Blog

18 Feb 2020

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Workshops on the Social Economy in Kanesatake

On January 23, 2020, our Social Economy Officer, Annick Tremblay and our Youth Entrepreneurship Advisor, Myriam Vallières, traveled to Kanesatake to present a workshop and a conference on the social economy.

18 Feb 2020

Frédérick Martel, CPA, Entrepreneurship Technical Advisor

Presentation of the Investment Readiness Program

We are presenting a funding program designed to better equip organizations, and prepare them to approach funding providers to get financing for the start-up of a project that will increase the impact of their social mission: the Investment Readiness Program (IRP).

18 Feb 2020

Marie-Christine Tremblay

An event to develop and strengthen your CEDOs network

On May 19 to the 21, 2020, the FNQLEDC invites all the CEDOs to participate in a retreat which will be held at Station touristique Duchesnay, in Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier.

18 Feb 2020

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Launching of an International Report on Economic Development

From January 21 to 23, 2020, representatives of several First Nation organizations and communities across Canada gathered in Wendake to participate in a discussion in connection with the launching of the report entitled Linking Indigenous Communities to Regional Development Project. This report, produced by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), is the result of close to three years of consultations.

18 Feb 2020

Gail Nelson, propriétaire de Bayside Convenience

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Bayside Convenience : One Building – Several Vocations

In Kanesatake, Mohawk entrepreneur, Gail Nelson is the proud owner of Bayside Convenience, a business that started out as a carpentry workshop and is now a convenience store.

18 Feb 2020

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Company Profile: First Nations Paramedics

In operation for 35 years now in the Mohawk community of Kanesatake, First Nations Paramedics is the only Indigenous private business offering ambulance service in Quebec. Here is the inspiring story of this company that would like to share its expertise with other Indigenous communities in Quebec.

18 Feb 2020

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Many Projects on the Drawing Board

Kanesatake, a community located in the beautiful Laurentians region, is surrounded by farmlands, orchards and beautiful sceneries. Therefore, the Economic development team would like to develop projects that will allow the community to build on these advantages.

18 Feb 2020

Marie-Christine Tremblay

A Community With a Strong Entrepreneurial Mindset

In the Mohawk community of Kanesatake, there are currently 18 private businesses. Following is an overview of the initiatives put in place by the economic development team to promote entrepreneurship and provide support for local entrepreneurs.

13 Feb 2020

The Anicinabe Gasini gas station is in operation since January 21 2020 in the Anishnabe community of Lac Simon.

Marie-Christine Tremblay

The Lac Simon Gas Station is Now in Operation

The Anicinabe Gasini gas station of Lac Simon is in operation since January 21 2020. However, its official opening will only take place on February 13 2020. This project was made possible thanks to the hard work of the elected officials of the Anishnabe community and the Director of the Corporation de développement économique Wabak Pimadizi, Mr. William Cheezo.

10 Dec 2019

Steve Laveau, Economic Development Advisor

Speed-Meeting or Speed Networking, an Interesting Formula for Establishing a Network of Contacts

For the past few years, a new kind of activity, speed business networking or speed-meeting, has become increasingly popular in the business world. This formula facilitates the development of businesses, by way of meetings limited to 15 minutes. In fact, the FNQLEDC tried out this formula at an event held this past November 19th, in Quebec City.

22 Nov 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Welteg: a Buyers Club Turned into a Web Shop and Retail Store

Anna Isaac is a Mi’gmaq entrepreneur in Listuguj, who with her spouse Frank Brisk, owns Welteg, an e-shop and brick and mortar store. In business for some years now, Anna has a very inspiring entrepreneurial path which shows the positive impact that mentorship can have in the life of a person.

14 Nov 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

From Selling T-Shirts to the Construction Industry: A Portrait of an Inspiring Entrepreneur

If there’s one thing you can say about Victoria LaBillois, a Mi'gmaq from the community of Listuguj, is that she has an entrepreneurial spirit! This entrepreneur loves challenges and creating new businesses in response to any opportunities that may arise. A portrait of this inspiring entrepreneur follows.

05 Nov 2019

Listuguj and Mashteuiatsh, youth entrepreneurial camps

Véronique Édé

The succession process has taken place in Listuguj and Mashteuiatsh

The months of July and August were very rich in teachings for the youths of Listuguj and Mashteuiatsh. Actually, three entrepreneurial camps were organized this past summer to help ignite a passion for entrepreneurship amongst the young generations of these two communities.

05 Nov 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Several Economic Development Projects on the Table

The Mi'gmaq community of Listuguj is located on the banks of the Restigouche River, in the beautiful Gaspésie region. Things are going quite well in terms of entrepreneurship, since there are about fifty private companies that are active in various sectors. In addition to entrepreneurship, the economic development team is busy working on several projects. Here are a few of them.

