Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Quebec
Funding Support for Quebec Businesses and Not-for-Profit Organizations Responding to Tariff Pressures
Global trade disruptions and changing tariff measures are creating new challenges for Canadian businesses. To help businesses respond, the Government of Canada has introduced the Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI), a national program delivered through Canada’s regional development agencies.
In Quebec, the Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) delivers the RTRI, providing funding to help tariff-impacted businesses manage financial pressures, strengthen competitiveness, diversify markets, and build greater resilience.
With $3.45 billion in funding available nationally, the RTRI provides support for businesses facing tariff-related challenges, as well as eligible for not-for-profit organizations whose activities help businesses adapt, grow, and expand trade opportunities.
EVAMAX can help your organization determine whether the RTRI may be a fit, identify eligible project activities, and navigate the application process from eligibility through submission.
What Is the Regional Tariff Response Initiative?
The Regional Tariff Response Initiative is designed to help Canadian businesses and organizations respond to ongoing trade disruptions and tariff pressures.
For Quebec businesses, RTRI support can address both immediate financial pressures and longer-term investments in competitiveness and resilience.
Funding is available through two primary forms of support:
- Liquidity Assistance to help eligible businesses maintain operations and employment during periods of tariff-related financial pressure.
- Pivot Projects to help businesses improve productivity, diversify markets, strengthen supply chains, adopt new technologies, and reduce their exposure to future trade disruptions.
Eligible Quebec for not-for-profit organizations that primarily support businesses may also receive funding for projects that help tariff-impacted businesses adapt and pursue new opportunities.
RTRI Funding for Quebec Businesses
Liquidity Assistance
Liquidity Assistance provides short-term support to eligible businesses experiencing financial pressure as a result of tariff-related trade disruptions.
The funding is intended to help businesses maintain their Canadian operations and retain employees while responding to current challenges and preparing for longer-term resilience.
Non-repayable funding may provide:
- Up to $2 million
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Support for up to 12 months
- Projects must end no later than March 31, 2028
Eligible costs may include essential expenses such as:
- Employee salaries and wages
- Commercial rent or lease payments
- Utilities
- Business insurance
- Property taxes
Pivot Projects
Pivot Projects provide funding for businesses undertaking investments that can improve productivity, strengthen competitiveness, diversify markets, and reduce exposure to future trade disruptions.
Depending on the scale and economic benefits of the project, support may include:
Non-repayable funding
- Up to $1 million for projects with local or regional economic benefits
- Up to 50% of eligible project costs
Repayable funding
- Available for larger-scale transformative projects exceeding $1 million
- Up to 75% of eligible project costs
Project timelines can vary, but all projects must be completed no later than March 31, 2029.
What Can RTRI Funding Support?
RTRI funding can support a range of activities designed to help businesses respond to tariff pressures and strengthen their operations.
Eligible Pivot Project activities may include:
- Productivity and Process Improvements
- Investments that improve efficiency, modernize processes, and increase productivity.
- Equipment and Technology Adoption
- Adoption of new equipment and technology, including automation and digitization, to improve business operations and competitiveness.
- Market Diversification and Export Development
- Activities that help businesses access new markets, develop export opportunities, and reduce dependence on markets affected by tariffs.
- Supply Chain Resilience
- Projects that strengthen supply chains and help businesses reduce vulnerabilities associated with trade disruptions.
- Competitiveness and Risk Reduction
- Investments that improve a company’s competitiveness and reduce its exposure to future trade-related risks.
For eligible Quebec not-for-profit organizations, funding can also support projects designed to help tariff-impacted businesses adapt, grow, and pursue new trade opportunities.
Can Businesses Combine RTRI Funding?
Eligible businesses may be able to access both Liquidity Assistance and Pivot Project funding when they require immediate financial support while also investing in longer-term improvements.
A business may receive up to:
- $3 million in combined non-repayable funding, including up to $2 million in Liquidity Assistance and up to $1 million for a non-repayable Pivot Project.
- $20 million in total RTRI funding when repayable support is included. This amount may include up to $2 million in non-repayable Liquidity Assistance.
The appropriate level and structure of funding will depend on the applicant, project, demonstrated need, and applicable program requirements.
Who Can Apply?
The RTRI is focused on supporting small and medium-sized businesses facing tariff pressures, with a minimum annual revenue requirement of $1 million.
Your business must:
- Be an incorporated, for-profit business located and operating in Quebec
- Have a minimum of $1 million in annual revenue in one or both of the company’s last two fiscal years
- Have been viable prior to March 21, 2025
- Demonstrate that it has been affected by ongoing trade disruptions
Businesses across tariff-impacted sectors may be eligible.
Demonstrating Tariff Exposure
Applicants must be able to demonstrate direct or indirect exposure to ongoing trade disruptions. This may include exposure to U.S. or China tariffs, Canadian countermeasures, or countervailing duties.
Tariff exposure may be demonstrated in several ways. For example, a business may:
- Operate in a sector affected by Section 338 or Section 232 tariffs, including businesses that are indirectly exposed through their role as a supplier or supply-chain partner to an affected exporter
- Generate 25% or more of revenue from goods ultimately exported to the United States
- Experience significant cost increases resulting from tariffs on goods or materials required for production
- Experience supply chain disruptions
- Experience a loss of revenue or customers associated with trade disruptions
Not-for-profit organizations may also be eligible where their primary focus is supporting businesses impacted by tariffs.
Who Is Not Eligible?
The RTRI is not intended to provide Liquidity Assistance to not-for-profit organizations for their own general operating expenses.
Businesses that cannot demonstrate direct or indirect exposure to tariff-related trade disruptions are also ineligible.
Because eligibility depends on both the organization’s characteristics and its demonstrated exposure to trade disruptions, businesses should assess their circumstances carefully before applying.
How EVAMAX Can Help
Understanding whether your business qualifies for RTRI funding is only the first step. A successful application also needs to clearly demonstrate the impact of trade disruptions, establish the need for funding, and connect proposed expenditures to a credible plan for strengthening the business.
EVAMAX can help businesses and eligible not-for-profit organizations navigate the RTRI process.
Our team can assist with:
- Eligibility Assessment
- We can review your business or organization, financial circumstances, tariff exposure, and proposed activities to help determine whether RTRI funding may be appropriate.
- Funding Strategy
- There may be multiple ways to structure support depending on your needs. EVAMAX can help identify whether Liquidity Assistance, a Pivot Project, or a combination of funding streams may align with your circumstances.
- Project Development
- We can help develop eligible project activities into a clear funding proposal, including investments in productivity, technology, market diversification, export development, and supply chain resilience.
- Application Preparation
- A strong application needs to clearly communicate the business circumstances, the impact of trade disruptions, the proposed response, and the expected outcomes. EVAMAX can help prepare and organize the information required for submission.
- Funding Support and Compliance
- From initial eligibility through the application process, EVAMAX can help businesses navigate program requirements and ensure the proposed project is supported by appropriate documentation.
Is Your Quebec Business Being Affected by Tariffs?
If tariffs, changing trade conditions, supply chain disruptions, or changing customer demand are affecting your business, RTRI funding may be available to help you respond.
Whether you need short-term support to maintain operations or funding to invest in technology, productivity, market diversification, or supply chain resilience, EVAMAX can help you explore the funding options available to your organization.
Contact EVAMAX to discuss your business and determine whether the Regional Tariff Response Initiative could support your next steps.