Emergency assistance program for SMEs – U.S. Tariffs

The Government of Quebec has recently reactivated the Emergency Assistance Program for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (PAUPME) to support businesses affected by U.S. tariffs. As the program’s local administrator, the CLD de Brome-Missisquoi assists businesses in assessing their eligibility and processing applications.

Eligibility Requirements

Your business may be eligible for financial assistance if it:

• has been operating in Quebec for at least 2 years;
• generates annual revenues between $1 million and $2 million;
• exports to the United States or is a supplier/subcontractor to an exporting company;
• generated at least 25% of its 2024 revenue from the U.S. market;
• is experiencing or expects to experience a decrease of at least 20% in revenue due to tariffs.

Financial Assistance

The financial assistance provided by the MRC will take the form of a loan of up to $150,000. The amount of financial assistance is set at 75% of the company’s liquidity needs for a twelve-month period.

The loan terms are as follows:

• The interest rate will be 0% for the twelve months following the first disbursement. Thereafter, the interest rate will be set based on the Government of Quebec’s cost of funds when the program is implemented.
• A principal repayment moratorium will apply for the twelve months following the first disbursement. At any time, an additional moratorium on the repayment of principal and interest may be granted for a maximum period of twelve months. Accrued interest will be capitalized at the end of this period.
• The loan must be amortized over a maximum period of sixty months, excluding the repayment moratorium period(s).
• Loans granted must be secured by a guarantee or surety satisfactory to the MRC.

Deadline

These terms are in effect until March 31, 2028.

Contact

If you believe your business may be eligible, we invite you to contact Isabelle Dumont, Business Advisor, to confirm your eligibility.

idumont@cldbm.qc.ca
450-266-4928 ext. 301