Programme d’aide financière Écobus (Écobus Financial Assistance Program)
$100,000.00
Grant, Rebate
Description:
This program is designed to participate in the fight against climate change by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the private passenger transport industry by more than 33,000 tonnes of GHG by March 31, 2025, and to promote the use of buses, minibuses, vans and fuel cell vehicles equipped with technologies whose effectiveness has been demonstrated in terms of GHG reduction.
Comments on Funding:
Financial assistance is granted for the acquisition or long-term rental of a low-emission vehicle, or the acquisition and installation of technology on a vehicle registered in Quebec. Financial assistance ranges from $3,000 up to $100,000.
Continuous Intake until March 31, 2025
Eligibility:
Applicants must be organizations that are:
1. any holder of a bus or minibus transportation permit who offers its services in Quebec, with the exception of holders of experimental transportation and student transportation permits;
2. private companies providing a shuttle service (for example: hotel shuttles, free shuttles for employees);
3. private companies using an eligible light vehicle to provide a passenger transportation service for commercial purposes.
Any eligible transport organization must meet the following conditions:
1. have its head office or an establishment in Quebec;
2. be registered with the Quebec Business Registrar;
3. not be registered in the Register of Companies Ineligible for Public Contracts (RENA);
4. be solvent and not be bankrupt within the meaning of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (RSC, chapter B-3);
5. be the owner of the vehicle covered by the request for financial assistance or be the lessor of it for a minimum period of four years.
Application Steps:
Acquisition of a bus or minibus with electric propulsion, fuel cell or alternative fuel that emits fewer GHGs:
1. Applicants must contact the manufacturer directly or one of its distributors by proceeding according to the following steps:
a) When placing an order for the acquisition of the vehicle, the applicant submits his request for financial assistance to the Minister, accompanied by the necessary documents. After ensuring the admissibility of the request, the Minister will inform the applicant, and the manufacturer or distributor in the case of a purchase rebate, of the budget availability under the program.
b) In the case of a purchase rebate, the applicant has a maximum period of 20 working days preceding the transaction to send the necessary documents to the Minister. The applicant will be informed of their eligibility. This information will be communicated to the manufacturer or distributor, as appropriate.
c) The manufacturer or distributor will have a maximum period of 12 months from the date of submission of their request for financial assistance to conclude the purchase transaction and send the supporting documents.
Acquisition of a van or VPC used for the private transport of people for commercial purposes:
1. The applicant must submit the application form for financial assistance for the purchase of a vehicle or the acquisition of technology, duly completed and signed. He must attach a copy of the purchase or rental contract for the vehicle covered by the request for financial assistance as well as the duly signed vehicle registration certificate.
Other technologies:
1. The applicant must submit the application form for financial assistance for the purchase of a vehicle or the acquisition of technology, duly completed and signed.
Documentation Needed:
Acquisition of a bus or minibus with electric propulsion, fuel cell or alternative fuel that emits fewer GHGs:
1. When placing an order for the acquisition of the vehicle, the applicant submits the necessary documents:
a) the financial assistance application form for the purchase of a vehicle or the acquisition of technology, duly completed and signed;
b) the submission for the acquisition of the vehicle, accepted and signed either by the duly authorized persons under a resolution of the board of directors of the purchaser, a resolution of which a copy must be attached to the application when the purchaser is a legal entity, or by the sole proprietor who operates an individual business;
c) a statement of file for the owner and operator of heavy vehicles (PEVL) from the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), issued within 10 working days preceding the vehicle order, which certifies that the applicant’s safety rating is satisfactory and that his file was not transferred to the Commission des transports du Québec (CTQ).
2. In the case of a purchase rebate, the applicant must send the following documents to the Minister:
a) the financial assistance transfer request form duly completed and signed;
b) a certificate from Revenu Québec confirming that the applicant does not have an overdue account with the Minister of Revenue of Quebec under Quebec tax laws or, if he has an overdue account, that he has entered into an payment agreement that he is respecting or that the collection of his debts has been legally suspended. This certificate must have been issued within 30 working days preceding the vehicle transaction.
3. The manufacturer or distributor must send the following supporting documents:
a) a complete copy of the signed purchase or rental contract indicating the rental period and allowing the additional cost for the particular option to be determined;
b) a copy of the description of the new vehicle produced by the manufacturer;
c) a copy of the merchant transaction certificate (ATAC) issued by the manufacturer or distributor, if applicable;
d) a copy of the detailed invoice;
e) in the case of a purchase rebate, the amount of financial assistance is subtracted from the total invoice including all applicable fees and taxes;
f) proof of payment;
g) a copy of the duly signed vehicle registration certificate or a copy of the temporary registration provided by the SAAQ.
Acquisition of a van or VPC used for the private transport of people for commercial purposes/ Other technologies:
– The applicants must submit the supporting documents indicating the costs paid by the applicant in relation to the installed technology as well as information concerning the vehicle(s) mentioned in the application form.
Other Things to Note:
The program has been in effect since April 26, 2022 and ends on March 31, 2025 . However, it covers eligible expenses incurred since April 1 , 2022.
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Maurice