05 Nov 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

2019-2020 Board of Directors of the FNQLEDC

The FNQLEDC is pleased to present its 2019-2020 Board of Directors, composed of one representative per nation.

05 Nov 2019

Symposium de développement économique de Listuguj

Myriam Vallières, Youth Entrepreneurship Advisor

Listuguj Underscores the Importance of Economic Development by and for the Community

On September 10th and 11th 2019, Listuguj held the first edition of its Economic Development Symposium. The event was organized by the Economic Development Department, with the objective of stimulating and fostering private entrepreneurship in the community.

05 Nov 2019

Listuguj est l’un des actionnaires de l’entreprise Zenabis Global inc.

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Investing in an Industry with Strong Economic Potential

Since 2016, the Listuguj Mi'gmaq Government has been a shareholder of Zenabis Global Inc., which has cannabis production facilities that are located near the community. Before making the decision to invest in this industry, several steps were taken which are covered in this article.

05 Nov 2019

Frédérick Martel, CPA, Entrepreneurship Technical Advisor

Developing in a Structured Manner

Economic development in Gesgapegiag, a Mi’gmaq community located along the Baie-des-Chaleurs, has been growing steadily in recent years. This progress is due for the most part to good practices put in place in the community in terms of strategic planning.

05 Nov 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

A Great Place to Stop

The Relais de la Cache is a company owned by the Micmacs of Gesgapegiag. Located in the middle of the Gaspésie region, about 70 km from Gesgapegiag and in proximity to the Gaspésie National Park, the site is equipped with a gas station, a motel, a convenience store and a restaurant. The following article tells the young company’s story from its acquisition to the challenges that its owners and managers have had to overcome.

05 Nov 2019

Chalets de l’Anse-Ste-Hélène, réplique de la Grande Hermine

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Chalets with a View on the Baie-des-Chaleurs

The Micmacs of Gesgapegiag purchased the Chalets de l'Anse Ste-Hélène in September 2017. Located on the outskirts of the Baie-des-Chaleurs (Chaleur Bay), the property includes six chalets, all of which were built in the early 2000s, and is located in Maria, just outside the boundaries of the Mi'gmaq community. This acquisition allowed the community to create five to six jobs for its members.

05 Nov 2019

Du 27 au 30 octobre a eu lieu la 26e conférence annuelle de CANDO (Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers) à l’hôtel Hilton Lac-Leamy de Gatineau. Un événement qui a rassemblé plus de 350 participants, principalement des conseillers en développement économique provenant de toutes les provinces et territoires du Canada.

Steve Laveau, Economic Development Advisor

FNQLEDC was Well Represented at a National Event

The 26th CANDO Annual Conference (Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers) was held in Gatineau, from October 26 to 30, at Hôtel Hilton Lac-Leamy. The important event brought together more than 350 participants, mainly advisors from the economic development sector that came from every province and territory in Canada.

29 Oct 2019

Véronique Édé

StartUP Nations 2019 in pictures: A social economy event for First Nations youth

The FNQLEDC and the First Nations Social Economy Regional Table (FNSERT) are proud to present the video of the second edition of the StartUP Nations, an event targeting First Nations youth and focusing on youth collective entrepreneurship.

26 Sep 2019

Véronique Édé

Two Young Entrepreneurs in the Construction Industry

S.M.D Construction Inc. is a young start-up company based in Wendake. Officially launched in April 2019, it specializes in construction works and holds a general contractor permit from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ).

23 Jul 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

As a New CEDO, Having the Right Tools is Key

Stéphane Lecours-Aubin stepped into position as a Community Economic Development Officer (CEDO) in the fall of 2018. Formally trained as a Human Resources Advisor, the economic development sector was totally new to him. That being said, he had to seek out the right tools for the job in order to support Wôlinak and Odanak entrepreneurs. Based upon his experience and with his collaboration, you will find below, a few tricks that may be useful to other newly appointed CEDOs.

23 Jul 2019

Martine Bergeron-Milette possède une entreprise dans le secteur du transport et du terrassement. Voici le portrait de cette entrepreneure.

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Company Profile : Transport Déménagement DEC

In Wôlinak, Martine Bergeron-Milette owns an active business in a traditionally male dominated sector: transportation and landscaping. Below, we’ve painted a brief portrait of this entrepreneur’s journey along with her company, Transport Déménagement DEC.

28 Jun 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

A Wide Range of Services

In the past few years, the Grand Conseil de la Nation Waban-Aki (GCNWA) has developed a wide range of services which include a variety of technical services, territorial consultation services, social services, etc.

28 Jun 2019

L'entreprise Fromagerie Odanak, située à Odanak.

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Ensuring the Visibility of the Abenaki Nation and its Enterprises

Wôlinak and Odanak are small communities, but still, together, they have over thirty enterprises, in addition to an industrial park. To make their business known and to foster the development of their business, a number of very specific actions have been implemented.

