PAPETR: over 800,000 $ injected into 24 Lanaudière tourism businesses

To read the official press release

PHOTO Pascal Ratthe, Special Collaboration - Quebec, Quebec Opening of Sagamite restaurant Wendake, Quebec Portrait of owner Steeve Gros-Louis - / Wednesday/ 28/ June/ 2023 - # P-INS-2023-06-14-35783

Saint-Alphonse-Rodriguez, July 6, 2023 - The Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ) and the Réseau des SADC et CAE in the company of the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sports and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), and Rachel Bendayan, MNA for Outremont and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, took part in the unveiling of announcements related to the Fonds d'aide au tourisme (FAT), including the results of the Projet d'aide aux petites entreprises touristiques (PAPETR) supported by CED as part of the FAT. A project in which the 3 SADCs of the Lanaudière region have proudly contributed.

A well-travelled helper!

In all, 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 customer needs. Support for small businesses was provided in cooperation and complementarity with industry partners in the field.

In the Lanaudière region

Between January and March 2023, the special, one-off PAPETR program enabled the three economic development agencies to support tourism projects in the following areas 24 companies communities. They are 812 841$ which were remitted as non-repayable contributions.

D'Autray RCM

In the D'Autray MRC, 5 businesses turned to the PAPETR program to optimize their infrastructures, or even launch a new project aimed at increasing their customer base. This was the case for Bal Maski, where the cooperative set up a tasting room for local beers, in addition to renewing the technical equipment in its function room. "(...) Bal Maski warmly thanks the SADC de D'Autray-Joliette and the Brandon Chamber of Commerce for their commitment to our community, their proactivity and professionalism," said Guillaume Dénommée, coordinator at Bal Maski.   

Joliette RCM

The PAPETR has also contributed to organizations working in the cultural sector; through Joliette halte culturelle, the Festival Mémoire et Racines has acquired street furniture that will benefit its festival-goers, starting with the next edition. Other leading cultural organizations in the greater Joliette area will also be able to benefit. "This project has the advantage of federating the cultural community and becoming a distinctive sign of the artistic life of Greater Joliette," said Jean-Sébastien Martin, Managing Director of Festival Mémoire et Racines, and General and Artistic Director of Centre culturel Desjardins.

Matawinie RCM

In the Matawinie MRC, 8 businesses were assisted under the project, with non-repayable contributions totalling 270,947 $. A much-appreciated boost for small businesses in the tourist industry. 60 % of the businesses that received a boost to carry out a project before the tourist season were earmarked for leasehold improvements, while 40 % of the other projects were allocated to the acquisition of new equipment. "We were keen to roll out this initiative so that we could help as many businesses as possible across the various municipalities in our vast territory, with the aim of making it as equitable as possible, despite the time constraints," said Jonathan Landreville, General Manager of SADC Matawinie.

Among the projects supported, for example, is the company's project for a new immersive projection room. Land of the buffalolocated in Rawdon. The project offers a complete immersion in the history of the bison and a parallel link with the First Nations.

Montcalm RCM

The Achigan-Montcalm SADC responded to a call for projects from 9 tourism businesses in its community under the PAPETR program. This represents 270,947 $ in non-refundable financial contributions for these businesses.

About the Réseau des SADC et CAE

SADCs and CAEs are not-for-profit organizations that have been working for over 40 years on the economic development of Quebec's regions. The Réseau comprises 57 SADCs (Community Futures Development Corporations) and 10 BDCs (Business Development Centres). More than 400 professionals and 600 volunteers support innovative projects and businesses to build prosperous communities. Every year, they help and finance over 10,000 businesses and more than 1,500 local projects.

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