Montréal, Québec, March 9, 2006 - The
Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of
Canada Economic Development, today announced the awarding of $489,416 in
non-repayable funding for the establishment of the Service de gestion conseil
en économie sociale, a project that will be co-ordinated by the
Regroupement économique et social du Sud-Ouest (RESO).
This guidance and technical support service is intended for social economy
enterprises on the island of Montréal that have been in operation for at least
two years. Some 40 such companies are expected to benefit from the expertise of
the Service's team of advisors over the coming year.
In funding this project, a joint initiative of the Réseau d'investissement
social du Québec (RISQ) and six local Corporations de développement
économique et communautaire(CDEC Ahuntsic-Cartierville, CDEC Centre-Nord,
CDEC Centre‑Sud/Plateau Mont‑Royal, CDEC Rosemont/Petite Patrie, CDEST and
RESO), the Agency is seeking to both foster the development and competitiveness
of social economy enterprises and structure interventions in a way that promotes
co-operation and knowledge-sharing among the sector's various players.
"When enterprises are given access to the right management tools, they are
better able to deal with the day-to-day challenges they face and thereby
contribute more fully to the prosperity and cohesiveness of the communities on
the island of Montréal," explained Minister Blackburn.
The social economy encompasses local private-sector enterprises whose
activities are rooted in democratic values and whose objectives are directed
toward improving the social, economic and environmental conditions in
communities.
Canada Economic Development's mandate is to promote the economic development
of the regions of Quebec. Primarily through financial assistance programs, the
Agency elicits and supports the implementation of economic development
projects.
Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 2005 federal
budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.
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Source:
Guylaine BeaudoinCommunicationsCanada Economic Development Tel.:
514 283-0368E-mail: guylaine.beaudoin@dec-ced.gc.ca
Canada Economic Development is on line at www.dec-ced.gc.ca. Subscribe to the Agency's press releases at www.dec-ced.gc.ca/asp/SitePersonnalise/acces_personnalise.asp?LANG=EN to keep up with the latest news.