28 Jun 2019

Véronique Édé

Aboriginal Youth: a Driving Force for Economic Growth and Cultural Transmission

More and more First Nations Youth are showing their determination to contribute to the economic and cultural prosperity of their communities through the perpetuation of traditions. Frédérique Gros-Louis meets exactly this definition. She is a young entrepreneur of the Huron-Wendat Nation and she creates regalia and customised beadwork.

28 Jun 2019

Les participants de Ma chance de devenir entrepreneur

Marie-Christine Tremblay

A Contest to Stimulate Private Entrepreneurship in Wemotaci

From June 10th to the 13th, 2019, Nikanik Economic Development Corporation, in collaboration with the FNQLEDC, organized a contest entitled “My chance to become an entrepreneur” aimed at stimulating the creation of businesses in Wemotaci.

28 Jun 2019

L’équipe de Listuguj présentant son projet devant les Dragons.

Véronique Édé

Diversified and Promising Collective Entrepreneurial Projects

Eight teams participated in the StartUP Nations. This represents as many great collective projects run by young entrepreneurs from several communities. Following is an overview of the different projects.

28 Jun 2019

Véronique Édé

When First Nations Youth Are Especially Coveted by Collective Entrepreneurship

The second edition of StartUP Nations took place on May 23rd to the 25th at Concordia University, in Montreal. Forty or so young people, aged 15 to 35, representing seven First Nations and eight communities, gathered to acquire tools that will enable them to develop their projects of collective entrepreneurship.

28 Jun 2019

Véronique Édé

Social Economy : an Opportunity for First Nations Young People

Social economy groups together all the economic activities with a view to meeting the responsibility of a social mission and contributing to the general interest. It is not focused on financial profitability, but on the benefits it brings to the collectivity. Social economy enterprises offer products and services in innovative sectors, and as diverse as those offered in traditional enterprises.

28 Jun 2019

Quelques-uns des jeunes participant au projet Niona.

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Discovering Abenaki Culture Through Information Technologies

The Niona Project is related to exploring, living and transmitting Abenaki culture and First Nations in general by way of information technologies. It’s also a social project aimed at developing diverse skills among Abenaki youth between the ages of 12 and 17.

01 Apr 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Osekwan Minic : Traditional Processing of Blueberries, an Economic Project

In Wemotaci, Association Nikawi is the instigator of the Osekwan Minic project, whose aim is to increase economic independence for women, while enhancing their valuable know-how in the processing of wild blueberries.

01 Apr 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Depanneur Wemok of Wemotaci

In July 2016, Réjeanne Petiquay and Jean-Guy Boivin opened Dépanneur Wemok Convenience Store in a former construction trailer, with 700 $ worth of products in inventory. Almost three years later, the business doubled its floor area and it now employs six persons, an incredible accomplishment, without any external financial support.

01 Apr 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

A variety of activities next to La Tuque

Club Odanak is an area of 45 km2 located within the traditional domain of the Atikamekw Nation, at approximately 20 minutes from La Tuque.

28 Mar 2019

Véronique Édé

Awastoki – 3D Technology Is Introduced to Aboriginal Communities

Awastoki est une jeune entreprise autochtone, basée à Wendake, spécialisée dans la création numérique 3D, notamment pour la visualisation architecturale ou médicale, les médias interactifs (jeux vidéo, réalité virtuelle et augmentée), ainsi que l’impression 3D matérielle.

28 Mar 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Stimulating Entrepreneurship in First Nations Communities

More and more First Nations communities hold ‘entrepreneurial days’ to promote entrepreneurship as a career option and encourage new business start-ups.

28 Mar 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

An Agriculture Project Is Currently in Development in Opitciwan

As early as this summer, the population of Opitciwan will be able to grow its own vegetables or buy some at the grocery store, thanks to an exciting and promising project which is arousing a great deal of enthusiasm and hope in the Atikamekw community.

28 Mar 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Developing Self-Esteem in Youth Through School Entrepreneurship

For some years now, special needs students of Wemotaci’s Nikanik Secondary School have had the opportunity to participate in a program called « Les deux lois de la réussite », (The two rules of success) which draws on the example of PCR (perseverance + competence = réussite (success) developed in the Algonquin community of Lac Simon. Following is an overview of this inspiring project.

28 Mar 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

A Brief Overview of Some of the Projects

Following is a brief overview of some of the projects due to be completed in a near future in Wemotaci.

28 Mar 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

The Manouane Sipi Project Will Finally Get Underway

On February 15 2019, an agreement for the purchase of electricity was signed with Hydro-Québec, thereby confirming the start of construction of the micro-hydro power plant, which will generate major economic spin-offs for the community of Wemotaci.

28 Mar 2019

Marie-Christine Tremblay

Structuring Is Essential to Enhancing Growth

Several economic development projects are on the way in the Atikamekw community of Wemotaci. This has been made possible, thanks to the renewed emphasis placed on this activity sector over the past few years, and to a major restructuring.

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