The Research support program (PAR) aims to support the development and dissemination of knowledge contributing to a better understanding of Québec and its Canadian relations.
Administered by the Secrétariat du Québec aux relations canadiennes (SQRC), the program has three components.
The Intergovernmental Affairs component primarily supports projects that will contribute to the promotion of Canadian intergovernmental relations based on the respect of the Constitution and the recognition of Québec’s specificity and enhance the reflection and discussion on intergovernmental issues in Canada. These projects may concern:
The Québec Identity component primarily supports projects that will contribute to the understanding of Québec in Canada, its national identity, its institutions and of Québec’s perspectives and realities among its partners of the Canadian federation. These projects may concern:
The Canadian Francophonie component primarily supports projects that will contribute to the understanding of the Canadian Francophonie, in particular the Francophone and Acadian communities as French-speaking communities in Canada. These projects may concern:
The projects under the PAR program are intended to:
Projects can be single-year or multi-year. Single-year projects must be completed within twelve months (from the project start date indicated by the applicant). Multi-year projects can take longer than one year, but must be completed within three years. In no case will financial support for a project be renewed automatically.
Only researchers from recognized organizations (institutions, associations, institutes, research centres) can submit a project to the PAR
Research centres affiliated with a university-level institution, and associations of researchers, can submit a project to receive funding under the PAR The applicant must hold non-profit status with the enterprise registrar or be affiliated with a postsecondary and/or research institution, and must provide the relevant supporting documents.
When a project is submitted by two or more co-applicants, at least one of them must work for an organization located and recognized in Canada.
Only projects meeting the objectives of the program and the orientations and priorities defined by the SQRC are eligible.
Please submit your project request from 8 to 10 weeks before the beginning of your event.
Projects must be described in sufficient details, in the prescribed form.
All of the following elements must be covered in the description:
The grant can only be used for the reimbursement of eligible expenses reasonably incurred to realize the activities, analyses and research as described in the project.
Eligible expenses are:
Non-eligible expenses:
Projects are evaluated by the SQRC on the extent of their relevancy with regard to the objectives, orientations and priorities of the Program, their originality and articulation, the achievements of participant researchers, their capacity to realize the project and the realism of the financial aspects of the project.
The grant is determined on the basis of the result of the evaluation and taking into account the orientations and priorities of the SQRC and availability of funds.
Grants of less than 15 000 $ are paid in a single instalment.
Grants of 15 000 $ or more are paid in two instalments: 80% of the grant is paid after confirmation of the approval of the project by the SQRC and 20% at the end of the project, upon acceptance of the final report by the SQRC.
Other terms and conditions of payment may be determined by the SQRC depending on the nature and development of the project.
The first instalment of each year represents the funding that applies for one project year, and is paid 60 days after the signing of the memorandum of agreement by the parties or after the SQRC has accepted the progress report filed each year by the applicant, on the date determined in the memorandum of agreement.
The second instalment is paid for the year concerned in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the memorandum of agreement.
The combined total of public grants can cover up to 80% of eligible expenses. The total includes amounts paid directly or indirectly by the departments and bodies of a provincial or federal government, state-owned corporations and municipal bodies.
The project must be carried out as approved. Prior approval by the SQRC is required for any substantial change to the project.
For funding of 50 000 $ or more, audited financial statements of the project must be provided to SQRC with the final report.
The SQRC also reserves the right to require audited financial statements of any project that it subsidizes and may, at any time, verify the information and supporting documents related to the project.
Applicants who receive funding for a multi-year project must agree to sign a memorandum of agreement with the SQRC, setting out, in particular, the terms and conditions for visibility, the filing of reports and the payment of a multi-year grant.
For single-year projects, after completion of the project, a final report must be transmitted to the SQRC, no later that March 31st of the financial year in which it has been completed. The final report must have been transmitted on time and approved by the SQRC before any proposal for a new project can be submitted to the PAR.
For multi-year projects, a progress report must be filed each year on the dates determined in the memorandum of agreement, and a final report must be filed with the SQRC at the end of the project and no later than March 31st of the financial year in which it is completed. The final report must have been transmitted on time and approved by the SQRC before any proposal for a new project can be submitted under the PAR.
If the eligible expenses that have effectively been incurred for the realization of the project are lower than the amount of the grant, effective revenues are higher than forecasted or the project has been cancelled, the unused portion of the grant must be repaid to the SQRC.
All documents, activities and communication products related to the project must include an acknowledgement the Government of Québec’s contribution with a prominence commensurate to the level of support provided.
All documents related to a request for funding support for a project under the PSRAIIQ must be mailed to:
Secrétariat du Québec aux relations canadiennes (SQRC)
Direction de la francophonie, de la réflexion stratégique et des affaires publiques canadiennes
875, Grande Allée Est, 3e étage
Québec (Québec) G1R 4Y8
Phone: 418 528-7915
Reach us by email
The SQRC adheres to the Government Sustainable Development Strategy and encourages responsible practices in this regard.
Application form (Word, 3 pages, 142 Kb) Final report (Word, 4 pages, 126 Kb) 
