Our 2022-2023 Results
Our Financing
Support for Entrepreneurs
Our Local Development
Our Communications
Action Plan
Your SADC
Message from the President and General Manager
2022-2023 has been another year of ups and downs for many businesses in our region, as several challenges persist in the wake of the pandemic.
Labour shortages exacerbated by housing shortages, difficult supply and over-consumption have all contributed to ongoing inflation. We have noticed a drop in investment from our entrepreneurs, fewer projects seem to have come to fruition this year, and let’s just say that the Bank of Canada’s interest rate rise was a major blow to many. We were able to adapt our approach and flexibility to alleviate these impacts and maintain our support by financing several projects.
Fortunately, we were able to provide additional support to the local community with new subsidy programs such as the Programme d’aide aux petites entreprises touristiques rurales (PAPETR, or the Small Rural Tourism Business Assistance Program) and the Virage Vert (Going Green) Program, which enabled investments of over $330,000.
The SADC has also benefited from significant partnerships, such as that with Desjardins for the Relève programs and for the Labo-Entrepreneur-e cohort, which brings together more than eleven long-standing local partners.
We’re proud to say that the organisation’s strength lies in the cohesion, solidarity and expertise of its team and the committed, professional volunteers who support it. For this, we are deeply grateful.
Sylvie Bolduc, General Manager
Martine Paiement, President
Our Financing
Our financing is accessible, covers most business projects and is adapted to the individual needs of entrepreneurs.
For every dollar we lend, there is a $7.56 return to the community. Our financing this year generated total investments of $16,892,207 in our territory.
“Right from the start, our advisor was worth his weight in gold. He quickly understood the issues at stake and then proposed and implemented a solution to meet our property financing and working capital needs. The transaction was not straightforward and without the flexibility, efficiency and excellent communication with our advisor, we wouldn’t have crossed the finishing line. Now, we can look forward to building our first portable electric ski lift. I highly recommend that all eligible entrepreneurs work with the SADC.”
– Alex Archambault, Founder and CEO of Lacroix Boards and Flow Ranch
Support for Entrepreneurs
Mentoring
The Mentoring Service is offered in conjunction with the Réseau Mentorat and the support of the Laurentides and Pays d’en Haut RCMs. It is comprised of experienced volunteers who listen to and support entrepreneurs in our region.
“Mentoring allows me to talk frankly about the issues, my triumphs and my doubts as an entrepreneur, without feeling judged. Benefiting from the knowledge and experience of someone who understands my reality exposes me to new ideas and new ways of thinking. The relationship I’ve developed with my mentor has quickly become a major asset to my personal and professional development.”
– Jocelyn Brunette, Rustic-Tac
Virage Vert Technical Assistance
As part of the Virage Vert program, the technical assistance component enables businesses to receive specialist support in carrying out a sustainable development (SD) project.
Located in Mont-Tremblant, Kina8at-Ensemble plans to develop an Indigenous tourism site that incorporates as many aspects of sustainable development as possible. The project comprises two new buildings: a two-storey reception centre and a one-storey resource centre. Kina8at obtained two grants from the Virage Vert program to hire experts: ALTE COOP, an engineering cooperative specialising in sustainable technologies. ALTE assessed the energy performance of the planned buildings and quantified the various solutions for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The company also provided a preliminary assessment of the additional costs involved in implementing the solutions studied
Business Transfert Services
At the mid-point of our three-year Desjardins Partenariat Relève (2022-2024) partnership, the SADCs des Laurentides and d’Antoine Labelle have stepped up their business acquisition and sale support and financing services for entrepreneurs in their regions.
Tourism Small Business Assistance Project
Canada Economic Development’s Tourism Relief Fund for the regions of Québec is designed to provide non-repayable contributions to small tourism companies to help them carry out investment projects to adapt or develop their products and services to meet customer needs. This program was implemented thanks to the collaboration of the Chambers of Commerce in our region and the Laurentian Tourism Association.
Our Local Devlopment
In 2022-2023, our local development projects represented an investment of $132,388 in the community. These are either projects that we have initiated or projects supported by our partners, to which we have contributed.
Our Circular Economy Projects
These circular economy projects are made possible by the Réseau des SADC et CAE’s Virage Vert Program. We work closely with Synergie Économique Laurentides, our local circular economy partner, which has the expertise in our region to deploy major structuring projects.
Labo·Entrepreneur·e Program
Labo-Entrepreneur-e is a training and support program designed to enhance the skills of entrepreneurs and strengthen the business model of companies. The 3rd edition ran from September 2022 to April 2023. The course concludes with a pitch competition.
Labo-Entrepreneur-e has been an enormous help to me as a new entrepreneur. Firstly, I was given several tools and strategies to use with regards to financial, material and human resources. Secondly, the training courses enabled me to really understand and apply what I’d learned. Finally, the individual coaching enabled me to answer questions that were more specific to my business. I’m really grateful to have been able to take this course, which I’d recommend to all entrepreneurs starting out.
– Vanessa Mallette, owner of Shop Authentique
The OSEntreprendre Challenge
The OSEntreprendre Challenge is a major Quebec movement that promotes the entrepreneurial initiatives of more than 47,000 people every year. It is held at local, regional and national levels. The SADC des Laurentides has coordinated the local segment for the Laurentides and Pays-d’en-Haut RCMs since 1998.
This year, 18 businesses registered for the OSEntreprendre Challenge in our region, with seven going on to become regional finalists. Two companies, Biclo and the Coopérative de Solidarité de Sainte-Lucie-des-Laurentides, won at the regional level and will represent the Laurentians at the grand final gala in Quebec City on June 7.
Our Community Involvement
We are convinced that, in this increasingly complex world, working in partnership and complementing each other is the way to go further and achieve great things. That’s why, every year, we contribute to a host of projects run by our partners. What’s more, the members of our team are involved in a number of committees in our entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Our Communications
Website redesign
Much effort has gone into improving our website user experience to better communicate our services so that our clientele can quickly and easily find the information they need.
2023-2024 Action Plan
Your SADC
ICI on recycle Elite Certification
We have renewed our ICI on recycle + certification from RECYC QUÉBEC. ICI on recycle + is a Québec-wide recognition program designed to honour organisations that are proactive and committed to improving their waste management performance. We have obtained Elite status, highest level of certification, in recognition of our high performance in residual material management.
