding to the relevant ministries or sectoral bodies, where an aid programme is available. If the relevant ministry does not have a programme adapted to the project, or if the financial assistance from that ministry is not sufficient to carry out the project, the body must mention this in its application to the WSF.

Payment terms

All selected projects are subject to a financial assistance agreement between the beneficiary organization and the minister responsible for the Metropolis and the Montreal region.

The financial assistance agreement defines the obligations that the beneficiary must respect as well as the information to be provided to evaluate the results achieved.

This financial assistance agreement also defines the conditions for payment of the assistance, which are coordinated with the completion of key stages of the projects and the submission of supporting documents: financial statements, annual activity reports, progress reports during the implementation of the projects, visibility requirements, the final report following the completion of the project relating to the achievement of the agreed targets and containing any other required information.

Financial assistance is paid in 2 installments, or more than 2 installments when the project extends over more than one year. The first installment cannot exceed 80% of the annual financial assistance granted.

The final payment of financial assistance is conditional on the transmission by the beneficiary of all the data necessary for assessing the results of the programme, in particular the information necessary for measuring the results indicators provided for in the regulatory framework and in the context of monitoring the Fund. The financial assistance agreements specify the arrangements in this regard.

Where applicable, as soon as the beneficiary body knows the amount of subsidies and financial assistance it obtains from other public and private bodies, it must prepare a revised and balanced budget and submit it to the Secretariat.

The beneficiary of assistance from the Fund must be able to demonstrate at all times their full eligibility for the Fund, until the last payment.

The beneficiary of financial assistance agrees not to have other parties carry out, in whole or in part, the initiatives, projects or interventions provided for in the financial assistance agreement, including subcontracting, without first obtaining written authorization from the Minister responsible for the Métropole and the Montréal region. The Minister may impose certain requirements on the beneficiary, including the obligation to proceed by call for tenders for the selection of the third-party organization or by inviting several organizations to submit a quote. Where applicable, this subcontracting must comply with the principles of the  Act respecting contracting by public bodies  (RLRQ, chapter C-65.1). In all circumstances, the beneficiary remains solely responsible for implementing the obligations provided for in the financial assistance agreement with respect to the Minister. The beneficiary may not, under any circumstances, have all of the initiatives, projects or interventions carried out by a third party.

Audit and accountability

The recipient must undertake to allow and provide any authorized government representative with reasonable access to its premises, books and other documents in order to assess the progress and results of the project and verify payment requests, up to three years after the final payment of financial assistance.

The beneficiary must provide:

• a report on the use of financial assistance;
• its turnover (before and after financial aid);
• the value of investments made, broken down by source;
• the number of jobs created (including jobs saved according to the definition of Investissement Québec Read the contents of note number2  before and after the project.

The beneficiary must respect the French Language Charter and in particular the regulations in force for all public displays and advertising linked to the implementation of their project.

If the beneficiary has a business relationship with one or more related companies (for example, the beneficiary has an economic interest in another organization or company, or it is controlled directly or indirectly by the same directors as those of the organization or company, or if there is significant influence from one organization to another or between the organization and the company), it must:

• inform the Secretariat by identifying each of them by their legal name and their Quebec business number;
• demonstrate that he is the sole beneficiary of the surplus, where applicable, as well as of the financial aid allocated to him and any other external contribution;
• provide evidence that its transactions with related companies:
  • are formally documented by contract or written agreement;
  • are disclosed in notes to the financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
  • are established under conditions and at costs which are lower or at least comparable to those which would apply with a third party.