Category: Press releases

NEW APPOINTMENTS AT THE RÉSEAU DES SADC ET CAE

Posted on by Marie-Pier Catellier

NEW APPOINTMENTS AT THE  RÉSEAU DES SADC ET CAE 

Board of Administrators is proud to announce the appointment of Pascal Harvey as president-general director and Pierre-Olivier Colas as assistant general director. These appointments are in line with governance changes aiming to put new wind in the sails of our network and ensure its position in Quebec’s economic development ecosystem.

“I would like to congratulate Pascal and Pierre-Olivier on their new positions,” said Vallier Daigle, President of the Board of Administrators. “As the Réseau’s general director for the past three years, Pascal has been an inspiring leader, rallying both our members and our board behind him. Pierre-Olivier has also been instrumental in the Réseau’s development, particularly by implementing major programs to address a range of economic challenges, such as sustainable development and the digital shift, and by catalyzing the development of partnerships and impactful programs.”

The Réseau des SADC et CAE is a highly active organization with a solid team, which is set to grow over the next few weeks. New positions are opening up to help support both our internal objectives and the needs of our external clients, entrepreneurs and partners. We are also lucky to count on the work, knowledge and dedication of the 400 professionals and 600 volunteers who drive our efforts and our mission: to be a central player in local economic development.

Pascal Harvey: President-General Director of the Réseau des SADC et CAE

In addition to his experience as Executive Director for the SADC de Charlevoix and in strategic positions in politics, Pascal is a seasoned communicator who has deftly thrown his leadership and public speaking skills behind our network. A passionate sports buff and sports writer on his own time, he understands team dynamics and knows how to guide a team to success. 

“SADCs and CAEs exist to support the economy in Quebec regions,” said Pascal. “Our employees’ and volunteers’ collective intelligence, both at the Réseau itself and in all of our locations across Quebec, will make us ever more present and responsive to the needs of entrepreneurs and communities.”

Pierre-Olivier Colas: Assistant General Director

A rallying leader, Pierre-Olivier was a strategic planning consultant for businesses and economic development organizations for nearly 10 years before joining the Réseau in 2019. Over the past five years, he has harnessed his vast experience and strategic mind to successfully lead a great number of projects and support and mobilize SADCs and CAEs to embrace and leverage a renewed sense of vibrancy. His credentials include a master’s in management and a specialization in sustainable development.

“Over the past five years, I’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with all 67 SADCs and CAEs and work with the Réseau’s team to build powerful solutions to drive the economic vitality of our regions,” said Pierre-Olivier. “The Réseau’s potential is endless, and I am so proud to be part of it all.”

 

ABOUT THE RÉSEAU DES SADC ET CAE  

The 57 SADCs (Sociétés d’aide au développement des collectivités) and 10 CAEs (Centres d’aide aux entreprises) have been working in community economic development for more than 40 years. The Réseau des SADC et CAE is made up of more than 1,000 professionals and volunteers who support and provide funding to more than 10,000 entrepreneurs and 1,500 local economic development projects every year. SADCs and CAEs offer entrepreneurs personalized, sustained support and flexible financing products that are tailored to their needs.

SADCs and CAEs receive financial support from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.

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INFORMATION 

Christine Pilote, Director, Communications | Phone: 581-999-6363 | cpilote@sadc-cae.ca

FLEXI‑LOAN FOR WOMEN

Posted on by Christine Pilote

Shawinigan, le 8 janvier 2024 – En présence de l’honorable François-Philippe Champagne, ministre de l’Innovation, des Sciences et de l’Industrie du Canada et député de Saint-Maurice-Champlain, le Réseau des SADC et CAE du Québec et la SADC Shawinigan annoncent aujourd’hui la mise en place du projet d’expérimentation, Flexiprêt pour les femmes, qui vise à offrir de l’accompagnement et du financement adapté aux flexipreneures, soit les femmes entrepreneures à temps partiel des régions du Québec.

