Montréal, February 12, 2015 ‒ The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal welcomes today’s announcement by the Government of Quebec regarding the Acceleration Strategy for High-Performance Companies (Stratégie d’accélération des projets d’entreprises performantes). The PerforME strategy – the successor to the Gazelles program – responds to a call from the Board of Trade to support growing SMEs.
“High-performance SMEs are a major economic driver that we need to support; they outperform in terms of job creation,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “We are facing a challenge when it comes to medium-sized companies, as their numbers in Canada dropped 17% between 2006 and 2010. It is important to develop ways to reverse this trend. This strategy is definitely a step in the right direction.”
“The fact that the national committee that will set the performance criteria for choosing SMEs is made up of people from the private sector is excellent news,” Michel Leblanc said. “We are also pleased that the strategy opens the door to experts and private organizations in terms of offering support services. There are many support organizations like the World Trade Centre Montréal that have expertise we need to tap into.”
“The actual application of the strategy is where the government should be vigilant,” Mr. Leblanc said. “There are still a number of questions about how support will be offered to companies, and we have to be sure to come up with a flexible formula that’s suited to their needs and their rapid rate of growth.”
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal has over 7,000 members. Its mission is to be the voice of Montréal’s business community and to promote the city’s prosperity. It is involved in key areas of economic development, advocating a philosophy of action based on engagement, credibility, proactivity, collaboration and innovation. The Board of Trade also offers a range of specialized services to individuals and to business of all sizes to support them in their growth at home and abroad.
- 30 -
Source:
Michelle LLambias Meunier
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514 871-4000, ext. 4042
mllambias@ccmm.qc.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chambremontreal
Twitter: @chambremontreal
Follow the discussion: #ccmmqcca