
It was with great pride that the Société d'aide au développement de la collectivité (SADC) Matawinie presented the results of its 2013-2014 activities at its annual general meeting held on June 19 in Saint-Donat. Through the deployment of business development strategies and actions aimed at increasing its visibility, this year the SADC saw its funding granted to entrepreneurs, increase by 58 % compared to last year. Over 185 entrepreneurs and 20 business projects benefited from free financing and consulting services. SADC's Investment Fund and Youth Strategy have thus played an important economic leverage role, contributing to the creation and maintenance of over 133 jobs in the Matawinie RCM.
As part of its role in the socio-economic development of the region, the organization has contributed to and supported numerous projects through its Local Development Fund, for a total of $27,280 $. In addition to supporting projects such as the Maison familiale rurale, the Coopérative de solidarité Matawinie and citizen initiatives in Saint-Damien and Entrelacs, the organization was particularly active in an exploratory study for the emergence of a film and television bureau for the Lanaudière region. Still on a regional scale, the organization collaborated on the Savoir Affaires Laurentides Lanaudière event, during which, over four (4) days, university students and researchers, accompanied by several Lanaudière entrepreneurs, shared their knowledge and expertise, thus promoting business development in our region. Among the many training courses offered by SADC during the year, the one on the identification and harvesting of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) was particularly noteworthy. This 294-hour training course, of which the 2e This year's event, which ended on June 14, has been a resounding success, attracting interest from several other regions.
It is therefore on a positive note and in a spirit of continuity that the SADC intends to start the coming year and pursue its efforts to increase its visibility and notoriety, particularly among business people. As General Manager Michel Clément so aptly put it: "The responsibility of being known by our clientele is ours alone. And we're working hard on it. SADC Matawinie is committed to being an active partner in the development of local businesses and organizations.