Au nom de l’honorable Marcia Ien, ministre de Femmes et Égalité des genres et de la Jeunesse, Monsieur Champagne, a affirmé son soutien au projet et l’investissement de 296 000 $ sur trois ans pour en assurer le déploiement. En plus de l’accompagnement, au total, plus de 1,5 M$ seront investis par les 11 SADC et CAE participants afin d’offrir des prêts aux flexipreneures.

Le directeur général du Réseau des SADC et CAE, monsieur Pascal Harvey, souligne l’importance de la mise en place d’un projet spécifique pour cette clientèle : « Les petites entreprises sont au cœur de l’économie des régions et plusieurs, surtout celles à propriété féminine, voient le jour sous forme de projet à temps partiel. Il est temps de mettre en lumière cette forme d’entrepreneuriat et d’offrir des mesures flexibles et adaptées à cette réalité. »

Un projet pour faire grandir leurs rêves à leur façon

Le projet d’expérimentation Flexiprêt pour les femmes mobilise l’expertise de 11 SADC et CAE de partout au Québec. Inspirés d’une étude sur l’entrepreneuriat féminin réalisée par la SADC de Shawinigan et en ouvrant le dialogue avec les flexipreneures, ils développeront des activités d’accompagnement pour des centaines de femmes de divers horizons, en plus d’offrir du financement à des conditions avantageuses.

Flexiprêt pavera aussi la voie à une meilleure viabilité des entreprises détenues par des femmes, ce qui créera en retour croissance, innovation et productivité, procurant ainsi des avantages économiques et sociaux plus importants au Québec. Tout au long de ce projet, des données quantitatives et qualitatives seront cumulées, afin d’établir des constats et des recommandations pour faire lever les obstacles rencontrés par les flexipreneures tout au long de leur parcours entrepreneurial.

Le flexipreneuriat : un phénomène en croissance

Le flexipreneuriat est un phénomène en croissance au Québec, et a connu une plus forte augmentation chez les femmes au cours des dernières années. Selon les plus récentes données du Global Entrepreneurship Monitoring, 72,3% des entrepreneurs émergeants au Québec œuvrent à temps partiel.

Rappelons que le terme flexipreneure a été créé par la SADC Shawinigan pour décrire une personne qui mène des activités entrepreneuriales à temps partiel tout en jonglant avec une autre occupation, comme un emploi ou des études. Le terme a été inspiré par les données d’une étude de la SADC qui démontrait que les femmes ne se reconnaissaient pas dans la définition typique du terme entrepreneur au Québec. C’est aussi pour cette raison qu’elles hésitent à demander de l’accompagnement et du financement.

Citations

« Promouvoir la participation du plus grand nombre de femmes à notre économie n’est pas seulement la bonne chose à faire, il s’agit de la chose intelligente à faire. C’est pourquoi notre gouvernement est fier de soutenir la Société d’aide au développement des collectivités (SADC) Shawinigan dans la mise en place de ce projet ambitieux. En plus d’assurer la pleine participation des femmes entrepreneures à notre économie en leur offrant les meilleurs outils possibles pour prospérer et s’épanouir, il participe à encourager l’innovation au cœur même de la Mauricie. »

L’honorable François-Philippe Champagne, ministre de l’Innovation, des Sciences et de l’Industrie 

« Notre gouvernement s’est engagé à soutenir les femmes pour qu’elles prennent davantage leur place dans l’économie canadienne. Je suis donc extrêmement fière de l’appui de DEC aux SADC et aux CAE du Québec pour la mise en place du projet pilote Flexiprêt. Celui-ci permettra aux femmes de réaliser leur rêve d’être entrepreneure tout en donnant le meilleur d’elles-mêmes. Grâce à cet appui, nous leur permettons de jouer un rôle majeur dans la croissance de nos régions. »

