ARCHIVED - RPP 2006-2007
Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

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4 Appendices

4.1 Agency tools and programs

To promote the development and economic diversification of the regions of Quebec and achieve the outcomes from its four program activities as described in Section 2, the Agency uses and makes available to its clientele a vast array of tools and programs which enable it to intervene with respect to regional development. This range of intervention tools consists of guidance and advice, information and referrals, and financial support.

These tools, used alone or together by the Agency, contribute in particular to:

• empowering entrepreneurs and local and regional development agents; in other words, the Agency provides the latter with means and opportunities (studies, workshops and seminars) for:
  • becoming aware of the scope of the issues affecting them (awareness process)
  • acquiring skills and knowhow in various specialized fields (skills development)
  • reinforcing and broadening their business partnership networks (development of networks and business partners)
• initiating growth-generating projects, that is, identifying development potential and initiating processes aimed at local mobilization and joint action to design and implement a plan, strategy or growth-generating project for a region’s development
• facilitating local participation in defining the regional development priorities and policy of the Agency and the Government of Canada
• helping the local milieu gather information and put forward regional issues to government decision-makers.

Guidance and advice

For the Agency, guidance and advice involve helping entrepreneurs and local and regional development agents design and develop policy, a strategy, a business plan, an action plan or a project, or helping them plan a financial package, identify funding sources, and so on. At the Agency, advice or guidance provided by a staff member are services delivered to an entrepreneur or local development agent on an individual basis, geared to his specific situation. Provision of advice is done as needed. A guidance approach constitutes systematic, sustained, prolonged assistance, at various stages along the client’s path toward design and implementation of his project.

Information and referrals

The Agency produces timely information so entrepreneurs and local and regional development agents may reach informed decisions, and it makes this information more easily accessible and usable. This also involves referring them to resources likely to provide a timely, appropriate response to their specific needs.

In this regard, the Agency works with the Canada Business Service Centres operating in Quebec, namely, Info entreprises in Montréal and Ressources Entreprises in Québec, for Eastern Quebec. These organizations deliver information, referral and reference material services to entrepreneurs and local and regional development agents throughout Quebec.

Financial support

The Agency has several programs and services whereby it makes both repayable and non-repayable contributions and, in exceptional cases, grants to its clientele, comprising SMEs, agencies which assist them, and communities. The Agency’s programming breaks down into different categories, as shown in the following table.

Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec Programming

CORE CORPORATE MANDATE

Regular programming Innovation, development of entrepreneurship and access program for SMEs (IDEA-SME) Regional Strategic Initiative (RSI) program Community Futures Program (CFP)

Dedicated programming Canadian Support Program for the Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine Economy (payments only)

SPECIAL MANDATES

Programming under mandates from the Government of Canada Infrastructure Canada Program – Canada-Quebec Agreement 2000 Canadian Apparel and Textile Industries Program (CATIP) – CANtex component

Regular programming associated with the Agency’s core mandate

The Agency’s main regular programs of financial assistance are IDEA-SME, RSI and CFP. The expiration date for IDEA-SME and RSI is March 31, 2007. Completing the programming inherent in the Agency’s core mandate is the Canadian Support Program for the Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine Economy, which has a dedicated budget envelope. But this program is no longer active for applications received after August 23, 2005. Eligible expenditures under this program may be made until August 22, 2008.

Innovation, development of entrepreneurship and access program for SMEs

The IDEA-SME program primarily targets enterprise development. Its goal is to foster the growth of business generated by enterprises in all Quebec regions by facilitating, among other things, access to relevant information, awareness of enterprises’ development issues, establishment of strategic enterprises, and consolidation of their competitiveness through new business practices, innovation and commercialization. In that way, this program fosters realization of the regions’ economic development potential, leading in the long term to enhanced prosperity and sustainable employment. The IDEA-SME program now has a new social economy component whereby it can fund social economy enterprises, make regional patient capital funds available to them and foster development of their competencies and capabilities.

