June 2026 - SADC-CAE

2025–2026 Report — SADC Shawinigan and the Fonds LaPrade St-Maurice : $1 740 315 invested and growing momentum around business succession

Posted on June 18, 2026June 18, 2026 by Simon Charlebois

Shawinigan, June 17, 2026 — Following their Annual General Metting, the SADC Shawinigan and the Fonds de Développement Économique LaPrade St-Maurice are presenting the results of a 2025–2026 year marked by sustained business investment, hands‑on support and structuring initiatives in local economic development, with increasing attention devoted to the next generation and business succession.

Financing : investing in boldness and in the next generation

Over the past year :

$1 740 315 was invested through the SADC and the Fonds LaPrade, generating additional investments of $10 918 539
39 new projects were approved and 37 projects had been disbursed as of March 31
These interventions helped create and maintain 315 jobs

The organizations also note that 45.9 % of projects financed this year were tied to business acquisition and/or succession, confirming the strategic importance of business succession for the region’s economic vitality.

Support : by your side, every day

Support for businesses also took the form of concrete services, notably through our digital transformation support program, AccèsTI‑PME | Organisme :

22 new clients supported
25 ongoing clients

Local economic development : growing our region, together

Key initiatives this year include :

Flexiprêt for women (project completed March 31, 2026) : 178 flexipreneurs supported; $1.6M invested by the 11 participating SADC and CAE, with benefits for 94 businesses
Ta Place à Shawi : 15 conferences in 4 schools, reaching 349 students
Réseau RH Shawi : 4 activities totaling 177 participants
AccèsTI Citoyen 2.0 : 28 group training sessions (173 attendances) and 462 one‑on‑one support sessions (570 hours)
PING! Program : 130 registrations, 40 group training sessions and 47 support sessions
Tête Première (psychological support program for entrepreneurs) : for the project as a whole | 80 individual follow‑ups, 13 group cohorts, 800 participants and 170 front-line professionals supporting entrepreneurs trained.

Quotes

“While I am leaving with a sense of accomplishment, I am also leaving with great confidence. On the eve of the coming years, I am convinced that the SADC Shawinigan will continue to serve as a development catalyst, with boldness, relevance and impact.” — Nathalie Boisvert, president of the SADC Shawinigan, who is leaving the organization after nine years as a volunteer, including three years as president.

“The past year has clearly demonstrated what sets the Fonds de développement économique LaPrade apart: beyond financing, our ability to support concrete projects that meet the real needs of entrepreneurs and organizations in the region. While our financial interventions remain in place, it is above all through support, mobilization and our structuring initiatives that we created value on the ground.” — André Héon, president of the Fonds de développement économique LaPrade St-Maurice.

About the SADC Shawinigan

The SADC’s mission is to implement, manage and support projects to foster the community’s economic and social development.

About the Fonds de développement économique LaPrade St-Maurice

The Fonds de développement économique LaPrade St-Maurice’s mission is to maintain and create sustainable jobs by providing financial support to businesses in their business projects; it can also support projects for the community’s economic development.

— 30 —

Information:
Sylvie Lavergne, Director of Development and Communications
SADC Shawinigan / Fonds LaPrade St-Maurice
819 537‑5107 ext. 215 | [email protected]

Strategic Appointment: Mireille Thibault, General Manager of CAE Montmagny–L’Islet, Joins the Government Relations Working Group of the Réseau des SADC et CAE

Posted on June 12, 2026June 12, 2026 by Mireille Thibault

Montmagny, June 11, 2026 – At the recent annual conference of the Réseau des SADC et CAE held in Val-d’Or, Ms. Mireille Thibault, General Manager of the Centre d’aide aux entreprises (CAE) Montmagny–L’Islet, was selected from among the Network’s 67 executive directors to serve on its Government Relations Working Group.

This highly strategic working group is mandated to strengthen the Network’s positioning and influence with public decision-makers at the regional, provincial, and national levels.

At a time when the concerns and priorities of entrepreneurs and rural communities need to be heard more clearly, the group’s efforts will focus on highlighting the essential contribution of SADCs and CAEs through their three core areas of activity: financing, business advisory services, and local economic development. The objective is to establish a coordinated and proactive approach in dealings with various levels of government.

“The CAE Board of Directors is extremely proud to see Ms. Thibault called upon to contribute to a mandate of such importance for the entire Network. This appointment reflects the quality of her expertise, leadership, and commitment to the development of our communities. It is also a meaningful recognition of our organization and of the Montmagny–L’Islet region,” said Mr. Denis Lavoie, Chair of CAE Montmagny–L’Islet.

“I am deeply honoured by the confidence placed in me by the Réseau des SADC et CAE to contribute to the discussions and initiatives of this strategic working group. My role as General Manager of the CAE, combined with my involvement as a municipal elected official, allows me to remain closely connected to the realities faced by entrepreneurs, organizations, and communities across our regions. I look forward to leveraging this firsthand knowledge, along with the experience I have gained through my involvement at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, to help enhance the visibility and influence of the Réseau des SADC et CAE with government decision-makers,” said Ms. Mireille Thibault, General Manager.

