Promotion Saguenay and four Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region have established a partnership to raise awareness and help businesses make the digital shift.
They are the SADCs of Haut-Saguenay, du Fjord, Lac-Saint-Jean Ouest and Maria-Chapdelaine.
André Blackburn, Director of Business Services at Promotion Saguenay, believes that many entrepreneurs still need a helping hand to overcome the fear of going digital.
I don’t think it’s well known, and I think our entrepreneurs need support to make this shift, and it’s scary, knowing the stakes involved. The steps involved in making the digital shift are also poorly understood. So, I think that’s one of the reasons why our companies may be slow to make the transition,” explained André Blackburn in an interview on Place publique on Monday.
Mr. Blackburn cites Mode Choc as a model for businesses that have gone digital.
Entrepreneurs weren’t prepared for the labor shortage we’re experiencing. With this collaboration, the SADCs and Promotion Saguenay are working together to stimulate entrepreneurs to make the digital shift and take advantage of all the opportunities it represents,” commented Marc Tremblay, General Manager of SADC Lac-Saint-Jean Ouest, in a press release.
On Saturday, June 3, the “Ashtim petshaia” Small Business Market returns to Mashteuiatsh’s Uashassihtsh site, at the Pavillon des arts et des traditions. The Market is part of the Grande journée des petits entrepreneurs (GJPE).
For this 5th edition of the Mashteuiatsh market, more than 30 young people forming 22 businesses are currently registered. They’ll be setting up their booths on Saturday morning, June 3, while waiting for visitors to arrive.
“The number of participants and companies is similar to last year, although it is still possible for young people aged 5 to 17 from the Domaine-du-Roy and Mashteuiatsh communities to register,” reads a press release issued jointly by SADC Lac-St-Jean Ouest and SDEI de Mashteuiatsh.
Creativity at its best
« On the map on the GJPE website, at the location of the community of Mashteuiatsh, interested parties can already get a glimpse of the small businesses that will be present at the Pavillon des arts et des traditions next Saturday. »
« We can confirm that creativity will be at the forefront of this year’s event, with a wide variety of projects. You can find out more about these companies and their products via the link. »
Key-rings, coasters and other practical accessories will be on offer;
Businesses will be selling a variety of lunchtime treats, including artisan cheese, popcorn, cookies, cotton candy, sweets and beverages such as herbal teas, hot chocolates and coffee.
On Wednesday, the Société d’aide au développement des collectivités du Fjord and the Société du Lac-Saint-Jean Ouest unveiled the investments they have made in the region for 2022-2023. Respectively, they have invested $650,307 and $1,032,047 to help businesses develop, receive coaching from specialists, or address economic development issues such as workforce retention.
Charles Martel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SADC du Fjord, shared the organization’s financial results at the Annual General Meeting held on June 20.
Business financing, one of the three SADC business lines, was once again overwhelmed by requests for support of all kinds. In all, nearly thirty companies sought support from external specialists or from SADC du Fjord’s experienced resources. Local economic development projects were also added.
The Projet d’aide aux petites entreprises touristiques rurales (PAPETR) also performed well this year, with a total of $270,769 shared between ten businesses. It was designed to provide non-repayable contributions for improvements or the acquisition of new equipment.
For the year 2022-2023, SADC du Fjord has also continued to support major local economic development issues, such as attracting and retaining workers, housing, economic diversification and pooling resources.
The organization also offers numerous services and tools for businesses, including sustainable development, digital transformation, regular financing and youth loans.
SADC Lac-Saint-Jean Ouest
For its part, the SADC du Lac-Saint-Jean Ouest unveiled the total amount of its repayable and non-repayable contributions, which came to $1,032,047 this year, the second-highest total in the last five years. In all, 97 business applications were accepted and processed, resulting in the creation or retention of 285 local jobs and $4,778,764 in local investment.
This dynamism can be explained by the arrival of two new programs, Virage vert, which enabled the SADC to inject $63,899 in the form of non-repayable contributions into six sustainable development projects, and PAPETR, under which 14 tourism business projects in the Domaine-du-Roy shared $270,947.
A network of experts to better support and guide entrepreneurs in their business succession efforts was also created last November, in collaboration with the Domaine-du-Roy MRC. The Cercle d’échange Femmes en affaires du Pekuakami has also been set up to meet the needs of women entrepreneurs on the territory.
To meet the challenges of the coming years, SADC has launched two new financial products: the Digital Transformation Loan, which aims to support businesses in their digital shift through financing, and the Tourism Loan, which will help tourism businesses develop their offering and support their investment projects.
