QUEBEC, QC – The governments of Quebec and Canada are providing $17,945,330 in renewed funding over the course of the next three years for most of the regional export promotion organizations (ORPEXes).

“For many years, the Quebec Ministère de l’Économie, de la Science et de l’Innovation has been counting on the support of ORPEXes, a network of partner organizations that provide a regional support service for businesses looking to export. To bolster exports, it is essential to inform and raise awareness among SMEs about the potential benefits associated with foreign markets. By exporting their goods and services, SMEs can showcase their know-how and talent on the international stage, thus increasing promising business opportunities. Encouraging export projects is part of our economic vision for Quebec as a whole; it is also one of the objectives of the 2016–2020 Quebec export strategy, which is designed to help our businesses make their mark in a highly competitive global market.”

Dominique Anglade, Deputy Premier, Minister of the Economy, Science and Innovation and Minister responsible for the Digital Strategy

“CED is proud to have been funding the ORPEXes since their creation in 1990. Unique to Quebec, these organizations contribute, not only to the attainment of CED’s global business commercialization and positioning targets for businesses, but also to the targeted 30% increase in Canadian exports by 2025, an ambitious goal that the Government of Canada has set for itself. By focusing on the importance of innovation, this renewed funding will equip Quebec businesses with tools to favourably position themselves in a highly competitive global ecosystem.”

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for CED

• ORPEXes (link in French only) provide the regional offices of the MESI and Export Québec with support for export-related training, preparation and awareness activities for businesses in their respective regions. Each organization is tasked with contributing to the achievement of measures 2 and 7 of the 2016–2020 Quebec export strategy (in French only), namely to provide better guidance as concerns businesses’ export strategies, and to prepare and deliver market development, logistics and marketing training. They are also required to promote exporting to businesses.

• The Government of Quebec has launched the 2016–2020 Quebec export strategy, which has a budget of $536.8 million. The objective of the strategy is to assist 4,000 businesses in their exporting operations.

• The objectives of the PEX (in French only) include raising awareness among Quebec businesses of the growth potential associated with exporting and, subsequently, supporting these businesses in the capturing and diversification of foreign markets.

• CED is one of the six regional development agencies under the responsibility of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

• This year marks the 50th anniversary of federal regional economic development in Quebec: half a century of concrete action dedicated to the development of the regions and local businesses.

• To find out more about CED and its priorities, see the 2018–2019 Departmental Plan or visit www.dec-ced.gc.ca.

• Guillaume Bérubé
  Communications Director
  Office of the Deputy Premier, Minister of the Economy, Science and Innovation and Minister responsible for the Digital Strategy
  Tel.: 418-691-5650
  
• Mallory Clyne
  Director of Communications
  Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
  Tel. : 343-291-2500

Information

• Jean-Pierre D’Auteuil
  Media Relations Officer
  Communications Directorate
  Ministère de l’Économie, de la Science et de l’Innovation
  Tel.: 418-691-5698, extension 4868
  Cell: 418-559-0710
  
• Media Relations
  Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
  Tel.: 514-283-7443
  Email: dec.media.ced@canada.ca

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APPENDIX

REGION / ORPEX

Abitibi-Témiscamingue

• Bureau de promotion des exportations de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue 48e Nord International

Bas-Saint-Laurent

• Innov&Export PME

Capitale-Nationale

• Québec International

Centre-du-Québec

• Carrefour Québec International

Estrie

• Carrefour Québec International

Mauricie

• Carrefour Québec International

Chaudière-Appalaches

• Développement PME Chaudière-Appalaches

Côte-Nord

• Commerce International Côte Nord

Gaspésie─Îles-de-la-Madeleine

• GIMXPORT

Lanaudière

• Société de développement international de Lanaudière

Laurentides

• Laurentides Économique

Laval

• Service de développement économique de la Ville de Laval (Division Affaires internationales)

Montérégie

• Développement économique de l’agglomération de Longueuil
• Expansion PME (Montérégie-Est)
• Commerce International Québec (Montérégie-Ouest) (18 month agreement)

Montreal

• World Trade Centre Montréal – The Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (Montréal-Centre)
• Chambre de commerce de l'Est de Montréal (Montréal-Est)
• Développement économique Saint-Laurent (Montréal-Ouest)

Outaouais

• Export Outaouais (Gatineau Chamber of Commerce)

Saguenay─Lac-Saint-Jean

• SERDEX International