Luc Pinard
Working on economic development by supporting local territories is what we do on a daily basis. Thanks to a long-standing partnership with municipalities, over 3,300 business projects have been supported by the fonds locaux de solidarité (FLS). Through this collaboration, investments of $104 million have been made and over 31,000 jobs have been created and maintained since 1991. That’s what we call driving our economy… with investments of $100,000 or less.
Present in all regions
From the Outaouais to the Gaspésie to the Côte-Nord, the fonds locaux de solidarité (FLS) are present in all regions of Québec. In each territory, there is a door leading to a FLS, so businesses can have access to dedicated and versatile specialists who are at the service of local economic development.
Present in the local economy
FLS are involved in all sectors of the economy, based on the priorities set by local development players. And examples of support from FLS abound: manufacturing companies that often hire a few dozen employees, local stores, and enterprises operating in the agrifood industry—bakeries, cheese dairies, vineyards, micro-breweries and honey producers, just to name a few.
Present in small-sized enterprises
FLS invest mostly in small-sized enterprises: they make 85% of their investments in businesses with fewer than 20 employees. But this figure is no surprise as, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, 72% of Québec SMEs have fewer than 10 employees, and 51% have fewer than 5. These enterprises represent a significant development potential across Québec.
We fulfill our mission when a project, no matter how small, finds a door to knock on and eventually gets the financing it needs. Find the FLS manager in your region to contact for your project by visiting our website. Welcome to our network!