Why the region matters
The Workforce Training Measure (MFOR) is not a universal tax credit managed centrally in Quebec City. It is a subsidy granted through a negotiated agreement between an employer and the Services Québec office of its administrative region.
The Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale decentralizes the business component to its 17 regional directorates. Sections 2.2 and 2.3 of the official guide state that training interventions follow priorities set at the regional and local levels, and that the Ministère reserves the right to decide which businesses receive assistance first within those territorial guidelines.
Your establishment’s location determines three decisive elements of your file:
- Your office. You must deal with the Services Québec office serving the territory where your employees work.
- The available budget. Section 2.4.1.8 makes payment conditional on the region’s budget availability for the current fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).
- Fit with local economic priorities. A project in a regional priority niche receives faster attention and more favourable negotiating conditions.
Understanding your region lets you time your application against your business advisor’s budget calendar.
The 17 administrative regions
Quebec has 17 official administrative regions. Each has a Services Québec regional directorate and local offices, formerly known as local employment centres, that welcome employers and assign business advisors. Four regions have dedicated guides on this site: Montreal, Laval, Montérégie and the Capitale-Nationale. Employers elsewhere in Quebec follow the same provincial rules through their own regional office.
Timing your application
Budgets open on April 1 and are committed in order of receipt of complete files. Projects submitted in spring or early autumn generally find more room than those submitted in February or March. No expense incurred before the agreement is signed can be reimbursed.
How we can help
We help employers identify the right office, prepare the training plan and provider information, and sequence the application within the regional budget calendar. We are an independent advisory firm, not the program administrator; Services Québec makes all decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Which Services Québec office handles my MFOR application?
The office serving the administrative region where your employees work. If you have establishments in two or more regions, the file is usually submitted to the office responsible for the main training location. Contact must be made before any expense is incurred.
Do amounts vary by region?
Yes. Within the provincial rate grid (40 %, 65 % or 100 %), each regional directorate manages its own annual budget according to its economic priorities, so the amount granted depends on regional availability, up to the usual $100,000 cap per agreement.
What happens if my region’s budget is exhausted?
Your project is deferred to April 1, the start of the next fiscal year. Budgets are allocated in order of complete files, and some regions are fully committed months before the end of the fiscal year in March.
Can a multi-region employer submit a single application?
Multi-region projects requiring $100,000 or more are assessed centrally by the Direction des mesures et services aux entreprises under the MFOR-E stream. Below that threshold, the employer negotiates with the regional directorate where most trainees are located.
How long does a regional file take?
Plan for six to ten weeks between the first exchange with your regional advisor and the signature of the agreement. Delays lengthen at fiscal year-end and in busy urban centres.
Official sources
- Québec.ca — Develop the skills of your workforce (Workforce Training Measure, business component) — official program page and general eligibility conditions
- Guide des mesures et des services d’emploi, section 5.8 — Workforce Training Measure, business component (updated 2023-06-28) — sections 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4.1.8 on regional priorities and budget availability
- Services Québec — Office locator — directory of Services Québec offices
Verified against official sources on .
Canadian Funding Partners Inc. is an independent advisory firm and does not administer this program. Rates, ceilings and eligibility are set by the administering authority and change. Confirm current terms with the official source before relying on them.