CBDC Chaleur - Annual Report 2023-24

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res com our Board members, all of whom are local business and community leaders.

Creating local jobs: Over the past year, CBDC Chaleur helped to create and maintain 299jobs within the community. Support for small businesses stimulates local development and diversifies the economy.

Maintaining rural populations: CBDC Chaleur aims to increase its impact on demographic growth by working closely with young people and newcomers. For young people, the business idea competition “Pitch48” was relaunched, while “Chaleur, My Home, My Future!” has been a resounding success over the years. As regards to newcomers to the region, more loans were issued to members of this group, which fosters this new and emerging entrepreneurial spirit.

Leveraging local resources: CBDC Chaleur leverages local resources for community outreach purposes. Initiatives with the Chaleur Region Multicultural Association, the Chaleur Chamber of Commerce and Imagine Chaleur economic development agency provide opportunities to stimulate interest in business and give people a taste of entrepreneurship. The knowledge acquired alongside these organizations includes key information about

hiring strategies, entrepreneurial needs in various areas (healthcare, manufacturing, etc.) and potential business succession opportunities.

Fostering cooperation and solidarity: Over the past year, CBDC Chaleur granted loans to nonprofit organizations with a view to creating transformative projects for the entire community. Via bridge loans or longer-term financing, support was provided for a snowmobile/ATV club, an outdoor recreation centre, infrastructure improvement services, etc.

Improving quality of life: The staff of CBDC Chaleur devote a good deal of time to volunteer activities, including as members of the committee tasked with building a new community college campus in Bathurst, the committee in charge of developing community labour for the Port of Belledune, the Board of Bathurst Airport and the task force of the Action Group for revitalizing downtown Bathurst, among other initiatives. These activities give CBDC Chaleur fresh insight into the needs of the Greater Chaleur region and help it to focus on the very best business projects.

From Left to right: Steven Meunier, Project Analyst, Monique Gallant, Project Agent, Pascal Frenette, Director of Internal Operations, Denis Roy, Executive Director, Sylvie Cowan Larocque, Administration Support and Accounting, and Maryse Cormier, Administrative Support – Credit.

Message from the President

As President of CBDC Chaleur, I am pleased to welcome you to our 37th annual general meeting. Over the past seven years of my tenure, our organization has grown significantly. As a result, we are better able to support more economic projects and thus to create and secure more jobs for our beautiful region.

In the past fiscal year, our loan portfolio stood at $14.8 million before provisions, up 16.5%. In the 37 years of CBDC Chaleur’s existence, this is a new record for us.

I am also very pleased to present some other highlights from the past fiscal year, which was filled with new challenges and opportunities

63 SME loans were issued, for a total of just over $5.0 million disbursed a new record.

15 participants were approved for the Self-Employment Benefit (SEB) Program.

55 people received non-refundable contributions in the form of training by external consultants

$93,791.97 was invested in training programs for our entrepreneurial clients. 130 business consulting sessions were held with prospective new clients while 370 interventions were carried out with existing clients.

Thanks to our services and programs, our clients created and maintained 299 jobs over the past fiscal year Now more than ever, we are playing a pivotal economic development role in the Chaleur region with a roster of 259 active clients, and we take pride in that fact.

I would like to acknowledge the backing of all our financial partners and their belief in us. Their support is greatly appreciated.

As President and on behalf of the entire Board of CBDC Chaleur, I would like to thank Denis and the members of his team for their leadership and determination over the past year.

Marc Losier, President

Message from the Executive Director

I am pleased to welcome you to the 37th annual general meeting of CBDC Chaleur Inc. Over the past two years, we have truly seen a wave of optimism among entrepreneurs across the region.

In the past fiscal year, we contributed to $12.5 million in investments in the regional economy via loan disbursements and other partner funding sources. In the past two years, we are looking at investments in the neighbourhood of $25 million ($24.8 million in total) as we helped to create 130 new jobs and maintain 457 more.

Virtually all these investments are carried out locally, and we are proud to be contributing to the Chaleur region’s economic resurgence.

With the help of our Board of Directors, we are working to create a regional entrepreneurship hub. As growing numbers of economic development organizations set up shop at 219 Main Street, discussions are being encouraged and local entrepreneurs are finding everything they need under one roof

This work could not be done without the backing of our partners. I would like to thank our financial sponsors, including the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Government of New Brunswick, for their support over the past 12 months. Thank you for your continued trust

I am also grateful to the members of CBDC Chaleur’s Board Thanks to their unconditional support, dedication, time and vision, we intend to build on our momentum and bring our region to even greater heights of prosperity.

