Canada Economic Development (DEC) is paying nearly $10.2 million to 11 Gaspé businesses and organizations to support various projects.
The Bonaventure Bioparc receives the lion’s share with more than $2.7 million in grants to finance the first phase of its major modernization project.
For its part, Merinov is receiving two million dollars for the establishment of an innovation hub in Grande-Rivière aimed at better supporting the Quebec fishing and aquaculture industry.
List of organizations receiving financial assistance from DEC
| Beneficiary | Project objective | Contribution de DEC | Total project cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaspésie Biopark | Carry out the 1st phase of modernization work | 2,8 M$ | 7,9 M$ |
| Merinov | Establish a fisheries innovation hub | 2 M$ | 31,2 M$ |
| Groupe AEM Canada | Increase factory production capacity | 2 M$* | 27,7 M$ |
| Cusimer | Expansion of the factory and addition of equipment | 1,9 M$* | 7,5 M$ |
| The Boatmen of Percé | Improve the cruise offer | 334 000 $* | 445 000 $ |
| Microcredit Access Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine | Support the economic development of English-speaking communities | 252 000 $ | 966 000 $ |
| Petite-Cascapedia Regional Park | Adding a slope school | 250 000 $ | 780 000 $ |
| Group of professional fishermen from southern Gaspésie | Complete the development of JOBEL (electronic logbook) | 201 000 $ | 683 000 $ |
| Village in song of Petite-Vallée | Marketing of the festival | 180 000 $ | 8,5 M$ |
| La Martre Development Corporation | Improve the tourist offer | 145 000 $ | 205 000 $ |
| Concept K | Acquisition and installation of new equipment | 125 000 $* | 610 000 $ |
The two million dollar loan granted to the AEM Canada Group is part of a vast project of nearly $28 million aimed at relaunching the commercial production of high purity alumina in the Cap-Chat plant, formerly owned by Orbit Technologies.
The project as a whole has three main objectives: increasing the capacity of the factory, resolving design issues of the original factory which prevented us from producing at commercial scale and reducing our carbon footprint
explains the vice-president of operations of the AEM Canada Group, Sylvain Seyer.
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The vice-president of operations of the AEM Canada Group, Sylvain Seyer
Photo : - / Isabelle Larose
The money lent by DEC will be used specifically to finance the construction already underway of a new building and the installation of a furnace to increase the heat treatment capacity of alumina.
According to Mr. Seyer, this new equipment will make it possible to increase the daily production volume from a few hundred kilos to several tons.
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MP and Minister Diane Lebouthillier made the announcement from Canada Economic Development on behalf of the Minister of Tourism and head of CED, Soraya Martinez Ferrada.
Photo : - / Isabelle Larose
-Expansion at Cusimer
The Cusimer marine products processing company in Mont-Louis obtained a $1.9 million loan from Canada Economic Development to finance a $7.5 million project aimed at increasing its production capacity.
It is an improvement of the installations at the factory level, the refrigeration rooms and the establishment of a lobster tank
indicates the general director of the Unipêche Group, Gino Lebrasseur.
With the development of the lobster resource in the region and the granting of new permits, this will allow us to process the resource that will arrive at the plant.
The Cusimer expansion and modernization work began in early December and is expected to be completed by mid-March.
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The director of the Unipêche Group, Gino Lebrasseur alongside the director of Cusimer, Dann Normand
Photo : - / Isabelle Larose
A new slope school for Pin Rouge
The Petite-Cascapedia Regional Park, which manages the Pin Rouge ski center in New Richmond, obtained $250,000 from Canada Economic Development to create a ski area for beginners.
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Federal government assistance will allow the Pin Rouge Tourist Resort in New Richmond to add a slope school. (Archive photo)
Photo : - / Isabelle Larose
It is the creation of the slope school with a magic carpet and the modification of the route of slope 1 to make a slope a little more accessible for customers who are beginners and young families
explains the director of the Petite-Cascapedia Regional Park, Gaëlle Gabin.
It was super important for the development of the resort because it will keep families in the region and make the beautiful Pin Rouge mountain more accessible.
The total costs of the slope-school project amount to nearly $780,000.
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