RESOURCE DIRECTORY
Looking for more information about starting a business or becoming a part of the social economy in Québec? These organizations can help with information, access to resources, or even funding opportunities. Choose from the categories below to get the information you need to get involved.

ABSCAN’s principal objective is to offer saving products and financial support in the form of loans to First Nations members and institutions. ABSCAN is a non-profit, social benefit corporation. It is directed by First Nations members. The fruit of Quebec innovation, ABSCAN has the potential to be replicated.

The mission of the Chantier de l’économie sociale is to promote the social economy as an integral part of Québec’s plural economy and, in so doing, contribute to the democratization of the economy and emergence of this development model that is based on the values of solidarity, equity, and transparency.

Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (CMC) is an association, focused on its members, that unites, engages and leads the co-operative movement by advancing its priorities nationally, as well as internationally, through International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). Our goals are to build bridges, break barriers, and create durable opportunities for the co-operative sector in Canada.

Collectif Récolte is a social enterprise utilizing collective intelligence and community mobilization to catalyze solutions for local, sustainable food practices. We envision a just food ecosystem that supports thriving local economies, healthy communities, and resilient natural environments.

Le Conseil d’économie sociale de l’île de Montréal (CESIM) is Montreal’s social economy development organization whose mission is to promote and expand this movement. Its mandate is to promote and support the emergence, development, and consolidation of social economy enterprises and projects, while fostering dialogue and partnerships with local and regional stakeholders. Recognized by the Agglomération de Montréal, CESIM acts as a regional pole for the social economy, in the same was as the 21 other regional poles of Québec do.

The Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité (CQCM) is a provincial cooperative with special status. It is officially recognized by the Quebec government as one of the privileged partners in the social economy. Mission: Founded in 1940, the CQCM is the democratic body that Quebec’s cooperative and mutual networks have created to ensure the full development of their potential. The mission of the CQCM is to participate in the social and economic development of Québec by promoting the full development of the cooperative and mutual movement in Québec, in accordance with the principles and values of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA).

Collective enterprises make the difference for people. The Consortium makes the difference for collective enterprises. We believe that every collective enterprise should have access to the specialised services it needs.

We bring together under one roof all the professional expertise relevant to the consolidation and development of collective entrepreneurship and offer it at the right cost.

We are the shared services centre for cooperatives, mutuals and non-profit organizations.

The CDRQ’s mission is to support and promote the creation and development of cooperatives in all regions of Québec. We do this by offering specialized support for existing cooperatives and for promoters of new projects.

Économie sociale Bas-Saint-Laurent is a consultation and networking organization whose mission is to promote collective entrepreneurship and the social economy as vehicles for regional development.

Économie sociale Lanaudière is a place to exchange and share experiences, a learning organization at the service of its members and partners. Économie sociale Lanaudière directs social economy project leaders to the appropriate resources and supports the efforts of those working on the front lines in the development of social economy enterprises in Lanaudière.

Recognized as a privileged interlocutor on social economy issues at the regional level, Économie sociale Laurentides promotes dialogue between the various players in the field and supports the creation of conditions favourable to this entrepreneurial development model. In doing so, as a hub of the social economy, ÉSL participates in the vitality and economic diversification of the region.

English-Language Arts Network (ELAN) is a not-for-profit organization that connects, supports, and creates opportunities for English-speaking artists and cultural workers of all disciplines from every region of Québec. We share expertise and resources for career advancement, funding opportunities, employment opportunities, and calls for participation in the arts. We advocate for our members’ interests and make common cause with the Francophone arts community.

Espace entrepreneuriat collectif’s mission is to promote collective entrepreneurship, while fostering dialogue and partnership between local, regional, and national social economy stakeholders in order to harmonize interventions and maximize their impact.

La Fédération des coopératives du Nouveau-Québec is owned by its fourteen member co-ops in the Inuit communities of the Hudson and Ungava coasts of Northern-Québec, or Nunavik, as this region is now called. FCNQ was established in 1967 to provide the rapidly growing cooperative movement with more effective powers and services to help attain their vision—Atautsikut/Together—working to develop as a people, leaving none behind.

