Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Dear committee members, I am very pleased to represent the Réseau des Sociétés d'aide au développement des collectivités, SADCs, and Centres d'aide aux entreprises, CAEs, in Quebec. I am the proud representative of 67 federally funded non-profit organizations dedicated to the economic development of Quebec's rural and semi-urban regions, as well as to the support of entrepreneurs and to business financing.
Of course, like many Canadian organizations and businesses, we are currently affected by labour shortages. We have to be very resourceful and innovative to help companies in dire need. Yes, there was the pandemic. Fortunately, we've come through it and we're starting to recover. It's a way for us to continue to stand out. However, we need to do it in a different way.
Over the past year, we have had the opportunity to work with Mrs. Sophie Chatel, the MP for Pontiac, on the “For a Green and Prosperous Outaouais” initiative. We really enjoyed working with her. This initiative has the potential to snowball across Quebec. However, we need tools to match our ambitions.
What the network is asking the federal government for in the 2023 budget is more money for the Green Shift program, to which $9.5 million was allocated. That funding expires in March 2024. The program is in its second year and it targets two of the three sectors where SADCs and CAEs are involved: technical assistance, business coaching and local economic development.
We believe that by 2023, our members will be able to provide even more assistance to businesses in rural and semi-urban areas. Therefore, we are requesting specifically an increased funding for the Green Shift program.
We are also requesting an increased funding for SADCs and CAEs, to develop a new innovation program that would allow SMEs in rural and semi-urban areas to better handle the green transition. In our opinion, this innovation program could be created jointly with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and Inno-centre, in Quebec. It would help businesses with the transition to limit greenhouse gas emissions and better stand out in the Quebec economy.
These are the two requests we are making in the name of our members. This would allow us to continue to do our work well.
We are a group of locally engaged and managed organizations with volunteer boards of directors. What makes us strong in rural and semi-urban territories is our knowledge of businesses. I said I was the spokesperson for the members of the network, but, in fact, I am also indirectly the spokesperson for 10,000 Quebec businesses, since SADCs and CAEs provide direct assistance to them.
So, I have told you who we are and what our needs are for next year.
I'll be happy to answer your questions.