Mauricie Business Office:
A strategic partner in regional renewal
Through its 12 business offices connected to their regions, CED works directly with businesses and communities across Quebec, supporting their development while taking into account the realities of each region.
Below is the Mauricie Business Office.
Supporting growth
The Mauricie region, with its rich industrial heritage in the forestry, pulp and paper, and aluminum sectors, has been able to reinvent itself following the decline of these industries. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are now a key driver of the regional economy, supported by a dynamic ecosystem of partners. The Mauricie Business Office (BO) plays a strategic role in this regard. It also serves the four regional county municipalities (RCMs) in the northern Lanaudière region, where high-performing businesses have developed in the metallurgy, agri-food and tourism sectors.
Our team
Mauricie Business Office
Located in the heart of downtown Trois-Rivières, near the beautiful Harbourfront Park along the St. Lawrence River, the Mauricie BO has been established in the region since 1981. Director Marta Acevedo and her team of advisors have a strong understanding of the challenges and assets unique to communities in the Mauricie and Lanaudière regions.
“Close ties with entrepreneurs and on-the-ground support organizations are essential to developing our territory. Regional economic development depends on reinforcing an economic fabric capable of generating positive impacts across many areas of daily life in local communities”
SMEs as a new economic engine
Although large industry remains an important economic player, the rise of SMEs over the past few decades has given new momentum to the regional economy. The BO team assists a wide range of businesses in the Mauricie and Lanaudière regions by providing them with advice, resources, guidance and support for their growth.
CED supports Quebec businesses in a variety of fields. For example, Métal Dupont, located in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, was able to modernize its production by purchasing automated equipment. Shawinigan’s Laurentide Environnement improved its alkaline battery recycling process by acquiring more efficient machinery. CED also helps with the commercialization and export of promising innovations, such as the ultralight wheelchairs manufactured by Motion Composites, based in Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan, which are now distributed worldwide. Finally, CED accompanies SMEs in their long-term growth, as with La Tuque’s Pro-Mec-Élite, which employs more than 30 people and participates in major infrastructure projects across Quebec.
Tomorrow’s innovations at the forefront
The Mauricie region is establishing itself as a Canadian centre of excellence in applied research and technology transfer around green and industrial innovations. Collaboration among colleges, universities and the entrepreneurial community is accelerating advances in key sectors of tomorrow’s economy.
In recent years, CED has contributed to the acquisition of advanced equipment for the region’s college centres for technology transfer (CCTTs). At the Cégep de Trois-Rivières, Innofibre, C2T3 and the Quebec Metallurgy Center (CMQ), along with the Cégep de Shawinigan’s CNETE, illustrate the region’s strength in highly specialized niches such as transportation electrification, renewable energy development and advanced metallurgy.
Marta Acevedo explains: “For CED, supporting these partnerships is essential to promoting economic diversification, attracting public and private investment in industrial innovation and contributing to the training and retention of a highly qualified regional workforce.”
Tourism vitality
The Mauricie and Lanaudière regions offer an exceptional setting for outdoor enthusiasts, explorers and travellers seeking a getaway. Tourism, which is experiencing strong growth, energizes local communities and generates significant economic benefits. Several businesses and organizations have been able to count on CED’s funding to improve their infrastructure and enhance their service offerings. One example is Chalets Lanaudière in Rawdon, which aspires to become a premier four-season nature destination.
CED also supports major events and regional tourist attractions, such as the Festival Western de St-Tite, which strengthened its international marketing strategy by attracting visitors from outside Quebec and Canada, thereby ensuring its sustainability. Today, the event enjoys an enviable reputation across North America and breaks attendance records year after year.
Working in partnership
Economic renewal relies in part on the synergy among regional development players at all levels. Within this ecosystem, the BO collaborates closely with the Mauricie and Lanaudière regions’ Sociétés d’aide au développement des collectivités and Centres d’aide aux entreprises, as well as with Investissement Québec, the Business Development Bank of Canada, and local and regional economic development organizations.
This dynamic is notably reflected in the partnership with the Conseil de la Nation Atikamekw, which supports current and future Indigenous entrepreneurs in the three communities in the Mauricie and Lanaudière regions.
Challenges of today and tomorrow
Over the past decades, regional economic players have demonstrated remarkable resilience and a strong ability to adapt. Today, they are continuing this momentum by positioning themselves in emerging sectors such as the energy transition and artificial intelligence, as well as the defence industry. They can count on the professional advice of the entire BO team to support them in their projects and help them meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.