The governments of Canada and Quebec and Investissement Québec are granting a total of $3,412,520 in financial assistance to Chocolat Lamontagne to support the modernization of its Sherbrooke facilities. The project, valued at over $5.8 million, will enable the business to increase its productivity, diversify its operations, and develop a marketing strategy for the U.S. market.
The Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Élisabeth Brière, on behalf of the Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, and the Member for Saint‑François, Geneviève Hébert, on behalf of the Minister for the Economy, Lucie Lecours, made the announcement today.
The Government is Canada is providing a repayable contribution of $1.2 million for this project under CED's Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program.
For its part, the Government of Quebec is granting a loan of $1.68 million in equal parts through Investissement Québec's ESSOR program and its capital funds, along with $300,000 in financial support under the second component of the Transformation alimentaire : robotisation et systèmes de qualité program. Non-repayable contributions totalling $228,520 account for the remainder of the funding, with $50,000 from the PME en action program, $50,687 through the Mesure de formation de la main-d'œuvre and $127,833 from the Programme de soutien à la commercialisation et à l'exportation (PSCE).
Chocolat Lamontagne will become one of the first businesses in Canada to use automated vaporized-chocolate-coating equipment for mass production. This technology will be used to develop products with innovative flavours and textures.
Quotes
"It is a priority of the Government of Canada to ensure communities prosper. That is why CED supports small and medium-sized businesses in their efforts to enhance their productivity, develop new products, and improve their existing products and services. Chocolat Lamontagne is a major contributor to the Estrie region's economic vitality, and the success of its project will be felt right across the region."
Élisabeth Brière, Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health
"Since 1978, the Lamontagne family and its team have grown their business in such a way that, today, it is considered one of the largest in Canada's chocolate product manufacturing sector. After the Canadian market, it is now time for the U.S. and Mexico to discover the Estrie region's sweets. Chocolat Lamontagne is contributing to the economy of our region and of Quebec as a whole, in addition to showcasing our food processing industry."
Geneviève Hébert, Member for Saint-François
"Helping businesses grow and innovate so they can enhance their competitiveness is one of our core priorities. That is why we are providing our assistance to Chocolat Lamontagne, a business whose success is raising the profile not just of the Estrie region, but also of the entire Canadian economy. We are here to support Quebec SMEs; we are helping them equip themselves with what they need so that, together, we can rebuild a stronger, more resilient, and more sustainable economy."
The Honourable Pascale St‑Onge, Member of Parliament for Brome-Missisquoi, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for CED
"Our businesses must accelerate their shift to digital in order to increase their productivity. Innovation is the key. It is indispensable to their success and prosperity. By leveraging technology and automation, Chocolat Lamontagne will be more competitive in conquering new markets."
Lucie Lecours, Minister for the Economy
"To face international competition, those active in Quebec's food industry must enhance their competitiveness. Chocolat Lamontagne's management are demonstrating that they have understood this well by acquiring high-performance tools. The family business is thus increasing its productivity and continues to make a name for itself by offering even more quality sweets."
André Lamontagne, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Minister Responsible for the Centre-du-Québec and Chaudière-Appalaches Regions
"We know the labour shortage is causing headaches for entrepreneurs in all sectors of activity in all regions across Quebec. Chocolat Lamontagne is facing this challenge with aplomb with a project that illustrates the benefit of reducing its dependency on labour while also supporting the development of its workers' skills. The processing industry needs more projects like this, to enhance its businesses' performance."
Jean Boulet, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity, Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration and Minister Responsible for the Mauricie Region
"Our regional team is proud to have contributed to a growth project that is so promising for the Estrie region's manufacturing sector. We are happy to support businesses such as Chocolat Lamontagne as they transform and modernize, with our different funding and mentoring tools. Investissement Québec fosters solid economic development based on innovation and new technologies, for a Quebec that is more productive and even more resilient in the future."
Guy LeBlanc, President and CEO, Investissement Québec
"Without the help of our different financial partners, it would have been difficult to implement this large-scale project in the current economic context. These investments will also enable us to consolidate current jobs while also giving us a competitive advantage that will boost our growth in the long term."
Danny Lamontagne, General Manager, Chocolat Lamontagne
Quick facts
- One of the largest players in Canada's chocolate product processing and manufacturing sector, Chocolat Lamontagne is active mainly in North America.
- CED is a key federal partner in Quebec's regional economic development. With its 12 regional business offices, CED accompanies businesses, supporting organizations and all regions across Quebec into tomorrow's economy.
- CED's REGI program targets entrepreneurs leveraging innovation to grow their businesses and enhance their competitiveness, as well as regional economic stakeholders helping to create an entrepreneurial environment conducive to innovation and growth for all, across all regions
- Managed by Investissement Québec on behalf of the Government of Quebec, the ESSOR program aims to support investment projects in Quebec with a view to enhancing competitiveness and productivity, creating jobs and ensuring sustainable development.
- The Transformation alimentaire : robotisation et systèmes de qualité program aims to increase investments in this area to overcome the labour shortage and enhance business competitiveness.
- The PME en action program - Appui à la productivité des PME component aims to increase Quebec businesses' level of productivity to enhance their competitiveness and accelerate their growth. Since February 2022, it has been replaced by the new ESSOR program.
- The PSCE is divided into three components: Strengthening the capacity of SMEs to market their products and services in the Quebec market, a first step towards exporting; strengthening the capacity of SMEs to export and accelerating their projects in markets outside Quebec; and supporting large businesses with structural projects on international markets.
- Investissement Québec has a mission to actively participate in Quebec's economic development by stimulating business innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment and export growth across all regions.
