CEDEC is growing the economy, working hand in hand with

communities to plan for economic prosperity. We are dedicated to

working with partners to invest in economic development projects

that generate good jobs and sustainable economic growth.

LEADING THE WAY

“CEDEC works with a diverse range of partners. Through initiatives such as the Economic Action Network, we are engaging federal and provincial governments across Canada to collaborate and harness the underutilized potential of bilingualism in

our economy. It is an opportunity to inspire new business development and partnerships within Quebec, across Canada and internationally.”

– Ivan Hale, Chair, CEDEC Board of Directors

“We must not risk a retreat from global openness and integration. We need new approaches based around inclusive growth and by putting well-being at the front and centre of the policy objectives.”

– Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD

As a co-founder of the Economic Action Network along with the Réseau de developpement économique et d’employabilité Canada (RDÉE Canada) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), CEDEC co-hosted the Economic Action Forum and co-hosted a national community economic development conference, ECONOUS2016, with the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet).

CEDEC attended the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2017 Forum, Bridging Divides. CEDEC is a member of the OECD LEED (Local Economic and Employment Development) program which advises governments and communities on how to address economic change through effective policy and innovative practices.

CEDEC is strongly advocating for the recognition of economic development as a key driver for sustainability and growth in the next Government of Canada Action Plan for Official Languages and is working with stakeholders such as Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) to create links between community leaders and federal partners and advance economic priorities for Quebec’s Official Language Minority Communities.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ACTION PLAN FOR OFFICIAL

LANGUAGES∙ Develop flexible programs through community

economic development and increase investmentsin existing programs dedicated to economicdevelopment of Official LanguageMinority Communities

∙ Invest in high-growth businesses

∙ Invest in tourism development

∙ Address barriers and stimulateinterprovincial trade, especiallybetween Quebec and other provinces

∙ Focus on attracting talented youth

∙ Generate comprehensive labourmarket information

John Buck with The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of International Trade at OECD 2017 Forum in Paris.

CREATING VIBRANT COMMUNITIES AND DRIVING ECONOMIC GROWTH

CEDEC’s work allows municipalities to leverage their resources significantly for economic growth.

CEDEC builds community capacity, increases communication and generates new economic activity related to infrastructure and tourism development, entrepreneurial development and workforce development.

For example, in Quebec’s Gaspé peninsula, CEDEC has led the development of community plans across three regional county municipalities. To date, this work has generated over $3.4 million in investments among ten community-based projects which have generated jobs and economic growth in four communities.

CEDEC continues to provide flexible growth solutions to SMEs adapted to their unique needs. CEDEC’s bilingual business advisors ensure that entrepreneurs have the help needed for business success.

“CEDEC helped us implement a reflection process on our business development practices and grow our confidence in our ability to break into new markets.”

– Marie-Pier Richard, Dynamique humaine

CEDEC’s David Felker at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Annual Trade Show in Ottawa.

A C T I O N E VA L U AT I O NM O B I L I Z AT I O N P L A N N I N G

ENTREPRENEURSHIP: CULTIVATING A MINDSETSMALL BUSINESSES, WHICH ACCOUNT FOR ALMOST 98 PER CENT OF ALL EMPLOYER BUSINESSES IN CANADA, PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN GENERATING JOBS AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY IN CANADA.

More than half of Canada’s small businesses are concentrated in Ontario (35.6 per cent) and Quebec (35.6 per cent); however, both provinces also have the lowest number of SMEs relative to their population totals (aged 15 years and above) indicating room to grow.

With over 47 per cent of Canadian small business owners between 50-64 years of age, there is an imminent challenge ahead of us in terms of business succession and growth in our economy.

CEDEC Youth Start-Up, launched in 2014, propels young entrepreneurs from intention to action, and follows through with support while they pursue their business and contribute fully to our economy.

This work, made possible through partnerships with post-secondary institutions, organizations, and service providers from across Quebec, is supported by referral partnerships with Futurpreneur Canada for financing and Réseau M for mentoring as our clients’ business ideas evolve.

“Moving forward means growth, tapping into changing

global trends, building and supporting innovation -

in an inclusive way. You don’t need government to do it for you. You need us to set

the table for you.”

– David BirnbaumMNA for D’Arcy-McGee

CEDEC’s small business advisors can help businesses to enter the Quebec marketplace, including guidance on the legal environment, research and development funding and tax credits, and best practices.

www.cedec.ca/doing-business-in-quebec

(TIAC) to bring the 2017 Tourism Town Hall to Quebec’s Gaspesie as part of CEDEC’s first “Tourism Rendez-vous” (May 2017).

Local and regional stakeholders and tourism owner-operators had the opportunity to share their ideas to grow the tourism industry and promote their products directly to Canada’s tourism marketing experts.

As CEDEC continues to pursue its Tourism 2025 strategy, potential partnerships with important networks such as ÉCONOMUSÉE® Quebec are key to connecting English-speaking tourism operators to new markets and strengthening Canada’s tourism offer, and local economies.

TOURISM: A KEY DRIVER IN CANADA’S ECONOMYAs Canada’s largest service export, tourism represents more than $90 billion in revenue and more than two per cent of our GDP. Tourism is our top source of employment for youth and is an important source of employment for new Canadians as well.