As to planned results, the program should lead to:

• an increase in awareness of innovation, commercialization and entrepreneurship
• an increase in identification and integration of new technology
• an increase in commercialization of products arising out of innovation
• an increase in enterprises’ productivity with a view to making them more competitive on the international scene
• support for testing and experimentation activities in the natural resources sector in regions whose economy is heavily resource-based
• an increase in SMEs’ activities on international markets and consolidation of exporting SMEs’ position
• stimulation of the emergence of initiatives aimed at enterprise startups and improvement in the business climate
• reinforcement of the competencies and capabilities of social economy enterprises.

For information: http://www.dec-ced.gc.ca/asp/ProgrammesServices/prg_idee_pme.asp?LANG=EN

Regional Strategic Initiatives Program

This program involves developing and implementing strategies and action plans fostering the creation of a socio-economic environment conducive to reinforcing the assets and competitive advantages of Quebec regions, with a view to enabling them to realize their economic development potential, leading in the long term to lasting improvement in prosperity and employment. The program supports major initiatives likely to have a growth-generating impact on the regional economy, in response to major regional issues identified through a process of local consultation, dialogue and mobilization. The projects and activities stemming from it permit great flexibility and can take various forms, in line with the needs of a single region or a given group of regions.

The program first aims to increase the regions’ technological capability so as to
encourage the use of the most appropriate technologies and their adaptation by SMEs. The program helps develop the regions’ tourist attraction potential, too, as well as increasing the attraction capability of international activities. It is also used to support the regions in their efforts to adjust to the new global economic environment, especially in rural areas.

Planned results from the program include:

• an increase in the use of new technology by SMEs
• an increase in the number of foreign tourists in the regions
• an increase in the number of foreign visitors at different international events
• an increase in the number of projects concerning the regions’ adjustment to the new global economic environment, notably in rural areas.

Community Futures Program

This Canada-wide program provides support for communities in all parts of the country to help them take charge of their own local development. In Quebec, the CFP financially supports 57 Community Futures Development Corporations, as well as 14 Community Economic Development Corporations and nine Business Development Centres.

Dedicated programming under the Agency’s core mandate

Canadian Support Program for the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine Economy

This program came to an end in August 2005. The purpose of this special measure, funded from the Agency’s basic budget, was to support economic activity in the Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine region. The program was in addition to the Agency’s regular activities and gave priority to the following elements:

• enhancement of federal infrastructure
• development of medium-sized enterprises
• young people
• local empowerment
• emerging initiatives.

Programming under mandates from the Government of Canada

Infrastructure Canada Program – Canada-Quebec Agreement 2000

Within the framework of the pan-Canadian Infrastructure Program under Treasury Board Secretariat responsibility, a Canada-Quebec Agreement was signed in October 2000. The objective of this agreement was to upgrade municipal, urban and rural infrastructure in the province and improve Quebecers’ quality of life. The Agency acts on behalf of the Government of Canada as the federal department responsible for implementation in Quebec. This agreement was amended in July 2005 to postpone to March 31, 2009 the deadline for disbursements under the ICP. Since December 2005, under the terms of the Agreement, no more new projects may be approved under the program.

For information: http://www.dec-ced.gc.ca/asp/ProgrammesServices/TravauxInfrastructures.asp?LANG=EN

Canadian Apparel and Textile Industries Program (CATIP)–CANtex component

The objective of this component is to encourage Canadian textile companies to:

• choose products with greater added value
• exploit new key sectors
• increase their productivity.

Textile firms in Quebec can thus benefit from contributions in order to carry out projects aimed at enhancing their competitiveness on an ongoing basis.

For information: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inctp-ptc.nsf/en/Home

4.2 List of acronyms

CATIP	Canadian Apparel and Textile Industries Program
CFP	Community Futures Program
CMA	Census Metropolitan Area
FTE	Full-time equivalent
FY	Fiscal year
ICP	Infrastructure Canada Program
IDEA-SME	Innovation, development, entrepreneurship and access program for SMEs
MAF	Management Accountability Framework
MRIF	Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund
MRRS	Management, Resources and Results Structure
NPO	Non-profit organization
PAA	Program Activity Architecture
R&D	Research and development
RPP	Report on Plans and Priorities
RSI	Regional Strategic Initiatives
SDS	Sustainable Development Strategy
SME	Small- and medium-sized enterprises
TBS	Treasury Board Secretariat

