Canada/New regional fund to help companies diversify their markets

The five RCMs of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and the Conférence régionale des préfets are launching a fund to help companies diversify their markets at a time when the economy is being hit hard by the tariff war between the United States and Canada.

The new Fonds Éclo will total $500,000. Half will come from the five MRCs and half from the Conférence régionale des préfets.

This financial support should help reduce the dependence of many companies on their American neighbors.

We quickly realized that it was our small businesses that needed help to diversify their markets. [...] To my knowledge, we are the first region in Quebec to mobilize its entire resources and open a fund that comes from the MRCs," said Saguenay prefect and mayor Julie Dufour.

All the region's prefects gathered at a Chicoutimi hotel on Thursday morning to unveil the details of the fund. Several members of the committee set up to manage and analyze the potential impact of the U.S. tariff increase were also present.

It's a strong political signal we're giving to our companies, and we're opening the door to all partners who want to join us, private or otherwise, because we can do even more. We know that we can support a lot of companies, but we also know that the needs are very great, and we also benefit from the expertise of Serdex and each of our economic development organizations," said Luc Simard, Prefect of the Maria-Chapdelaine MRC.

We really have a great regional collaboration.

A quote from Luc Simard

Josianne Pelosse, MRC du Fjord-du-Saguenay's Assistant Director General for Territorial Management and Development, explained that the Fonds Éclo is divided into three components. The first will enable companies to take export training courses.

It could also be in Canada, so a company that wants to go outside Quebec will also be eligible for the fund," she explains.

Under the second component, companies will be able to obtain a maximum envelope of $10,000, enabling them to seek support from experts such as accountants to better structure their organization.

The third component focuses on trade missions. A maximum of $5,000 may be granted at this stage.

The mission [must] be carried out with Serdex International, which we know well on our territory, or with other organizations," explains Ms. Pelosse, adding that the fund will be open-ended.

The first call for projects will be launched on April 15.

Source: ici.radio-canada.ca