“Tourism is vital for many middle-class jobs in communities across the country, supporting 200,000 businesses and 1.7 million jobs. We have a clear plan to build on this success and showcase our beautiful landscapes, incredible experiences and unique culture to the world.” – The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism.

CEDEC’s Tourism 2025 strategy is focused on generating jobs and growing and sustaining

businesses through tourism development within Official Language Minority Communities.

Aligned closely with the Government of Canada’s New Tourism Vision, CEDEC partnered with Destination Canada and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada

CEDEC TOURISM 2025 STRATEGY

BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES

NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT WITHIN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE MINORITY COMMUNITIES

Identify, promote and develop high quality tourism products

Integrate Canada's Tourism Strategy, RDEE Canada's Tourism Development Strategy and other key development strategies

Collaborate on marketing initiatives to promote cultural tourism products to new and emerging markets

Engage in partnerships with French-speaking linguistic minority communities outside of Quebec

Support recruitment, training and retention of tourism workers

Involve key tourism industry stakeholders

Connect tourism businesses for networking and partnerships

In partnership with RDÉE Canada and the Transat Chair in Tourism at the

ESG UQAM, the Tourism Intelligence Network shares essential information

to support tourism development in Canada’s Official Language Minority

Communities. Visit www.cedec.ca/tourism to sign up for the quarterly

bulletins packed with useful information, resources, tools and case studies.

EXPERIENTIAL TOURISMQUEBEC’S BILINGUAL WORKFORCE IS AN IMMENSE ASSET THAT

ADDS VALUE TO QUEBEC AND CANADA’S TOURISM OFFER.

One example is the Archaeological Adventure in Blanc-Sablon which

provides visitors the opportunity to explore over 8000 years of human

history by assisting in a real archaeological excavation. Several years

in the making, this tourism product is now attracting international

visitors thanks to partnerships with Archéo-Mamu, Tourisme Québec,

Lower North Shore Tourism and local small businesses.

TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE: A CRITICAL ASSET FOR ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT IN SMALL COMMUNITIES

Quality infrastructure is a critical component of tourism

planning and revitalization, especially in small communities

like Blanc-Sablon.

CEDEC worked with the Harbour Authority of Blanc-Sablon and

other partners to secure $9.4 million from the Department of

Fisheries and Oceans Canada for improvements and expansion

of the local wharf. This new infrastructure will accomodate

increased small boat traffic and generate new economic activity

in the community. With construction underway, CEDEC is widely

promoting business and tourism opportunities that are now

available thanks to this enhanced transportation hub.

Since 2014, Blanc-Sablon has seen a 92 per cent increase in

tourism traffic as a result of improvements to building and

transportation infrastructure and new product creation.

JOBSLABOUR MARKET INFORMATION NETWORKTO ENSURE COMPETITIVENESS IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY, BUSINESSES REQUIRE TALENTED AND SKILLED WORKERS.

In the context of an aging population, globalization, shifts in the domestic economy, technological advancements and disruptive innovation, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce confirms that Canadian businesses are experiencing serious shortages of skilled workers which limits economic growth and wealth creation.

CEDEC’s Labour Market Information (LMI) network, composed of researchers, experts and business leaders, is generating data and knowledge to address this mismatch between employer needs and the existing labour force. Specifically, the LMI Networking is exploring:

∙ economic and labour force challengesthat hinder labour market success.

∙ the exodus of young, well-educated English-speakingQuebecers to pursue opportunities elsewhere.

∙ incomplete or inaccessible information aboutthe English-speaking workforce in Quebec.

“Demand for high-level skills has never been greater. In the workplace, routine tasks are being automated, destroying jobs that were once middle-class bulwarks. Increasingly, economies demand workers skilled in problem-solving,

communications and collaboration and reward those with the ability to recognise and exploit new technologies.” -- Shrinking Skills, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

BILINGUALISM AND PROSPERITY

BILINGUALISM IS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FOR OUR ECONOMY.

In Quebec, the rate of bilingualism increased from 42.6 per cent to 44.5 per cent in the last census. Across Canada the rate of bilingualism is at an all-time high of 17.9 per cent.

There is no better time than now to capitalize on this growing asset. Canada, Bilingualism and Trade, a Conference Board of Canada report published in 2013, outlines the economic benefit of bilingualism on international trade.

CEDEC and RDÉE Canada, along with its members, are promoting the benefits of a bilingual economy and opening up new opportunities for both domestic and international commerce for the benefit of all Canadians.

Ivan Hale, CEDEC Board Chair

with Marie-France Roy (Air Canada)

present Lauriers PME 2016 award

to Nathalie Levesque and Rachel

Arseneau-Ferguson of Transmed

in recognition of business

excellence in Canada’s francophone

business community.

Standing (left to right): Michael

Smith, McGill; Dawn Copping,

CEDEC; Stéfan Bergeron, ESDC;

John Buck, CEDEC; Stacey Dakin,

CEDEC; Stephen Thompson,

QCGN. Sitting (left to right):

Lorraine O’Donnell, QUESCREN;

Darlene Hnatchuk, McGill; Kim

Fuller, Phil Communications;

Laura Kolbe, CEDEC Consultant

Virtual participant: Nancy Arthur,

University of Calgary.

Read CEDEC’s presentation to the Forum of Labour market Ministers Consultation on Labour market Transfer Agreements for a comprehensive view of CEDEC’s position on future employment and skills training programs.