Photo caption: In the photo, from left to right: Mr. Pascal Harvey, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Réseau des SADC et CAE; Ms. Mireille Thibault, General Manager of CAE Montmagny–L’Islet; and Mr. Denis Lavoie, Chair of the Board of Directors of CAE Montmagny–L’Islet.

The SADC and CAE Network is helping to revive Duchesne et Fils through exceptional financial support

Posted on June 8, 2026June 8, 2026 by Bianca FCOTE

Trois-Rivières, June 8, 2026 – Following the announcement on June 5 confirming the acquisition of Duchesne et Fils by the Zohar Group and the continuation of its operations, the SADC and CAE Network, along with CAE Laprade Trois-Rivières, wish to highlight the exceptional mobilization that has secured the future of this iconic manufacturing company in the Mauricie region.

This transaction brings an end to several months of uncertainty for the Yamachiche-based company, its employees, its suppliers, and the entire community that revolves around this economic institution founded nearly 100 years ago. Thanks to the concerted efforts of the SADCs and CAE, more than a hundred jobs have been preserved, and recognized manufacturing expertise will continue to contribute to Quebec’s prosperity.

As part of this operation, CAE Laprade Trois-Rivières granted the largest financing package in its history to Groupe Zohar, a major initiative made possible by the financial tools developed by the SADC and CAE Network and the solidarity of its members.

An extraordinary intervention

For the SADC and CAE Network, this contribution demonstrates the network’s ability to mobilize quickly when strategic businesses face major challenges.

“The financing provided for the acquisition of Duchesne et Fils represents an extraordinary intervention for our Network. Typically, SADCs and CAEs offer smaller-scale loans. In this major case for the economy of the Mauricie region and Quebec, we were able to go much further thanks to the financial tools developed by the SADC and CAE Network and the solidarity of our members. This collective effort enabled CAE Laprade Trois-Rivières to make a tangible contribution to the continued operations of a major manufacturing company. It demonstrates that when our Network joins forces, it can make a real difference in preserving businesses, jobs, and the expertise of our regions.”

— Pascal Harvey, President and CEO of the SADC and CAE Network

The intervention carried out in this case reflects the fundamental mission of the SADCs and CAEs: to support regional economic development by assisting entrepreneurs and offering them financial solutions tailored to their needs.

Saving More Than Just a Business

For CAE Laprade Trois-Rivières, the Duchesne et Fils case went far beyond a simple financial transaction.

“When we analyzed this case, we weren’t just looking at a company’s financial statements. We were looking at the future of hundreds of workers and their families, the future of a century-old business, and that of a community that has built itself around it for generations. In Yamachiche, Duchesne et Fils is much more than an employer: it is a symbol of pride, expertise, and resilience. Thanks to the exceptional mobilization of the SADC and CAE Network, we were able to act quickly and provide a solution. This intervention demonstrates that our Network is capable of responding swiftly when businesses in our regions face major challenges. By helping to preserve this company and its jobs, we have also helped to preserve an important part of the economic heritage of the Mauricie region and Quebec.”

— Jean Laroche, President of the SADC and CAE Network and of CAE Laprade Trois-Rivières

This mobilization was also praised by regional economic development stakeholders, such as the SADC of the Maskinongé MRC, who recognize the importance of preserving a business so vital to the region.

The Strength of a Network

The success of this operation demonstrates the relevance of the economic development model championed by the SADCs and CAEs for the past 45 years. Thanks to their presence in all regions of Quebec, their on-the-ground knowledge, and their ability to work collaboratively, network members are able to act quickly when the future of Quebec’s economic flagship companies is at stake.

The support provided to Duchesne et Fils also demonstrates the Network’s ability—through its primary financial tool, Capital Réseau—to develop innovative financial solutions and mobilize capital for the benefit of communities.

As an example of the strength of the collective model of the SADCs and CAEs, Capital Réseau has enabled the entire Network to rally around three major economic challenges: business succession, digital transformation, and the green transition of SMEs. This regional solidarity is already bearing fruit. In just 17 months, the three dedicated funds have invested $14.75 million in 416 Quebec SMEs, mobilizing nearly $219 million in additional capital and supporting more than 5,400 jobs. Every dollar invested has generated nearly $15 more in the economy, demonstrating the exceptional catalytic effect of these funds.

About the SADC and CAE Network

The 57 SADCs and 10 CAEs have been working for 45 years to promote economic development in their communities. The SADC and CAE Network comprises more than 1,000 professionals and volunteers who support and fund over 10,000 entrepreneurs and 1,500 local economic development projects each year. SADCs and CAEs offer entrepreneurs personalized and ongoing support, as well as flexible financing products tailored to their needs.

Economic Development Canada for the Regions of Quebec provides financial support to SADCs and CAEs.

– 30 –

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Christine Pilote, Director of Communications | SADC and CAE Network | Tel.: 581-999-6363 | [email protected]

Become a Member of CAE Rive-Nord

Posted on June 4, 2026 by Nathalie Larochelle

We invite you to become an official member of CAE Rive-Nord.

By becoming a member, you join a community that believes in entrepreneurship, collaboration, and the economic development of our region.

It’s simple and free!

✔ Contribute to local economic development

✔ Expand your business network

✔ Make your voice heard

✔ Be part of an engaged and people-focused community

Month: June 2026