Gatineau offers up to $50,000 to revive downtown storefronts

Tashi Farmilo

Gatineau's downtown revitalization program is accepting funding applications from businesses, non-profit organizations and cooperatives until October 19, part of a municipal effort to fill vacant premises and bring more customers to the core of the Hull sector. Successful projects can receive up to 70 per cent of their eligible costs, to a maximum of $50,000.

The grant, which the city describes as aimed at diversifying the commercial and service offering downtown, covers interior renovations, equipment, signage, technology and software. It also covers the development of marketing, recruitment and staff retention strategies. The city notes that costs incurred before an application is formally accepted are not eligible, so applicants may wish to hold off on spending until they have an answer.

The program is backed by $500,000 a year from 2025 to 2027, according to a city announcement in March 2025. It is governed by Regulation 973-2025, which sets out eligible expenses, the territory covered and the rules for combining aid with other programs. Applicants must be incorporated companies, non-profits or cooperatives registered with the Quebec Enterprise Register.

Location matters. Only projects within a defined downtown perimeter qualify, mapped in the regulation's first schedule. According to the city's frequently asked questions, an organization based elsewhere in Gatineau can still apply if the project itself takes place in a space inside that territory. Tenants must supply a copy of the lease and, for some expenses, written authorization from the landlord.

Applications are scored out of 100. Economic impact and response to community needs, and economic benefits such as jobs and foot traffic, are each worth 30 points. Innovation and environmental impact, and the applicant's experience, are each worth 20. The city's website says a project needs at least 70 points to qualify. A selection committee of city and community representatives reviews eligible files.

Recent recipients show the range. The 2026 list includes Dimension V, Chiropractic for Babywearing and LUMA, a bakery and café. Last year's included Café Autiste, a non-profit at 75 Eddy Street, Coffee House at 133 Notre-Dame-de-l'Île Street and the LABCulinaire cooperative at 110 Eddy Street.

Approved applicants receive 60 per cent of the aid at the start and the remaining 40 per cent once final invoices are submitted and any inspection is complete. The city expects to announce decisions six to eight weeks after the call closes, which points to late November or mid-December.

Applicants must complete an online form and send supporting documents by email, including incorporation papers, a project plan or financial statements, and quotes for planned expenses. Only complete applications received before the deadline will be considered. Full details are available at: www.gatineau.ca/portail/default.aspx?p=guichet_municipal/subventions_commandites/programme_revitalisation_coeur_centre_ville