Hello, Mr. Chair.
My name is Raymond Cimon, and I'm one of the administrators of the Réseau des Sociétés d'aide au développement des collectivités et Centre d'aide aux entreprises, or the Réseau des SADC et CAE, du Québec, the treasurer to be more precise. The network is made up of 67 members in Quebec and over 269 members across Canada.
In Quebec, we are currently working on renewing agreements related to SADC and CAE activities. There has been no increase in the budget for such activities since 2013. We need funding to retain our staff and, of course, to continue our good work on the ground.
We also need funding so that we can lend more money to Quebec businesses. Because of the upheaval affecting financial institutions, businesses have new needs to continue to grow.
Every year, we lend approximately $86 million to various businesses in Quebec. More funding is also needed to enable the common fund, what we in Quebec refer to as “Capital Réseau”, to help them. This is a kind of fund that helps businesses that require a little more capital.
Investing in SADCs and CAEs constitutes an indirect investment in innovation and in the development of our rural communities. Funding for local development helps people take more responsibility for their own communities.
Thank you.