M Hub
Social innovation in tourism in Mauricie
Through open innovation, we support tourism stakeholders and communities in the Mauricie region in the co-creation and implementation of socially innovative solutions, in order to bring out a more inclusive, more resilient tourism that is deeply rooted in the realities of the territory.
Co-founded by Tourisme Mauricie, the MT Lab is setting up a pilot project in 2025 to develop a Social Innovation Hub in Tourism for the region. This cluster aims to support the emergence of alternative forms of tourism with a high social and environmental impact, focusing on collaboration between social innovators, companies and local communities.
Incubés du programme Empreinte+
Do you have an idea that values living memory, stories, know-how or emblematic places in the Mauricie region?
M Hub is launching a call to propel 5 projects that strengthen cultural identity, collective pride and sustainable benefits for communities. Condensed over 4 months, this course combines:
- Workshops (responsible business model, financing, impact measurement, etc.)
- One-on-one coaching and specialized mentoring
- Increased visibility for your cultural and heritage initiatives
- A strong network to accelerate your project and inspire new collaborations
- And more!
The objective : to help you validate the economic model of your project and maximize your chances of accessing financing, strategic partnerships and markets.
To find out more (challenges, opportunities, examples of projects, timeline) click on the link below.
Call for applications
Tourism Social Innovation
Do you have an idea that values living memory, stories, know-how or emblematic places in the Mauricie region?
M Hub is launching a call to propel 5 projects that strengthen cultural identity, collective pride and sustainable benefits for communities. Condensed over 4 months, this course combines:
- Workshops (responsible business model, financing, impact measurement, etc.)
- One-on-one coaching and specialized mentoring
- Increased visibility for your cultural and heritage initiatives
- A strong network to accelerate your project and inspire new collaborations
- And more!
The objective : to help you validate the economic model of your project and maximize your chances of accessing financing, strategic partnerships and markets.
To find out more (challenges, opportunities, examples of projects, timeline) click on the link below.
Deadline for submission:
November 16, 2025, 6 p.m. EST
Dates not to be missed
Virtual information session
Closing of the call applications
Pre-selection workshops
Start of the program
6
November 2025
16
November
2025
27
November
4
December
7
January
2026
What is social innovation?
For Pole M, social innovation is a driver of tourism transformation: it creates experiences that meet the real needs of communities, strengthen human connections and support cultural and regional vitality.
In a context of major transitions, we believe that tourism can become a lever for collective well-being, social justice and solidarity — for the Mauricie region and beyond.
Participation, inclusion and innovation in the tourism experience
- Citizen participation: low involvement of residents in the planning and co-creation of tourist offers.
- Changing expectations: the rise of transformational tourism and "vibe tourism", favouring immersion and participation.
- Digitization and innovative mediation: the need to integrate AR/VR, voice AI and other immersive technologies to renew the cultural experience.
- Accessibility and cultural inclusion: insufficient universal accessibility and low representation of certain communities in the offer.
Preservation and enhancement of living heritage
- Preservation and transmission of know-how: risk of disappearance of craft practices, oral traditions and lifestyles for lack of succession.
- Cultural and ethical tensions: festive, culinary or ritual traditions called into question by new social values (e.g. animal welfare).
- Authenticity and territorial differentiation: competitive pressure on identity and territorial narrative, with the risk of standardization.
- Financing and sustainability of heritage: difficulty in restoring and reusing old buildings while respecting their authenticity.
Tourisme Mauricie is a key founding partner in this initiative. It is thanks to his commitment and support that the social innovation in tourism Hub can offer a collaborative space that will have an impact for the entire region.
This program is part of the Tourism Innovation Program managed by the MT Lab and set up with the financial support of the Ministry of Tourism.
