Creation or reinforcement of pan-Canadian structures and networks with the participation of organizations from Québec
The Secrétariat du Québec aux relations canadiennes (SQRC) is inviting civil society organizations throughout Québec and elsewhere in Canada to submit grant proposals to the Canadian Relations Support Program. The Program offers support for bilateral, multilateral and pan-Canadian activities between civil society organizations in Québec and other Canadian provinces and territories.
Applications can be submitted during the call for proposals period for Tier 2 – Canadian structures, from August 10 to September 11, 2023.
Tier 2 will primarily support activities that empower Québec organizations to create or integrate into pan-Canadian structures that encourage transfer of expertise between Quebecers and other Canadians. These could include, for example, pan-Canadian structures, forums, conversations and summer schools. These projects will ensure that Québec organizations will play an active role in these structures.
Priority proposals
Proposals can be submitted for all the themes. However, this year, two types of initiatives will be prioritized:
- Proposals that are in line with the priorities of the Government of Québec, such as for:
- Making the healthcare system more human and efficient
- Encouraging the next generation
- Supporting sustainable economic development
- Improving social cohesion and community life
- Proposals that encourage the development and achievement of initiatives for people aged 15 to 29.
Types of proposals supported
A typical project that is supported by this program brings together two or more partners from Québec and from other Canadian provinces and territories in order to establish or strengthen a sharing network, regardless of the theme. Sometimes, Québec applicant organizations may already be well established in their fields, but relatively new in the rest of Canada, so they might want to break into these new markets.
Here are some examples of initiatives that have been supported by this tier in the past.
Rassemblement de l’écosystème d’innovation canadien en économie bleue
The Rassemblement de l’écosystème d’innovation canadien en économie bleue was a forum that brought together the major players in the blue economy of Québec and elsewhere in Canada. The event was held in Îles-de-la-Madeleine on September 7 and 8, 2022. It was an initiative by the Société de promotion économique de Rimouski, the Ocean Startup Project (Newfoundland and Labrador), La Vague insular accelerator (Québec), Dalhousie University’s DeepSense platform (Nova Scotia) and the Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies (British Columbia).
Communauté de pratique canadienne en laboratoire d’innovation (CaNéoLabs)
Creation of a pan-Canadian community of practice for different types of innovation labs, such as living labs, social innovation labs and public innovation labs. This network aims to increase Canada’s innovation capacity through exchanges and networking, and will focus on various themes including climate change, socio-ecological transition, urban and rural innovation. CaNéoLabs is an initiative by the Laboratoire en innovation ouverte at Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup, in collaboration with the Maison de l’innovation sociale (Québec) and Social Innovation Canada (Ontario).
Submitting an application
You can submit an application for funding August 10 until September 11 at 5 p.m.
Funded initiatives must start after the application for funding is submitted and run for a maximum of one year. Applications are processed within 60 business days of submitting a complete application.
Interested organizations must submit their application for funding using the form available on the website.
Additionally, organizations wishing to submit a proposal for Tier 1 – Exchange of Expertise may do so at any time during the year, subject to available funds. This tier of the program provides support primarily for exchanges of expertise between specialists from Québec and elsewhere in Canada. These activities should encourage the transfer of expertise between Québec and the rest of Canada and promote the expertise Québec has to offer.
For any further questions or information, please email programme.relations-canadiennes@mce.gouv.qc.ca.