In closing, thank you to the members of my team for their leadership and hard work, as well as the compassion they show our clients Without their dedication and commitment, CBDC Chaleur would not obtain such good results year after year.

Denis Roy, Executive Director

For fiscal year 2023-2024, three business sectors took the attention in the CBDC Chaleur

Accommodation and Food Service

Construction

Manufacturing

Investment in the region

Requests processed

Applications received

Applications approved

Amount invested

Impact on businesses

New start-up

Existing businesses

Total

Impact on employment

Jobs created

Jobs maintained

Total

$667,665 in loans approved

$632,770 in loans approved

$368,821 in loans approved

Training sessions

Number of sessions

Amount granted

Self-Employment Benefit

Applications approved

Value of assistance

Consultant Advisory Services

Number of clients

Amount granted

Building strong entrepreneurial leverage in the Chaleur region

Total value of assistance from the CBDC and financial leverage over the past five years

The last two years have shown comparable results, while CBDC Chaleur's portfolio increased by 10% compared to the previous year with over $55 million

Number of applications approved for each CBDC loan product Breakdown of amounts disbursed per loan product (in millions of dollars)

with 7

disbursed and a 536% increase over the previous year

Number of businesses who received financial assistance over the past five years

A significant 43% increase in the number of loans disbursed translates into a demand for smaller loan sizes in fiscal 2023-2024 compared with the previous year.

Jobs created and maintained in the community over the last five years

For the third year in a row, CBDC Chaleur has strengthened its impact on employability in the Chaleur region, with a 37% increase compared to the previous year

Participants of the 18th edition

y Future!

& 13, 2023, the CBDC Chaleur held its 18th Chaleur My Home, My Future! This n and retention initiative allows to counter the young professionals each year by offering s for job search, business start-ups and

e noted that since inception, this initiative has ore than 300 participants to take part of the 152 young people have returned or remained in the region, which represents a success rate of 50%

2023 Young Ent d

The board of directors and the staff of CBDC Chaleur would like to congratulate Dr. Jean-Philip Deslauriers of Bathurst Rheumatology Clinic for winning the 2023 Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

In operation since August 2018, this clinic employs nine full-time employees, offers the rheumatology service that covers autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases affecting the musculoskeletal sphere.

Pitch 48

Over the past year, CBDC Chaleur has held two (2) business idea competitions - Pitch 48. The 6th edition was held on April 21 and 22, 2023, while the 7th edition took place on March 22 and 23, 2024.

A reminder that Pitch 48 was set up in 2015 to allow post-secondary students to put in place, in 48 hours, a business idea or product marketing, set up a work team, identify a potential clientele, conduct market research, put together a presentation, refine everything and present their Pitch to a jury.

With 19 participants in 2023 and 16 participants in 2024, Pitch 48 has allowed more than 133 CCNB students to take part in this activity over the years with 7 editions and 14 competitions.

Participants of the 6th edition

Participants of the 7th edition

Dr. Jean-Philip Deslauriers, owner Bathurst Rheumatology Clinic

CBDC Programs and Services

Who We Are

CBDCs are not-for-profit organizations run by volunteers from the local business community who firmly believe in improving the economic viability of their region. There are 41 CBDC offices in Atlantic Canada dedicated to the development of small businesses and assisting entrepreneurs in accessing financing and other business training and resources.

What We Offer

Tailored solutions for young entrepreneurs aged from 18 to 34 that are interested in starting, expanding or modernizing their business. Youth Loan

First-Time Entrepreneur Loan

Targeted financing for the first-time entrepreneurs starting or purchasing their first business

Designed to assist entrepreneurs when traditional avenues of financing are not available, for either creating, purchasing or succession planning. General Business Loan

Assist in the development of the knowledgebased economy, the adaptation and commercialization of technology Innovation Loan

Social Enterprise Loan

Tailored financing designed to assist social enterprises.

What We Do

Our objective is to help build stronger communities in Atlantic Canada by stimulating private sector employment in our rural areas. CBDCs work throughout rural Atlantic Canda in the creation, expansion and modernization of small and medium sized businesses.

Entrepreneurs

Self-Employment Benefit (SEB) Program*

Provides financial and coaching support to new entrepreneurs during the planning and startup phase of their new business.

Business Counselling

Business counselling in the form of advice to new and established entrepreneurs.

Consultant Advisory

Services

Available to small and medium-sized business, as well as non-for-profit organization, to access technical and financial assistance by engaging consultants to assist them in various topics.

Tailored trainings in specialized areas such as marketing development, bookkeeping, feasibility studies and business analysis Skills Training

*SEB is funded by the Government of Canada through the Canada-Provincial Governments Labor Market Agreements.