SADC Pontiac held its annual general meeting on Thursday night at the Quyon Community Centre on the occasion of the 40th year of the organization’s existence.

The organization supports local entrepreneurs in building their businesses by way of loans, skills training, and other events and services for local entrepreneurs.

On Thursday, it welcomed guests and board members alike for the AGM of its 40th year, an occasion heralded by general manager Rhonda Perry.

“Welcome to our AGM, which is a special AGM this year, it’s our 40th year. Congratulations, SADC,” she said before passing the mic over to start the evening’s meeting.

Members passed the minutes of last year’s AGM before proceeding to the 2024-25 meeting, where Perry discussed the loss of Emploi Québec’s Soutien au travail autonome (STA) program designated for start-up businesses.

“We’ve had that program [for] maybe 25 years in the region, and they’ve suspended it [ . . . ] Many individuals got their business startup due to that program,” she said in an interview after the meeting.

SADC business advisor Tracy Francoeur said in an email that three new agreements have been signed to fill the revenue gap the program’s departure has left, including agreements with the Chutes Coulonge Park, the Pontiac Chamber of Commerce, and CBDC Restigouche in New Brunswick.

“These three new partnerships have contributed to offsetting the revenue shortfall resulting from the suspension of the Soutien au travail autonome (STA) program by Emploi Québec,” she wrote.

In the meeting, Perry also discussed three new programs the SADC began offering this year, including one for green shifts, one for succession planning, and another for digital transitions.

She added that the digital shift is one that is particularly in demand in the Pontiac, and that they are organizing a conference this year on the topic to teach business owners how to use it to their advantage.

“What we’re focusing on is different AI programming platforms to showcase to the businesses what’s available to them,” she said. “People want to be able to book online reservations. They want to see things online. They want a response.”

Perry said the organization had more applications this year, although it did not see a huge shift in the kinds of applications being submitted.

“We had a busy year,” she said. “The sectors were agriculture, we had tourism, eco-adventure, accommodations, retail sectors for some of our basic needs in the communities, those types of businesses.”

Fifty-three per cent of applicants for 2024-25 were from the service/commercial sector, compared to 71.5 per cent the previous year. Tourism applications rose to 28 per cent this year versus 14.5 per cent the year prior, and agriculture applications rose to 11 per cent from 7 per cent the year before.

Francoeur said in 2024-25 the SADC issued 21 new loans representing $1,171,200, as compared to 16 loans at $781,000 the year prior.

“The increase in small business loan applications [ . . . ] can be attributed to a combination of enhanced government support, targeted loan programs, a focus on green and digital transitions, increased demand for financial assistance and support for key sectors,” she wrote.

Francoeur added that some businesses that may have struggled during the pandemic are finally finding the stability to seek growth opportunities.

“Businesses previously operating in survival mode during the pandemic years may now have found the confidence and stability to pursue growth and innovation initiatives,” she said.

The meeting concluded with the board election. Five members were re-elected to the board, including Donald Gagnon in the Pontiac West entrepreneur seat, Kristine Amyotte-Beck in the Pontiac East entrepreneur seat, Ken Pack in the entrepreneur seat, Paul Boisvert in the youth entrepreneur seat, and Rita Payne in the business seat.

On the occasion of the organization’s 40th anniversary, Perry said the organization will be visiting each of the Pontiac’s 19 municipalities, a project she said plays two roles: to see what the situation is for businesses in various communities, and to remind people the organization is there to help.

“Programs have changed, people are not up to date. It’s tough to communicate to people with these chances, and I think just going to hear what their concerns are, what challenges they’re living, or what’s going on. [It’s] to be more present, more grassroots,” she said.