Lévis, Québec, June 7, 2019 - The Réseau des SADC et CAE is delighted with today's announcement by Mr. Rémi Massé, MNA for Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia and Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for the Regions of Quebec, of a new five-year agreement between Canada Economic Development for the Regions of Quebec (CED) and the CFDCs and BDCs, with a contribution of 169 M$.
These agreements will enable the 67 CFDC and BDC places of business to better meet the needs of Quebec's rural communities, thanks to the addition of new funding and significant changes in the delivery of their services.
"The 1,400 professionals and volunteers who make up our Network have a keen understanding of community issues and the challenges faced by entrepreneurs. In our nearly 40-year history, we have adapted to the needs of our communities to help them prosper. As part of the renewal of our agreements, our services will be even more closely aligned with these needs, since in partnership with CED, we have optimized them based on current socio-economic indicators for all our communities," says Daniel Dumas, President of the Réseau des SADC et CAE.
Of the 169M$ allocated over five years, 25M$ is new money to improve CFDC and BDC services.
Improvements include
- The addition of new territories: the MRC of Caniapiscau, St-Hyacinthe and the Soulanges region, now covering all rural territories in Quebec.
- Delivery of all Community Futures Program products and services to all territories covered.
As a result, contributions for initiatives hitherto reserved for CFDCs will also be available in BDC territories. These include, among others, amounts to support structuring collective projects and the Stratégie jeunesse program for business projects by young people aged 18 to 39.
- What's more, for the first time, the new funds will be allocated to SADCs and CAEs on the basis of the socio-economic situation and development potential of each of Quebec's MRCs and municipalities. This will enable SADCs and BDCs to respond more effectively to the challenges of the most vulnerable communities.
"With all these improvements, this agreement is a breath of fresh air that will enable us to play our role as a catalyst for local economic development even more effectively, and ultimately, more citizens will now be able to count on the support and financing of Quebec's CFDCs and BDCs," concludes the Network's President.
About the Réseau des SADC et CAE
The Réseau des SADC (Sociétés d'aide au développement des collectivités) and CAE (Centres d'aide aux entreprises) is a network of 57 SADCs and 10 CAEs that have been working for more than 35 years on the economic development of their communities. Over 1,400 professionals and volunteers support and finance more than 10,000 entrepreneurs and local economic development projects every year. www.sadc-cae.ca
Community Futures Program (CFP)
This program, implemented by CED in Quebec, provides funding for the operations of Canada's 269 CFDCs and BDCs. The CFP is a program that recognizes the expertise of local decision-makers and the autonomy of decision-making, in order to stimulate the participation of communities in taking charge of their own future.
More information:
Christine Pilote
Director of Communications
Tel.: 581 999 6363
cpilote@ciril.qc.ca
or
Hélène Deslauriers
General Manager
Tel.: 418 563-1096
hdeslauriers@ciril.qc.ca