4.3 Agency business offices

Abitibi-Témiscamingue

906 5th Avenue

Val-d’Or, Quebec J9P 1B9

Tel.: 819-825-5260 • 1-800-567-6451

Fax: 819-825-3245

Bas-Saint-Laurent

2 Saint-Germain Street East, Suite 310

Rimouski, Quebec G5L 8T7

Tel.: 418-722-3282 • 1-800-463-9073

Fax: 418-722-3285

Centre-du-Québec

Place du Centre

150 Marchand Street, Suite 502

Drummondville, Quebec J2C 4N1

Tel.: 819-478-4664 • 1-800-567-1418

Fax: 819-478-4666

Côte-Nord

701 Laure Blvd.

Suite 202B, P.O. Box 698

Sept-Îles, Quebec G4R 4K9

Tel.: 418-968-3426 • 1-800-463-1707

Fax: 418-968-0806

Estrie

Place Andrew Paton

65 Belvédère Street North, Suite 240

Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 4A7

Tel.: 819-564-5904 • 1-800-567-6084

Fax: 819-564-5912

Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine

120 de la Reine Street, 3rd Floor

Gaspé, Quebec G4X 2S1

Tel.: 418-368-5870 • 1-866-368-0044

Fax: 418-368-6256

Île-de-Montréal

3340 de l’Assomption Blvd.

Montréal, Quebec H1N 3S4

Tel.: 514-283-2500 • 1-800-322-4636

Fax: 514-496-8310

Laval—Laurentides—Lanaudière

Tour Triomphe II

2540 Daniel-Johnson Blvd., Suite 204

Laval, Quebec H7T 2S3

Tel.: 450-973-6844 • 1-800-430-6844

Fax: 450-973-6851

Mauricie

Immeuble Bourg du Fleuve

25 des Forges Street, Suite 413

Trois-Rivières, Quebec G9A 2G4

Tel.: 819-371-5182 • 1-800-567-8637

Fax: 819-371-5186

Montérégie

Complexe Saint-Charles

1111 Saint-Charles Street West, Suite 411

Longueuil, Quebec J4K 5G4

Tel.: 450-928-4088 • 1-800-284-0335

Fax: 450-928-4097

Nord-du-Québec

Tour de la Bourse

800 square Victoria

Suite 3800, P.O. Box 247

Montréal, Quebec H4Z 1E8

Tel.: 514-283-8131 • 1-800-561-0633

Service Point, Chibougamau:

418-748-2175 • 1-877-748-2175

Fax: 514-283-3637

Outaouais

259 Saint-Joseph Blvd., Suite 202

Gatineau, Quebec J8Y 6T1

Tel.: 819-994-7442 • 1-800-561-4353

Fax: 819-994-7846

Québec—Chaudière-Appalaches

Édifice John-Munn

112 Dalhousie Street, 2nd Floor

Québec, Quebec G1K 4C1

Tel.: 418-648-4826 • 1-800-463-5204

Fax: 418-648-7291

Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean

170 Saint-Joseph Street South, Suite 203

Alma, Quebec G8B 3E8

Tel: 418-668-3084 • 1-800-463-9808

Fax: 418-668-7584

CORPORATE SERVICES

Tour de la Bourse

800 Square Victoria

Suite 3800, P.O. Box 247

Montréal, Quebec H4Z 1E8

Tel: 514-283-6412 • 1-866-385-6412

Fax: 514-283-3302

Place du Portage, phase II

165 Hôtel-de-Ville Street

P.O. Box 1110, Station B

Gatineau, Quebec J8X 3X5

Tel.: 819-997-3474

Fax: 819-997-3340

Definition sources

Vitality Cluster Local development Attractive milieus Competitiveness poles Regional poles Poles of excellence	Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
Quality of life	Grand dictionnaire terminologique (definition translated from the French)
Competitiveness	Grand dictionnaire terminologique, Dictionnaire des mots nouveaux (Pierre Gilbert) and Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec (definition translated from the French)
Standard of living	Dictionnaire de l'Académie française (definition translated from the French)
Social capital	Social Capital as a Public Policy Tool - Project Report, 2005 (Policy Research Initiative)

 

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