Business Opportunities
to seize
or to create
Whether you want to take over an existing business or start your own, you can count on a flourishing entrepreneurial community, which bases its action on collaboration.
Business Opportunities
pontiac in action
You want to start a business? What motivates you? What type of business interests you? What does your financial situation look like? What makes your project unique?
Through the Pontiac Region in Action program, our economic development team helps entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs answer all of these questions and provides them with assistance throughout the process. We are here to support them and help them make their entrepreneurial projects a reality.
Personalized support
Our multidisciplinary development team is forging special ties with municipalities, the business community, and the economic and community development sectors. It is responsible for developing regional infrastructure and large-scale projects in the regional county municipality of Pontiac.
Annick Lance, Administrative Assistant, Economic Development
819-648-5689 Ext. 122
a.lance@mrcpontiac.qc.ca
Erin Davis, Business Advisor
819 648-5689 Ext. 244
e.davis@mrcpontiac.qc.ca
Renée Lance, Business Financial Analyst
819 648-5689 Ext. 135
r.lance@mrcpontiac.qc.ca
Claudee Galipeau, Commissioner for Economic Development
(territorial attractivity & tourism)
819 648-5689 Ext. 129
c.galipeau@mrcpontiac.qc.ca
Shanna Armstrong, Commissioner for Economic Development (agriculture)
819 648-5689 Ext. 304
s.armstrong@mrcpontiac.qc.ca
Danelle Bourque, Commissioner for Economic Development (sports & recreation)
819 648-5689 Ext. 126
d.bourque@mrcpontiac.qc.ca
Sabrina Ayres, Commissioner for Economic Development (culture & socioeconomic)
819 648-5689 Ext. 124
s.ayres@mrcpontiac.qc.ca
Rachel Soar-Flandé, Commissioner for Economic Development (housing)
819 648-5689 Ext. 122
r.soarflande@mrcpontiac.qc.ca
Professional resources
There are many professional resources at your disposal! The Pontiac region can provide you with specialized or additional support to start an entrepreneurial project, to find someone to take over, or to expand.
Business development
MRC Pontiac
SADC Pontiac
Services Québec (available in French only)
Pontiac Chamber of Commerce
Le Centre d’entrepreneurship de l’Outaouais (available in French only)
Export Outaouais
Incentives for new graduates
Returning to or choosing to come to the Pontiac region can pay off for new graduates. The Pontiac region is on the list of remote resource regions, which allows individuals who meet certain conditions to be eligible for a tax credit of $8,000 to $10,000.
Fill out the following form: Tax credit for recent graduates working in remote resource regions.
Funds, loans, and financing programs
There are a number of ways to obtain financing to drive your entrepreneurial projects forward.
- Local Investment Fund (FLI/FLS) – Entrepreneurship support—Regular/youth/social economy
- Regions and Rurality Fund (FRR) – Policy that provides support for businesses and large-scale projects that improve living environments.
- Business Loan– Available to Pontiac businesses.
- Youth Business Loan – Support for entrepreneurs who are between 18 and 39 years old.
- Reno Fund – Support for commercial businesses (retail or tourism)
Support for agricultural projects
Since agriculture is one of the major economic activities in the region, there are a number of programs, tools, and services aimed at supporting local farmers.
The regional county municipality of Pontiac has an Agricultural Zone Development Plan (PDZA) and works with a number of partners who can support you, no matter the type of project.
The agricultural commissioner is an invaluable resource for farmers carrying out agri-food processing projects and who want to partner with, invest in, or take over a farm, lease farmland, or transfer their business. It also supports members of the agricultural sector who are looking for someone to take over their business.
L’ARTERRE provides a networking service based on support and the pairing of aspiring farmers and owners in the Pontiac.
Accessible training
Whether it is to perfect your own knowledge or that of your employees, professional development is always a good investment.
- Investir en formation – Emploi-Québec (available in French only)
- Pontiac Continuing Education Centre
- Adult education and vocational training
- Centre de formation professionnelle du Pontiac
- Cégep Heritage College
Pontiac in action
The Pontiac in Action program offers support to entrepreneurs who wish to sell or buy a business, and who need support during the transfer of the business.
Do you want to sell your business? We can help you
- Analyze financial statements
- Set a fair price for your business
- Find someone to acquire it
- Determine the most beneficial type of sale for both parties
- Finalize the sale through the support of facilitators and intermediaries
Do you want to acquire a business? We can help you
- Plan your approach
- Find available assistance programs
- Determine a fair price (SADC/CFDC)
- Align your project with purchase pre-qualifications (SADC/CFDC)
- Set your acquisition and operating budget
- Prepare forecasts and determine the break-even point
- Finalize the acquisition of a business by making use of facilitators and intermediaries