Support for festivals in the Greater Montréal region

Overview of the Support for festivals in the Greater Montréal region program:

Administered by Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), this program is designed to support the organisation of festivals that contribute significantly to the economic vitality and tourism strength of the Greater Montréal Region. By targeting festivals that attract substantial visitor traffic, enhance the city’s international profile, and stimulate business activity in the hospitality, service, and cultural sectors, the program plays a key role in sustaining Montréal’s position as a cultural hub in North America. The program focuses on festivals that are economically beneficial, generate high attendance, and offer a strong return on investment through local spending and job creation. Funding is provided to help cover operating costs directly tied to the festival’s delivery, such as logistics, production, promotion, and site infrastructure. The programme is not intended to support local community events with limited economic reach or newly launched festivals without a proven track record. CED’s support aims to reinforce the sustainability and growth of major festivals, enabling them to innovate, modernise, and increase their reach—especially in international markets. Emphasis is also placed on the festivals’ ability to align with Montréal’s economic and tourism development strategies.

Benefits of the Support for festivals in the Greater Montréal region program:

• Financial support to help major festivals operate successfully
• Promotes Montreals cultural and economic reputation nationally and internationally
• Supports tourism and business sectors through visitor attraction
• Enables modernisation and enhancement of festival infrastructure and programming
• Encourages economic spinoffs such as job creation, hotel occupancy, and retail activity
• Reinforces the sustainability of well-established, high-performing festivals
• Aligns with regional priorities for economic and tourism growth in Montreal

Eligibility criteria of the Support for festivals in the Greater Montréal region program:

• To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:
• Location: Be based in or delivering a festival in the Greater Montreal Region
• Eligible Applicants:
• Festival organisers (non-profit or incorporated entities)
• Project Requirements:
• The festival must demonstrate significant economic impact
• Must attract a large volume of attendees, including from outside the region
• Have a proven history or track record of successful past editions
• Must support Montreals economic and tourism development goals
• Funding is for direct costs related to festival production and delivery
• Not Eligible:
• Small-scale local events
• First-time or unproven festivals
• Events with minimal economic impact