Local loan funds and project loans
Local and provincial loan funds lend part of a project and expect the business to bring the rest. In Quebec, the FLI lend up to $150,000 through each MRC, PME MTL lends up to $300,000 in Montreal, and ESSOR offers loans or guarantees on projects of $100,000 or more. Anywhere in Canada, the CSBFP backs bank loans of up to $1.15 million.
Start an applicationWho this is for
- Quebec businesses with a project in their MRC
- Montreal businesses able to put in at least 20% of a project
- Quebec businesses with a productivity or expansion project of $100,000 or more
- Businesses with $10 million or less in revenue borrowing through a bank, caisse or credit union
The programs
Type and status come from each program's official page, checked on 8 October 2026.
Every one of these expects a contribution from the business. The FLI covers at most 50% of eligible costs. PME MTL requires the business to put in at least 20%. Under ESSOR's second stream, combined government aid is capped at 50%. A CSBFP loan is a bank loan, repaid in full.
Some grant money sits inside these funds: ESSOR's first stream is non-repayable at 50%, and PME MTL's Fonds Jeunes entreprises pays up to $25,000, but only alongside a PME MTL loan.
| Program | Type | Status | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada Small Business Financing Program | Loan guarantee | Continuous intake | 8 October 2026 |
| ESSOR | Grant (non-repayable), loan or loan guarantee | Continuous intake | 8 October 2026 |
| FLI and FLS local funds | Loan | Open | 8 October 2026 |
| PME MTL funds | Loan or grant (non-repayable) | Open | 8 October 2026 |
- Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP)
- ESSOR (Investissement Québec)
- Local investment funds (FLI) and local solidarity funds (FLS)
- PME MTL funds (Fonds PME MTL and FLS Montréal)
The financing that covers the gap
The part a loan fund does not cover is what holds projects up. On a $200,000 project with an FLI loan, $100,000 still has to come from somewhere.
If the project is equipment, equipment financing can cover it directly. A term loan can carry part of the remaining share over several years, and a line of credit covers costs that come before any disbursement. Voxen assesses each on the business's revenue and statements, independently of the fund's decision.
The Voxen products that fit this program. Ranges are the ones on each product page; every file is assessed on the business's revenue and bank statements.
| Financing | Range | What it covers here |
|---|---|---|
| Term Loan | Loan Amount: $10,000 – $2,000,000 | Your share of a larger project, repaid in fixed instalments over several years. |
| Equipment Financing | Equipment Value: $10,000 – $5,000,000 | The equipment itself, whether a machine, a truck or a heating system, financed against that equipment. |
| Line of Credit | Credit Limit: $10,000 – $1,000,000 | Working capital while you wait for a reimbursement or a refund. Draw what the project needs, pay it down when the money arrives. |
Not sure which program fits? Ask us
Tell us about the project and we will tell you which programs are worth a look and what financing could carry your share. Voxen does not prepare grant applications; if you want help with one, we can point you to specialists who do that work.
Notice
Voxen Capital is a private financing broker, not a government body. It does not decide, influence or guarantee any grant, credit or government loan, and it does not prepare grant applications. Program details change: check the official page before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
Are local loan funds grants?
Mostly not. The FLI, FLS, PME MTL funds and the CSBFP are loans or loan guarantees. The exceptions are ESSOR's first stream and PME MTL's Fonds Jeunes entreprises, which is only available with a PME MTL loan.
How much of the project do I need to put in?
It depends on the fund. The FLI covers at most 50% of eligible costs, PME MTL requires at least 20% from the business, and ESSOR's second stream caps combined government aid at 50%.
Can Voxen finance the rest of the project?
Voxen can arrange equipment financing, a term loan or a line of credit, assessed on the business's revenue and bank statements like any other file.