The main objective of each co-op is to unite the community and to act as a spokesperson for their interests. Therefore the co-op is more than just a store, as is evident from their success in activities as diverse as:

  • Operating retail stores with a wide selection of merchandise at competitive prices, often paying back savings in cash and shares to members at the end of the year.
  • Banking, post offices, cable TV, and Internet services.
  • Management training, staff development, and auditing service.
  • Marketing Inuit art across Canada and around the world.
  • Operating hotels, a travel agency, and hunting and fishing camps.
  • Bulk storage and distribution of crucial oil and fuel supplies.
  • Construction projects in Nunavik for housing, schools, etc.

Founded in 2000, the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Economic Development Commission (FNQLEDC) supports and accompanies community economic development agents and organizations as well as the members of the First Nations for the successful completion of their private and collective socioeconomic projects.

Since its creation in 1996, Fondaction has been based on the belief that it is not only possible to do things differently in the financial and business world, it is a necessity.

Fondaction helps Québecers prepare for retirement by offering affordable retirement savings to everyone. The savings collected are invested in companies across Québec. This way, Fondaction helps create and maintain quality jobs, contributing to a stronger, more equitable and greener economy.

Created in 1996, Fondaction is a labour-sponsored fund with assets in excess of two billion dollars collected as retirement savings from more than 182,000 shareholders. Fondaction’s direct investments and those made through investment funds support the development of more than 1,175 SMEs in different lines of business, in large part involved in various components of the social economy.

Created in 1983, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ is a development capital fund that calls upon the solidarity and savings of Québecers to help fulfill its mission to contribute to Québec’s economic growth by creating, maintain or protecting jobs through investments in small and medium-sized businesses in all spheres of activity. The Fonds also seeks to encourage Québecers to save for retirement and to offer its over half a million shareholders-savers a reasonable return over and above the outstanding tax benefits they receive by purchasing Fonds shares.

Futurpreneur has been fueling the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for two decades. We are the only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39. Our internationally recognized mentoring program hand matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,400 volunteer mentors.

Mission: To provide early-stage financing, mentorship and other resources to help aspiring entrepreneurs aged 18-39 launch successful businesses that contribute to sustainable economic development in their communities and for Canada.

Groupe 3737 is a national not-for-profit organization which provides coaching and support tools for BIPOC business owners with an ecosystem of more than 1,000 entrepreneurs across Canada.

Based in Montreal in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Canada and housed in a mythical building that once hired immigrants for manufacturing work, Groupe 3737 represents the pride of accomplishment, economic independence, the possibility of taking one’s place in Canadian society and contributing to its wealth while keeping its ethnic identity. With its 50,000 square foot infrastructure in a building spread over three floors converted into a springboard of opportunity and seven offices in the cities where there are the most black communities, Groupe 3737 can mobilize across Canada and make a real difference with diverse ethnocultural entrepreneurs who are often marginalized.

The mission of IDEOS is to raise awareness and support the HEC Montréal community, organizations, and entrepreneurs, as well as to disseminate knowledge by placing social impact at the heart of its actions.

IDEOS favors a participatory approach whereby professors, students, and stakeholders in the ecosystem are called upon to collaborate, share, and contribute to the development of its mission.

The actions, programs, and projects at IDEOS are focused around three main axes: Raising Awareness, Stakeholder Support, and Knowledge Dissemination.

Our coaching programs are designed for different stages of the impact8 journey, developed in partnership with Rhizome. They are structured around an integrated vision of entrepreneurial coaching for change agents. Impact8 programs have been custom-designed to support you throughout the three key stages of your organization’s development.

Innovation Development MTL (ID MTL) is a strategic intelligence solution developed by Ville de Montréal’s Service du développement économique to support and promote the city’s expertise in a number of leading-edge sectors. ID MTL actively and continuously monitors national and international developments to stay current with—and draw inspiration from—best practices wherever they might be.