L’honorable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, ministre du Tourisme et ministre responsable de Développement économique Canada pour les régions du Québec (DEC)

« Nous sommes fiers aujourd’hui de lancer ce projet pilote national en partenariat avec le Réseau des SADC et CAE du Québec. Le travail que nous avons réalisé depuis 2015 afin de mieux comprendre les enjeux des femmes entrepreneures nous permettra de mieux adapter nos services et notre financement et d’aider ces femmes à réaliser leur rêve entrepreneurial. Nous espérons grandement qu’au terme de notre projet pilote, nous pourrons éventuellement partager notre expertise et développer une offre de services sur mesure partout au Québec. »

Simon Charlebois, directeur général, Société d’aide au développement des collectivités Shawinigan

SADC et CAE participants

–        CAE Haute-Yamaska et région

–        CAE Montmagny-L’Islet

–        SADC Charlevoix, Côte-de-Beaupré, Île d’Orléans

–        SADC Chibougamau-Chapais

–        SADC Côte-Nord

–        SADC de l’Amiante

–        SADC de la Neigette

–        SADC des Îles-de-la-Madeleine

–        SADC Maskinongé

–        SADC Shawinigan

–        SADC Vallée de la Batiscan

 

À PROPOS DU RÉSEAU DES SADC ET CAE

Les 57 SADC (Sociétés d’aide au développement des collectivités) et les 10 CAE (Centres d’aide aux entreprises) travaillent depuis plus de 40 ans au développement économique de leur collectivité. Le Réseau des SADC et CAE compte plus de 1 000 professionnels et bénévoles qui soutiennent et financent chaque année plus de 10 000 entrepreneurs.es et 1 500 projets de développement économique local. Les SADC et les CAE offrent aux entrepreneurs.es un accompagnement personnalisé et soutenu, ainsi que des produits de financement souples et adaptés à leurs besoins.

 

Développement économique Canada pour les régions du Québec appuie financièrement les SADC et les CAE.

À PROPOS DE LA SADC SHAWINIGAN

La SADC Shawinigan est un organisme à but non lucratif qui a été fondé en 1984. Elle a comme mission de mettre en œuvre, de gérer ou de soutenir des projets pour favoriser le développement économique et social de sa collectivité.

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RENSEIGNEMENTS 

Amélie Racette, Coordonnatrice Flexiprêt pour les femmes | Tél. : 819 537-5107 p.220 | aracette@flexipreneur-e.ca

Soutenir l'entrepreneuriat féminin à temps partiel, les flexipreneures des régions du Québec.

FCCQ and Réseau des SADC et CAE help 1,040 small tourism businesses seize the opportunities offered by the recovery

Posted on by Marie-Pier Catellier

 

FCCQ and Réseau des SADC et CAE help 1,040 small tourism businesses seize the opportunities offered by the recovery
 
 La The Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ) and the Réseau des SADC et CAE in the presence of the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for CED, accompanied by Rachel Bendayan, Member of Parliament for Outremont and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, took part in announcements related to the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF), including the results of the Tourism Small Business Assistance Project supported by CED under the TRF.
 
Help that travels!
A total of 1,040 rural and urban tourism businesses in all regions of Quebec benefited from non-repayable contributions to improve their facilities and adapt or develop their products and services to meet customer needs. Support for small businesses was provided in cooperation and synergy with partners in the field. Of the 1,040 businesses assisted under the Project, 279 were small tourism businesses owned or managed by women, and 44 were small tourism businesses owned or managed by First Nations people.
 
Ready for the touristic season!
All regions and all sectors of the tourism industry received a helping hand to carry out one or more projects before the tourist season: restaurant, accommodation, arts and leisure, tourist transport and other sectors all benefited from a contribution. The projects supported include, for example, installing bike racks in a café along a tourist bike path, increasing seating capacity at a sugar shack, adding identification panels at a brewery farm, improving a religious heritage trail along the river, and more than a thousand other projects that give tourism entrepreneurs even more tools to attract visitors to their region!
 
