
Regional Air Transportation Initiative – Quebec
Part of the QEDP
This financial support aims to help regional air transportation ecosystems affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19.
This web page has been archived.
The information is no longer current but is retained on the website for reference or to provide context to current content.
New repayment deadline
The timeline for repayment has been extended by one year, to March 31, 2023. We are assessing the impact of this extension on contribution agreements and will communicate with eligible clients soon. However, this extension does not make it possible to submit a new project.
Funding description
This financial support aims to help regional air transportation ecosystems affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19. This support will enable the ecosystems to remain operational through these difficult times and continue to support the economic growth of our regions.This funding is provided under the QEDP.Eligible activities
- The design and implementation of solutions for increased regional air transportation connectivity, to complement other federal measures and in particular those that Transport Canada is implementing.
- The development and implementation of enhanced services to support regional connectivity.
- The cash flow needs of regional and local airports.
- Adaptation and modernization measures to maintain and improve operations.
Examples of ineligible activities
- Compensation for revenue losses
- Refinancing of an existing debt
- The purchase of an airplane
- The purchase of airplane fuel
Financial support
- Contributions to NPOs are generally non-repayable.
- Contributions to SMEs are generally repayable or conditionally repayable, including a portion that could become non-repayable.
- Contributions to Indigenous clients could be non-repayable.
Eligibility
Eligible clients
- Regional and local air carriers
- Regional and local airports
- Businesses, cooperatives, business groups, not-for-profit organizations (NPOs) and public institutions that are part of the regional air transportation ecosystem
Examples of non-eligible clients
- Air carriers with outstanding ticket refund issues
- Carriers involved in ongoing negotiations with the Government of Canada
Submitting an application
The application period for this initiative is now closed.
Frequently asked questions
Context
1) Why launch the Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI)?
- Regional air transportation is essential to the sound economic development of communities, especially in rural or remote areas where this mode of transportation is often the most efficient for both businesses and individuals.
- The Government of Canada is keenly aware of the economic impacts of the pandemic on regional air transportation ecosystems, which have affected both local economies and businesses.
- That is why, in addition to the measures already taken through Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada is launching the RATI.
Funding
2) What is the RATI's budget? How will funding be allocated by province?
This initiative has a budget of $206 million. These funds are distributed as follows:
- Atlantic provinces: $41.2M
- Quebec: $59.2M
- Southern Ontario: $24.2M
- Northern Ontario: $24.2M
- Northern Canada: $2.6M
- Western provinces: $54.6M
3) Who will deliver the funding?
The RATI will be implemented by Canada’s Regional Development Agencies:
- The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) in the four Atlantic provinces.
- Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) in Quebec.
- The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) in Southern Ontario.
- The Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) in Northern Ontario.
- The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) in Northern Canada.
- Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) in the Western provinces.
4) I represent a regional or local air carrier with regional routes connecting more than one province / territory. Which RDA should I contact?
You should contact the RDA responsible for the region, that is the RDA of the region where the head office of your organization is located. Your RDA will advise you on the next steps, based on the nature of your project.
Requests processing
5) Are the eligibility criteria the same for all regions?
The criteria for obtaining funding through the RATI are the same in all regions of Quebec.
6) When/until when can I submit an application?
The application period for this initiative is now closed.
7) How will applications be assessed?
Each eligible application will be assessed thoroughly, based on the objectives of the Initiative and on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are fully expended.
Additional information
8) Who can I contact if I have more questions about RATI?
For any other questions about RATI, please contact us.