Objectives

  • To increase Montréal’s visibility in leading-edge sectors
  • To identify technological innovations as well as their impacts and prospective markets
  • To disseminate information of specific interest to key economic decision makers on an ongoing basis
  • To advance the Action Plan to keep pace with business opportunities as they arise

In cooperation with our network of coaches, we help community organizations clarify their outcomes and obtain the support they need to become capable of achieving those outcomes.

We do this through a series of coaching streams built around social innovation approaches. In each case, organizations can access information, explore their readiness, and begin implementing approaches with the help of a coach. Innoweave has a granting program to help organizations access this coaching at little to no cost.

We are fortunate to do this work alongside a range of partners—including content experts, foundations, and governments—to leverage our resources in pursuit of greater impact in our communities

Investissement Québec, whose mission is to contribute to the economic development of Québec, is at the service of local businesses. Whether you want to expand, develop an R&D project, or obtain working capital, our team can offer you financial solutions to help you achieve your ambitions!

Funded by the Government of Canada, the Investment Readiness Program (IRP) is a $50 million grants and contributions program designed to support social purpose organizations (SPOs) as they contribute to solving pressing social, cultural, and environmental challenges across Canada.

Through this program, we aim to help social purpose organizations across Canada build their capacity to participate in the growing social finance market and prepare for the Government of Canada’s broader investment in social finance via the Social Finance Fund. The Social Finance Fund and IRP are the first initiatives to result from the Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy.

We put our research and education skills to work for a more just, equitable and sustainable world. To do this, we adopt a position of scientific and critical allies of the cooperative and mutualist movement.

IRECUS (Research and Education Institute for Cooperatives and Mutuals of the University of Sherbrooke) is an essential crossroads of expertise and cooperative and mutualist thinking that contributes to building a better world.

Our Social Innovation Fund is now integrated into our focus areas. As of February 1, 2022, we accept social innovation applications that are consistent with our focus areas.

Under the following circumstances we may provide funding up to $400K to an organization working in one of our focus areas and wishing to consolidate, expand or scale up through social innovation work.

Funding is up to $150K over two years and is intended to assist with the following types of activity:

  • Strategy formulation, through participation in peer learning and/or consulting arrangements.
  • Structuring, restructuring costs.
  • Improvements to operational, financial and human resource systems, and other infrastructure needs.
  • Impact measurement and knowledge transfer capacity—i.e., a relevant means of assessing impact and communicating the results to create broader change.
  • Development of new or diversified business models to ensure long-term, stable funding.

The Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation, Direction de l’entrepreneuriat collectif—Économie sociale gives out funding to support programs, offers developmental tools, and advocates for legislation.

Mitacs powers research and development creation by connecting private sector with the best post-secondary institutions to solve organizational challenges—in Canada and internationally. For 20 years, Mitacs has funded cutting-edge research, created job opportunities for graduate students, and helped companies reach their goals, achieving results that have bolstered the Canadian economy and impact.

The OSEntreprendre Challenge is a major Québec movement that acknowledges the entrepreneurial initiatives of thousands of participants each year, from young people from elementary school to university through its Scholastic section and new entrepreneurs through its Business Creation section. It also showcases inspiring routes to success through its Successful Business Inc. section and exemplary purchasing practices prioritizing Québec suppliers through its Doing Business Together section.

PME MTL, Ville de Montréal support network for businesses, offers coaching, training and financing for entrepreneurs, to support them in launching and growing their businesses.

Our experts, in six service hubs and the École des entrepreneurs, support private-sector and social-economy entrepreneurs in all industries.

PME MTL acts as a true catalyst in developing entrepreneurship, working hand-in-hand with a vast network of partners and bringing together entrepreneurs with different experts, stakeholders as well as financial assistance and program managers.

It all makes PME MTL the largest network of experts serving Montréal entrepreneurs.