Fast, efficient delivery
The assistance project was delivered throughout Quebec thanks to the combined forces of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ) and the Réseau des SADC et CAE. This was the second major collaboration for the two networks, which have already worked together on the Canadian Digital Adoption Program.
 
“Our government continues to be there for businesses and organizations in the tourism sector to ensure their recovery. Thanks to CED’s support, a total of $36.5 million has been invested in small businesses across Quebec in the form of non-repayable contributions. The investments were made in a short period of time, during the first quarter of the year, so that entrepreneurs could take full advantage of the upcoming tourism season. Every dollar invested will more than double the benefits,” explains the Honourable Pascale St-Onge.
“Thanks to their agility and in-depth knowledge of the field, SADCs and CAEs, in collaboration with local tourism key players, have been able to quickly identify various types of businesses in the regions of Quebec. The diversity of the 665 tourism businesses assisted by our network reflects the regional tourism ecosystem. We are proud to have played a part in revitalizing this sector, whose vitality is key to the economic development of our regions,” adds Pascal Harvey, General Manager of the Réseau des SADC et CAE.
 
“The administration of this type of project is fully in line with the economic development mission of the FCCQ and its affiliated chambers of commerce. In addition to the direct and indirect spin-offs that will benefit all regions, several thousand jobs will be preserved, and the projects supported will create several hundred more, ensuring the vitality of the sector for seasons to come. The Chambers have done an extraordinary amount of canvassing to raise awareness of the Project in urban areas and support entrepreneurs. We are honoured to have been able to participate, with CED and the SADC-CAE network, in the delivery of such a promising project,” explains Charles Milliard, President and CEO of the FCCQ.
 

About the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec

Thanks to its vast network of nearly 123 chambers of commerce and 1,100 corporate members, the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ) represents more than 45,000 businesses operating in all sectors of the economy throughout Quebec. The FCCQ is the largest network of businesspeople and companies in Quebec and is both a federation of chambers of commerce and a provincial chamber of commerce. Its members, whether they are chambers or businesses, all pursue the same goal: to foster an innovative and competitive business environment.

About the SADC and CAE Network 
SADCs and CAEs are non-profit organizations that have been working for more than 40 years on the economic development of Quebec’s regions. The Network includes 57 SADC (Sociétés d’aide au développement des collectivités) and 10 CAE (Centres d’aide aux entreprises). They have over 400 professionals and 600 volunteers who support innovative projects and businesses for prosperous communities. Each year, they help and finance more than 10,000 businesses and over 1,500 local projects.
 

 

Media Contacts:  

Vicki Ng-Wan
Vice-president, Communication,
Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec 
vicki.ng-wan@fccq.ca 
Bureau : 514 844-9571, poste 3335

Christine Pilote 
Director of communications,
Réseau des SADC et CAE 
cpilote@sadc-cae.ca 
581 999-6363

 

The Réseau des SADC et CAE unveils its results

Posted on by Marie-Pier Catellier

The Réseau des SADC et CAE has released its annual report for April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, which is testament to the major impact that Sociétés d’aide au développement des collectivités (SADC) and Centres d’aide aux entreprises (CAE) have had on the economic development of Quebec’s regions. 

In addition to investing over $100 million to support more than 13,000 businesses and 1,773 joint projects, SADCs and CAEs reached new heights by delivering the Technical Assistance Component of the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) to help entrepreneurs adapt their business models and seize opportunities in the recovery period. The year was also marked by the addition of the Virage vert program in March to expand the range of services offered by SADCs and CAEs to assist businesses and communities with sustainable development. 

 

“Thanks to our deep roots in our communities and our quick and effective action, we have been able to meet the needs of entrepreneurs in Quebec’s regions during the pandemic and the recovery period,”   said Vallier Daigle, President of the Réseau.

