The Yanik Guillemette Fund
Freedom of enterprise
Supporting entrepreneurs facing administrative, regulatory or judicial abuse.
The Fund
The Yanik Guillemette Fund provides financial support for the legal costs of entrepreneurs, self-employed workers and small businesses defending their right to operate, innovate and earn an honest living.
Too often, a rule applied without judgment, an arbitrary administrative decision or a disproportionate lawsuit is enough to shut down a viable business. The Fund gives these people the means to defend themselves and to establish precedents that benefit the entire business community.
What we fund
We fund legal representation for entrepreneurs and organizations who cannot afford to bring or defend a case, and who:
- have suffered lost income, closure or sanctions as a result of an unreasonable administrative or regulatory decision;
- are forced to comply with rules, permits or directives that exceed the legal framework or are applied in a discriminatory way;
- are actively challenging a practice, policy or lawsuit that unduly restricts the freedom to do business, to contract or to speak freely in business.
The Fund does not provide legal advice and does not retain counsel on your behalf. You must already be represented and have a clear view of the costs, timeline and outcome you are seeking.
How to apply
Start with the eligibility checklist. If you cannot tick every box, the Fund is probably not the right avenue for you. If every answer is yes, the application form unlocks immediately.
After an initial review, applications are assessed by the Fund’s committee. Because of the volume, we cannot support every case or comment on refusals. Decisions are made quarterly and can take up to three months.
The Fund is private. Applications and grants remain confidential.