As a business group, Pôle CN’s mission is to mobilize, promote, and represent its members in order to support their development and that of the social economy throughout the region.

The mission of the Pôle d’économie sociale de la Côte-Nord is to harmonize the consultation and development of partnerships between businesses and local and regional social economy stakeholders and to promote its development.

The mission of the Pôle d’économie sociale du Centre-du-Québec is to ensure the positioning of social economy enterprises through promotion and support activities and, consequently, to make the social economy an inclusive and innovative community development lever, in collaboration with ecosystem partners.

Dedicated to the development of the social economy in the region, the Pôle brings together collective enterprises of the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine whose purpose is economic and social. It works for them and with them:

  • to strengthen them;
  • to promote the social economy, its principles and its benefits;
  • support the emergence of the social economy as an entrepreneurial model for regional development;
  • and to deploy a strong support ecosystem.

Mission: Promote consultation and partnership between businesses and local and regional social economy stakeholders in the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine region in order to harmonize interventions and maximize their effects.

The Pôle d’économie sociale Mauricie is an organization entirely dedicated to the development of the social economy. It is recognized as the expert advisor of this business model for our region. Through its mission and actions, it participates in the vitality and economic diversification of the region.

Mission:
The pôle’s mission is to promote the development of the social economy in the Outaouais and to foster partnerships with local and regional social economy stakeholders. The pôle also seeks to promote the expansion of social economy enterprises in the Outaouais.

The Pôle d’économie sociale Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to:

  • bring together the various players and partners of the social and solidarity economy
  • promote the social economy and social economy enterprises throughout the region and present the social economy as an alternative model for economic development
  • represent the corporation at the local, regional, and provincial levels
  • encourage the establishment of the conditions necessary for the creation, growth, and consolidation of social economy enterprises
  • offer various services to stakeholders in the field of social economy
  • support the development of the social economy in the five MRCs of the Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent.

The mission of the Pôle, established in 2006, is to develop the social economy in Estrie.

In addition to promoting this economic model, we support the emergence of entrepreneurial initiatives based on human values.

We support the region’s collective enterprises by increasing their visibility and offering them activities for sharing best practices and management development.

We ensure the development of a dynamic, solid, and diversified business network that promotes collaborations and partnerships.

The mission of the Pôle de l’économie sociale de l’agglomération de Longueuil is to promote the social economy and to foster cooperation and partnership between local and regional social economy stakeholders in order to support the development of social economy enterprises, to ensure the coherence of actions and to maximize their impact.

At the Pôle de l’entrepreneuriat collectif de l’Est de la Montérégie, we are dedicated solely to the development of the social economy in the region. Through our expertise and our mobilizing qualities, we act as a valuable resource for this business model for both businesses and local stakeholders. Constantly in action, we develop, experiment, consolidate, and highlight collective projects!

The mission of the PJÉS is to develop the social economy in James Bay. It promotes and values this entrepreneurial model to ensure the economic diversification of the region.

The Pôle régional en économie sociale de Laval is an incorporated organization whose mission is to consolidate and oversee the development of the network of social economy enterprises.

The mission of the Pôle régional en économie sociale du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (PRÉS) is to promote and enhance the social economy as a business model among regional development players, social economy enterprises, the next generation of entrepreneurs, and the general public. It also aims to foster skills development, concerted action, and partnerships between local and regional players in the social economy in order to harmonize interventions and maximize their impact.

Established in 2008, the Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network (QUESCREN) is a collaborative network of researchers, stakeholders, and educational and other institutions that improves understanding of Quebec’s English-speaking communities and promotes their vitality.

Mission: QUESCREN provides opportunities to promote the understanding and vitality of Quebec’s English-language minority communities through research, training, knowledge mobilization, networking and outreach.

Founded in 2019, the Regional Development Network (RDN) is a provincial non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing socio-economic development for English-speaking communities across the province of Québec. Supported by a network of regional English-language organizations, RDN collaborates with federal and provincial governments and municipalities as a way to represent its network’s needs and challenges and to create projects and partnerships.

