Question Period Note: Measures and programs in response to the COVID-19 in Quebec

Measures and programs in response to the COVID-19 in Quebec

• Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions is implementing a number of federal measures to help businesses and regions affected by the economic impacts of the pandemic and to assist them in their recovery.
• Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions has supported more than 1,000 projects, for a total of over 381 million dollars in authorized assistance, via emergency relief measures targeting businesses and organizations in need.
• Through its initiatives, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions has assisted thousands of businesses and organizations, thus helping to maintain over 47,000 jobs.
• The Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) provides funding for liquidity needs and technical assistance. CED has awarded $316.5 million in funding through this initiative.
• The Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI) has helped regional air transportation ecosystems severely impacted by the economic repercussions of COVID-19. CED has supported 17 projects, for a total of over $57.5 million in assistance.
• The Canadian Seafood Stabilization Fund (CSSF) has provided direct assistance for businesses that process and prepare seafood products. CED has supported 27 projects, for a total of over $7,8 million in assistance.
• Under the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), CED has provided $3.14 million in additional funding to help women deal with the impacts of COVID-19.
• Support from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions has also helped SMEs restructure their operations, manage their cash flow or restart their businesses, and has assisted sectors and groups that have been hard hit, such as the tourism sector and women entrepreneurs.

Emergency measures implemented by DEC

Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF)

• Financial and technical support for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and non-profit organizations (NPOs).
• Budget of $324.6 million for Quebec, of which $316.5 million ($196.5 million directly from CED and $120 million through the 57 Community Futures Development Corporations [CFDCs] and the 10 Business Development Centres [BDCs]) has been allocated to SMEs and NPOs that are located in rural areas and that have been affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Canadian Seafood Stabilization Fund (CSSF)

• Aims to assist businesses that process and prepare seafood products, including aquaculture processing businesses and the organizations that support them.
• Budget of $9.1 million for Quebec, of which $7,8 million has been allocated.

Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI)

• Aims to assist regional air transportation ecosystems affected by the economic impacts of COVID 19.
• $57.5 million budget for Quebec, allocated to 17 projects

Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES)

• Recognizing that women entrepreneurs have been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, CED has awarded a total of $3.14 million in additional funding to help women in business address the impacts of COVID 19 (e.g., business model adjustment, human resources).

Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI)

• Through its regular programs, CED has helped manufacturing companies respond to the call from the Government of Canada by refocusing their production to meet the need for medical supplies and health products.

Examples of projects funded by CED:

• Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF): CED supported three tourism businesses in the Mauricio region by providing funding of between $138,000 and $320,000 to help them meet their liquidity needs and maintain their operational capacity.
• Canadian Seafood Stabilization Fund (CSSF): In 2020, CED provided Pêcheries de l’Estuaire Inc., a Rimouski-based marine products processing plant, with a $700,000 repayable contribution to allow the business to add freezing and storage space and acquire an automated shell-breaking line.
• Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES): CED provided Evol (Femmessor) with an additional $1,250,000 in funding in 2020 to help the organization rapidly adjust its activities to better meet an urgent and growing demand from women entrepreneurs faced with the economic challenges of a pandemic. They were also able to offer a “hypergrowth bootcamp” targeting women entrepreneurs for whom the pandemic presents an opportunity.
• Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI): In 2021, CED provided the Régie intermunicipale de l’aéroport régional de Mont-Joli with a $7,177,500 non-repayable contribution to upgrade airport facilities, ensure compliance with health measures, and hire an employee to implement solutions to meet the air transportation needs of communities In the Bas-Saint-Laurent region.

CED has supported a number of businesses and economic non-profit organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To do so, CED implemented a number of temporary emergency measures, in addition to its regular programs. This support has helped SMEs restructure their operations, manage their cash flow or restart their businesses, and has also assisted sectors and groups that were harder hit.