During a quick virtual meeting with the Honorable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, and the Honorable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the SADC and CAE of the Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec regions unveil the results of the first phase of the FARR-PDC. 

Established by the Government of Canada in collaboration with the SADC and CAE Network, the FARR-PDC has helped small businesses in the region affected by COVID-19 that were not eligible for other government programs. For the Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec regions, from June 1^st to August 31, 8,022,352 $ were quickly distributed to 365 businesses and 9 collective projects. 

New Investments

With the current situation evolving rapidly and in light of this efficient delivery of the FARR by the SADC, the Honorable Mélanie Joly announces today additional investments from the Government of Canada of 2.8 M$ to the SADC and CAE of these regions. Specifically, the SADC MRC of Maskinongé, Centre-de-la Mauricie, Haut-St-Maurice, Vallée-de-la-Batiscan, Nicolet-Bécancour, and Arthabaska-Érable, as well as the CAE Laprade Trois-Rivières and Drummondville, will each receive 352,039 $ from Economic Development Canada for the regions of Quebec (DEC). The additional financial support provided under FARR 2.0 will specifically assist the businesses most affected by the current crisis.
“Our professionals and volunteer administrators have worked agilely to quickly help entrepreneurs and our communities face the consequences of COVID-19,” said Mr. Jean Gagné, administrator at the SADC Arthabaska-Érable. “I am very pleased with this additional support from the federal government that will allow us to continue our efforts. This additional support is necessary, and I would like to thank Ministers Mélanie Joly and François-Philippe Champagne for their listening. I also thank Economic Development Canada for the rapid implementation of this effective measure. We are all working together to ensure that entrepreneurs remain confident,” added Mr. Gagné.

“In this time of crisis that impacts us, we had to react very quickly since our clientele - before COVID - was mostly linked to the construction sector,” says Sylvain Hubert, owner of the company Jenik Modulaire in Trois-Rivières. “The current context forced us to advance projects much more quickly than we had planned,” continues Mr. Hubert, who adds: “Without the help of the FARR granted by the CAE Laprade-Trois-Rivières, the creation and implementation of our new line of mini-houses would not have come to fruition for several years. We are therefore very grateful for this technical assistance offered, which will allow us to ensure the development of Jenik Modulaire during this time of uncertainty.”

“The Government of Canada wants to help small businesses across Quebec equip themselves so they can bounce back vigorously after the economic crisis. Thanks to this financial assistance, the SADC and CAE will be able to maintain their support for entrepreneurs and merchants in their region. They create and maintain quality jobs, and the government is committed to supporting them. We were there during the first wave of the pandemic with concrete measures, and we will be there to help them as the health situation evolves.”

The Honorable Mélanie Joly, Member of Parliament for Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, and Minister responsible for DEC

“With this new investment, we are helping small businesses in Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec equip themselves so they can bounce back after the economic crisis and become even more competitive. Thanks to the financial assistance from the Government of Canada, the SADC and CAE in our area will be able to maintain their support for entrepreneurs and merchants in the region. This announcement is proof of our proactivity in maintaining and creating good jobs. This is the commitment we make to the regions, businesses, organizations, and workers. We have been there since the beginning of the pandemic, and we will be there to support you moving forward. It is an honor for me to represent them, and I will always work closely with these businesses for the development of Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec.”

The Honorable François-Philippe Champagne, Member of Parliament for Saint-Maurice—Champlain and Minister of Foreign Affairs

For more information, entrepreneurs are invited to contact their SADC or CAE. To find the SADC or CAE in your region: sadc-cae.ca 

Let us remember that these regional investments follow the announcement made on October 2 by the Honorable Mélanie Joly, of the addition of 600 M$ for all of Canada, including 23.3 M$ for the SADC and CAE of Quebec.

RESULTS OF THE FARR FOR ALL OF QUEBEC from June 1 to August 31, 2020

• 71.3 M$ invested, including 65 M$ in loans and 6.3 M$ for technical assistance and local economic development projects;
• 2,106 businesses received funding from the FARR;
• 1,346 technical assistance interventions were carried out, such as expert support in technology integration, marketing, or financial projections, etc.;
• More than 180 economic development projects enabled the establishment of local purchasing campaigns, promotional sites for products and services offered to consumers in their region, or training or information meetings for entrepreneurs;
• 52% of funded businesses were owned by women entrepreneurs;
• 91% of affected businesses had received no other assistance from the various measures implemented by the federal government;
• The three main sectors of activity of funded businesses are proximity services, tourism, and retail trade.

ABOUT THE SADC AND CAE NETWORK

The 67 SADC (Community Development Assistance Societies) and CAE (Business Assistance Centers) have been working for nearly 40 years on the economic development of their community. The SADC and CAE Network includes more than 1,000 professionals and volunteers who support and finance more than 10,000 entrepreneurs and local economic development projects each year. The SADC and CAE offer entrepreneurs personalized and sustained support, as well as flexible and tailored financing products to meet their needs.