On April 6, the Quebec government announced the implementation of PACME, a program designed to encourage Quebec companies to take advantage of the COVID-19 crisis to review their work organization and human resources management processes, and to offer training to their employees with a view to enhancing the quality of their skills.
The government’s objective is to keep workers in employment as long as possible, enable operations to resume more quickly and increase the competitiveness of Quebec companies by optimizing their operations.
Any company with employees, whatever its size or sector of activity, i.e. :
- the companies
- self-employed workers with employees
- employee and employer associations
- professional groups
- cooperatives
- social economy companies
- non-profit and community organizations active in the community
Government departments and agencies are not eligible for this program.
Program details and specifications
Reimbursement of eligible expenses for corporate training projects :
- 100% of expenses for the first $100,000
- 50% of expenses between $100,000 and $500,000.
All training activities that are fundamentally aimed at enhancing employee know-how, including but not limited to :
- basic employee training
- francization
- digital skills training
- ongoing training linked to the company’s activities, whether or not directly related to the position held by the employee being trained
- training to requalify workers
- training required to resume business activities
- training linked to a strategy of adjustment or modification of company activities in the context of economic uncertainty linked to COVID-19, enabling the company to maintain or diversify its activities (sanitation, teleworking, etc.);
The government has indicated that the continuing education offerings of CEGEPs, universities, school boards and professional orders are eligible training activities. A non-exhaustive list of training organizations has been put online on the Québec.ca website to help companies find training tailored to their needs.
Service Québec’s business advisors will assess the relevance of the training courses and may accredit the activities.
Eligible human resources management activities
The following are eligible activities:
- diagnosis of the human resources function and, where applicable, other functions
- HRM consulting mandates (e.g. organizational communication, teleworking policy, employee mobilization, workforce planning for business continuity and recovery, support for business diversification)
- coaching and management skills development
- Wages of workers in training (excluding payroll taxes) up to a maximum of $25 per hour*.
- professional fees for consultants or trainers up to a maximum of $150 per hour
- the actual cost of indirect expenses for trainers (travel, meals, accommodation, etc.).
- the actual cost of indirect expenses for workers undergoing training (travel, meals, accommodation, etc.).
- the actual cost of developing, adapting and purchasing training content and teaching and learning materials
- the actual cost of materials and supplies required to carry out the activities
- the actual cost of transferring classroom-based training to online training
- the actual cost of registration or other fees related to the use of an online platform
- if applicable, management and administration costs incurred by the delegated organization (up to 10% of eligible costs)
*PACME complements measures announced by the federal and provincial governments. A company entitled to the 75% emergency wage subsidy will be able to receive the PACME subsidy on only 25% of the payroll of workers in training. Similarly, a company receiving the temporary 10% wage subsidy will only be able to receive the PACME subsidy on 90% of the payroll of workers in training.
Make a request
Projects are accepted until September 30, 2020, or until the $100 million budget is exhausted. The program applies retroactively to March 15.
To apply, employers must contact a Service Québec business advisor. Applications are now open.
Precision
In order to comply with public health regulations, the government recommends online or distance learning wherever possible, and therefore gives priority to online training.
A few examples
A restaurant that has reduced its opening hours to serve dinners only could offer its employees training to perfect their culinary skills. Workers would prepare meals for part of the day and receive training for the rest of the day. This would enable workers to upgrade their skills and retain their full salary despite a reduction in restaurant opening hours.
A window and door manufacturing company that has had to halt production because it is not an essential service could offer design or marketing training to its workers to boost their productivity during the production stoppage period.
For help in preparing training documents and plans, contact us!
