Question Period Note: Support for clean growth in Quebec

Support for clean growth in Quebec

• Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions contributes to government objectives by supporting businesses and communities in their transition to clean, sustainable economic growth.
• As part of its green plan, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions is focusing on green transition and business innovation as levers for growth and competitiveness in order to contribute to the sustainable development of Quebec's regions.
• Since November 2015, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions has backed close to 700 clean technology projects for authorized assistance of more than 600 million dollars, generating total investments of over 5 billion dollars.

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions is making a determined contribution to the transition to a sustainable economy by doubling its green investment target by 2025-2026 and offering flexible program terms and conditions to SMEs that take action.

By choosing to act today in favour of the environmental transition of businesses and regions, CED is actively helping Canada to achieve its objectives of reducing GHG emissions by 2030, while building a resilient, sustainable and competitive economy for tomorrow.

• In the 2016 Budget, the federal government required the regional development agencies, including CED, to double their annual investments in clean technologies. For CED, this represents an annual target of $25 million, which has been achieved every year.
• DEC a poursuivi son soutien à la transition verte des PME et des économies régionales en priorisant notamment les investissements stratégiques dans les technologies propres, les organisations intégrant des pratiques écoresponsables à leurs opérations et les écosystèmes régionaux accompagnant les PME qui passent à l’action. Tel que le rapporte le Rapport sur les résultats ministériels pour l’exercice 2023-2024 qui sera rendu public plus tard à l’automne 2024, DEC a ainsi investi 121,4 M$ dans 227 projets soutenant la transition environnementale, et ce tant dans le cadre du CERI que des initiatives ponctuelles livrées par l’entremise de ce programme.
• CED’s support for clean growth, both through its regular programs and special initiatives, can be broken down as follows:
o Support for start-up or growth projects by businesses that develop and commercialize clean technologies
o Support for projects to adopt clean technologies and green operations.
o Support for organizations that help companies go green.
o Referrals to other relevant government programs (e.g. Sustainable Development Technology Canada)
• Announced on December 15, 2023, CED's new vision for accelerating the green transition of SMEs and the regions includes four concrete commitments:
o Support for the coaching ecosystem anchored in all regions of Quebec to help SMEs improve their environmental performance.
o Doubling the annual target for investments in projects that contribute to the environmental transition of SMEs and regions to $50 by 2025-2026.
o Implement an environmental grid to identify the green practices of clients and the green elements of projects in the context of new applications for financial assistance to CED programs.
o Create a ministerial advisory committee on green transition.
o The committee submitted its report to the Minister during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

Project examples

9474-9785 Québec inc. (Carbonité inc.)
In May 2023, CED supported 9474-9785 Québec inc. (Carbonité inc.), a start-up based in Port-Cartier that will use innovative and unique technology to convert forest biomass into biochar. The $3 million in repayable assistance is intended for the acquisition and installation of production equipment in the new plant. Natural Resources Canada is also a partner in the project, with a non-repayable contribution of $7.5 M.
(Project announced July 5, 2023)

Exxel Polymers inc.
In November 2023, as part of the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program, CED authorized a repayable contribution of $1 million to Exxel Polymers Inc. a company specializing in the formulation and production of 100% recycled plastic from manufacturers' and recyclers' plastic rejects. The assistance will be used to acquire equipment that will enable the Bromont-based company to develop new hybrid plastics, increase production capacity and improve productivity. (Project announced on May 24, 2024)

J.L. Leclerc & Fils
J.L. Leclerc & Fils specializes in the design, manufacture and assembly of mechanically welded products mainly for the energy and transportation industries. The company is a strategic supplier to a number of major customers in GHG-reducing sectors such as electric transportation and hydroelectricity. The company based in Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, whose vice-president is a woman, can count on CED's repayable contribution of $1 million to acquire and commission a digital machining center and robotized production equipment that will enable it to increase its productivity. (Announced March 8, 2024)

Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) contributes to clean growth in a number of ways, including enabling SMEs to develop or adopt clean technologies, supporting organizations that integrate eco-responsible practices into their operations, and regional ecosystems that accompany SMEs that take action.