RDN’s mission is to enhance and maintain the vitality of regional English-speaking communities in Québec by supporting network members to work collaboratively for their socio-economic development.

Supporting the emergence, growth, and consolidation of social economy enterprises, RISQ is a proud partner in business successes reflecting the interests and values of Québec communities. It serves as an essential financial lever across Québec!

Mission: To contribute, with our expertise, to the development of social economy enterprises in Québec by providing accessible financial tools adapted to their specific characteristics and phases of development.

The Réseau des SADC et CAE is a network of 57 Community Futures Development Corporations (SADCs) and 10 Community Business Development Corporations (CAEs), not-for-profit organizations that have been working in economic development in the regions of Québec for more than 40 years. Its 400 professionals and more than 600 passionate volunteers support projects and innovative businesses for prosperous communities. SADCs and CAEs help and finance over 10,000 businesses and over 1,500 local projects every year.

The mandate of the Secrétariat à la jeunesse is to advise the government on matters pertaining to youth and to help the premier in carrying out his responsabilities in this area. Also, the Secrétariat ensures the coordination and follow-up of governmental action in this area.

SEIZE stands for Solidarity Economy Incubation (feel free to add the words for Zero Emissions at the end if you’re an acronym purist). We are a member-based democratic organization that serves a thriving community of solidarity economy organizers and entrepreneurs in Montreal.Our mission is to advance the transition from capitalism to a more sustaina ble, democratic, and human-centric economy. We aim to do this through collective capacity building and solidarity entrepreneurship.

The SHIFT Centre for Social Transformation supports existing and emerging social transformation initiatives that unite the efforts of Concordians and their partners with the goal of creating a more just, inclusive, and broadly prosperous Montreal.

SOCCA is a non-profit corporation firmly established among First Nations since 1992. SOCCA offers financing products and services in the form of non-refundable contributions, term loans and coaching to start, acquire, or expand Aboriginal businesses.

Our Mission: To be a strategic partner that offers financial services and advice adapted to the needs of our Aboriginal clients in the commercial sector.

Rooted in the regions and leveraging our collective strengths, we contribute to feeding people and bringing prosperity to farming families while ensuring that the world has a sustainable future.

After noticing the high drop-out rate among women entrepreneurs and the closure of a number of women’s entrepreneurship organizations, the Startop team decided to come up with new solutions to help retain women in business and ensure the survival of feminist nonprofit organizations. Startop’s mission is to guide and help women become more aware of entrepreneurship and the social economy.

We are Startup Montréal, your key player in the Montréal entrepreneurial ecosystem. We were formed from the merger of two major organizations: the Montréal inc. foundation and the non-profit organization Bonjour Startup Montréal.

Firstly, Montréal inc., a foundation that has helped young businesses since 1996 with grants and a network of several hundred volunteer coaches.

Secondly, Bonjour Startup Montréal, founded in 2019 out of a commitment to bring the startup community together and create a maximum social and economic impact for the metropolis. 

Two sides of the same coin that join forces to accomplish our mission better and go even farther together.

Our mission: Multiply the positive effects of the Montréal startup ecosystem. And extend its outreach, here and elsewhere.

TRÉSCA’s mission is to promote the social economy, to support the development of collective enterprises, and to encourage their emergence in Chaudière-Appalaches.

Transfer COOP is an initiative of Réseau COOP, the federation of cooperatives led by Québec workers, with a mission to accompany these cooperatives through all the stages of their development.

Our mission is to develop and operate affordable student housing in addition to studying the matter and promoting the issues relating thereto.

YES is a non-profit, community-driven English-language service provider that has been helping Québecers find employment and develop as entrepreneurs since 1995.

Our mission is to help English-speaking Québecers reach their potential. At YES, we give you the skills and confidence to develop a personal career or business strategy through workshops, personalized coaching, and so much more.