By Chady Zahri, Chief Executive Officer · Updated October 8, 2026

Voxen insight

Check the two-year and safety-rating conditions before anything else. They decide an Écocamionnage file faster than the choice of truck does, and a carrier that misses them should plan the purchase on financing alone rather than wait for help that cannot come.

What Écocamionnage covers and who qualifies

Écocamionnage is the Quebec government's program for trucking efficiency. It helps pay for technology that cuts fuel use and for the purchase of used heavy trucks. Three conditions decide most files before the paperwork starts:

A carrier in its first two years, or one with an unsatisfactory rating, is out regardless of the equipment. The program page sets the amounts for each measure, so read it before you build a budget around the help. The program runs until March 31, 2028.

• registration with the Commission des transports du Québec (CTQ);
• a satisfactory safety rating with the CTQ;
• at least two years in operation.

Matching each trucking purchase to a funding source

A trucking company buys different things for different reasons, and each one has its own best source. The table shows where a program may help and how the rest is usually financed.

Program facts checked on 2026-10-08 on the official pages linked.

Three ways to finance the truck itself

• A bank loan under the Canada Small Business Financing Program. Your bank lends, with the federal government sharing the risk, up to $500K for equipment, at no more than prime plus 3% on a term loan, with a 2% registration fee. It is open to businesses with $10M or less in revenue, and it is usually the cheapest route when your bank agrees to it.
• Equipment financing. The truck secures the financing. Voxen's equipment financing covers up to 100% of the purchase including soft costs, up to $5M, on new or used units from a dealer, an auction or a private seller.
• Refinancing equipment you already own. If your trucks are paid off, their value can fund the next purchase; see equipment refinancing in Canada.

Cash flow between loads, the part no program pays

Grants and equipment loans pay for assets. They do not pay the fuel, insurance and driver wages that run while shippers take 30 to 60 days to pay a freight bill. That gap is a receivables problem, and the usual answer is factoring: Voxen's invoice factoring advances 70% to 95% of the invoice face value, and trucking typically sits at 90% to 95%. The trucking industry page and how freight factoring works cover it in detail.

The order to do things in for a Quebec carrier

Most of the wasted time in a trucking purchase comes from doing these steps out of order.

• Check the Écocamionnage conditions first: CTQ registration, a satisfactory safety rating and two years in operation.
• Read the amounts and conditions for the measure you want on the program page.
• Get the dealer's or seller's quote for the unit.
• Ask your bank whether it will do a CSBFP loan for it.
• If the bank says no, or the unit does not fit the program, apply for equipment financing with the quote attached.
• Set up factoring separately for the freight-bill gap; it solves a different problem.

What Voxen looks at in a trucking file

For a truck, Voxen looks at the unit (year, make, model, mileage and price), your revenue and bank activity over recent months, and the equipment payments you already carry. For factoring, the main question is who your shippers and brokers are, because their payment record drives the file. Voxen does not apply to Écocamionnage for you and does not finance against an expected grant: the file stands on your business. If your bank offers a CSBFP loan for the truck, take it; it will cost less than private equipment financing.

What to do next

Confirm your CTQ registration, safety rating and years in operation against the Écocamionnage page. Get a quote for the truck or equipment, then apply with Voxen for the financing; send the unit details and recent bank statements with the application.

Frequently asked questions

Does Écocamionnage cover used trucks?

Yes. The program covers the purchase of used heavy trucks as well as fuel-efficiency technology, under the conditions on its official page. It runs until March 31, 2028.

Can a new trucking company get Écocamionnage?

Not in its first two years. The program requires at least two years in operation, registration with the Commission des transports du Québec and a satisfactory safety rating.

Can I finance the whole truck and receive the grant later?

You can finance the purchase on the strength of your business: Voxen's equipment financing covers up to 100% including soft costs. The grant is not collateral and Voxen does not advance against it. How a later grant payment applies to your purchase depends on the program's rules, so confirm it with the program.

Does the C3i tax credit apply to trucks?

C3i covers manufacturing and processing equipment, computer equipment and management software. A truck is not in that list, but fleet software and computers can be. Your accountant claims it.

Should a trucking company use factoring or a line of credit?

Factoring when the problem is shippers paying in 30 to 60 days, because it grows with your freight bills. A line of credit when the need is general and your bank file is strong. Many carriers use both.

Related

• Chady Zahri — Chief Executive Officer
• Trucking programs in the grants hub
• Écocamionnage program page
• C3i tax credit
• Financing for trucking companies
• Equipment financing
• How freight factoring works
• Trucking Company Financing: How to Fund Fleet Growth in Canada
• Equipment Refinancing in Canada: Turning Paid-Off Iron Into Working Capital
• Canada Small Business Financing Program vs Equipment Financing: How to Choose
• How to Fund Your Share of a Government Grant While You Wait for the Payout

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