“This achievement is dedicated to our hard-working professionals and local leaders who sit on SADC and CAE boards of directors. I would like to thank the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec (CED) and Minister Pascale St-Onge for being such great partners in working with us to offer important programs like the new Virage vert program.” 

“From the start of my term, it was easy for me to see what a key role the SADCs and CAEs play for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions in supporting businesses and rural communities in Quebec as they recover from the pandemic,” said the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. “The over 1,000 passionate, dedicated volunteers and professionals who work with you help keep the economy moving in the province’s regions and create and maintain good jobs in our communities.” 

Read our annual report 

 

Technical assistance for entrepreneurs

In September 2021, SADCs and CAEs wrapped up the RRRF, a program launched by Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions in June 2020 to assist businesses affected by COVID-19. Over the course of the program, $123.5 million was invested to provide loans and technical assistance to businesses and to support joint projects.  

This year, SADCs and CAEs focused on the Technical Assistance Component (TAC) of the RRRF, investing nearly $9 million in over 500 businesses to provide specialist support to overhaul or strengthen aspects such as operations, management, human resources and technology integration.

 

New Virage vert program

In March 2022, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions launched the Virage vert program to help SADCs and CAEs accelerate the roll-out of sustainable development in Quebec’s regions. Delivered by SADCs and CAEs, the program will run until March 2024 and provide $9.5 million to enable more businesses and communities to improve their environmental and economic performance. SADCs and CAEs will be able to provide funding for businesses to access the expertise they need to get there. 

Economic development projects for Quebec’s regions

It is easier to create jobs in communities that are socially and culturally prosperous. SADCs and CAEs leverage the strengths of the community to take on economic challenges and invest time and money in community-led initiatives and strategies. This year, over $25.5 million was invested to carry out 1,773 promising joint projects. These included feasibility studies, events and symposiums with a focus on socioeconomic mobilization, cohorts for exchanging the expertise and training needed to help businesses tackle current economic issues, initiatives to encourage consumers to buy local and efforts to tackle the labour shortage.

Les Crevettes de Sept-Îles: A company weathers the storm and goes green thanks to the SADC      

Les Crevettes de Sept-Îles is a company led by four entrepreneurs who own a seasonal restaurant named Les terrasses du Capitaine, a fish market called Poissonnerie Soucy and a seafood processing plant. In the summer of 2020, the mandatory closure of the restaurant forced them to pivot their focus to the fish market and processing plant. Faced with declining sales, the owners shifted gears and overhauled their production process to develop new markets in Quebec and abroad. With technical assistance from the SADC Côte-Nord, they were able to automate a number of production phases. 

The young entrepreneurs’ interest in sustainable development led them to take part in Synergie 138, a circular economy project established by the regional SADCs to make one person’s trash another person’s treasure. In addition to boosting productivity and reducing waste, they hope to develop a computer system to track merchandise, losses and transactions to be integrated into their current systems. This major technological shift should help keep their business afloat for years to come.

 
Le Réseau des SADC et CAE dévoile ses résultats

Bottom caption: Entrepreneurs: Jean-François Fournier, Gabrielle Néron, Frédérique Néron and Michel Bourque (not pictured) 

 

ABOUT THE RÉSEAU DES SADC ET CAE

Our network of 57 SADCs (Sociétés d’aide au développement des collectivités) and 10 CAEs (Centres d’aide aux entreprises) has been working in community economic development for more than 40 years. The Réseau des SADC et CAE is made up of over 1,000 professionals and volunteers who support and provide funding to more than 10,000 entrepreneurs and 2,000 local economic development projects every year. SADCs and CAEs offer entrepreneurs personalized, sustained support and flexible financing products that are tailored to their needs. SADCs and CAEs receive financial support from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.

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FOR INFORMATION 

Christine Pilote, Director, Communications | Phone: 581-999-6363  | cpilote@sadc-cae.ca