40th Anniversary of SADC des Laurentides: Key Milestones

With pride, the team and the board of directors celebrated the 40th anniversary of the organization during the annual general meeting. Executive Director, Sylvie Bolduc, took the opportunity to highlight some of the key moments that have shaped what SADC des Laurentides is today.

1984

Our organization was founded in Saint-Jérôme under the name Société de développement touristique des Laurentides. The federal Conservative government launched the first community-based program to counter the effects of the recession affecting the entire country.

 

1997 – The Youth Strategy

Since 1984, our organization has been offering loans to businesses, with more than $40 million invested in the Laurentides and Pays-d’en-Haut regions to fund local businesses.

In 1997, another fund was added to our regular investment fund: the Youth Strategy, aimed at curbing the exodus of young people to urban centers. With a strong presence in all regions of Quebec, the SADC was well-positioned to address this issue. We mobilized and designed a strategy aimed at young people with business projects.

The SADC created a fund to hire a dedicated resource for the Youth Strategy program. This new resource raised awareness, provided support, and advised young entrepreneurs under 39 years old on their business projects. In addition to this on-the-ground work and individual coaching, the SADC offered an innovative financial product akin to an honorary loan. This personal loan could serve as seed capital to complete financial arrangements. The interest-free period lasted two years, with little to no guarantees required. It became a significant leverage tool for young entrepreneurs, making a substantial impact in our community.

Since 1997, $6.2 million has been loaned to 341 businesses led by young entrepreneurs.

2003 – Mentorship

In 2003, we fully committed to setting up the first mentorship cell in collaboration with the Fondation de l’entrepreneurship, now known as Réseau Mentorat. Our organization was one of the first in Quebec to integrate entrepreneurial mentorship into its services. SADC was keen to make the benefits of mentorship accessible to as many entrepreneurs as possible.

Over the past 20 years, more than 60 volunteer mentors have supported entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds in the region, with over 350 entrepreneurs benefiting from the service. According to a satisfaction survey conducted by Réseau Mentorat, entrepreneurs who have been mentored report the following impacts: increased self-confidence, improved decision-making, and the opportunity to break out of isolation and gain an external perspective.

 

2007 – Sustainable Development

Since 2007, sustainable development has been a focus within our organization. We hired our first sustainable development advisor to raise awareness among businesses and the community about the related challenges. Several activities took place in schools throughout our region. In 2009, the Sustainable Rendezvous events were created, giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to deepen their knowledge through experts addressing various topics. Companies could also join an accompaniment cohort to further their initiatives.

After nine years of community outreach, SADC des Laurentides sought to expand the reach of its actions and engage businesses across the broader Laurentides region. This led to the creation of Synergie Économique Laurentides, a non-profit organization. The work of mobilization in the community became even more crucial, and the SADC des Laurentides team supported SEL, sharing office space and resources. In 2024, SEL signed Quebec’s first sectoral agreement in circular economy for the implementation of mobilizing projects.