CBDC Chaleur - Annual Report 2024-25

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

CBDC Chaleur: Community Connection for Positive Growth CBDC Chaleur seeks to strengthen local expertise to create wealth and distribute resources more effectively across the Greater Bathurst region, Belle-Baie and other small coastal communities around the Bay of Chaleur. Our major decisions are guided by our dedicated volunteer board of directors, whom are all local

CBDC CHALEUR

ANNUAL REPORT 2024-25

business and community leaders.

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Creating Local Jobs: Over the past year, CBDC Chaleur

Improving Quality of Life: The staff at CBDC Chaleur

helped to create and maintain 281 jobs within the community. Support for small businesses stimulates

is focused on regional prosperity through active volunteerism. As an organization, we sit on numerous

local development and diversifies the economy.

boards that support infrastructure improvements in the region to ensure a high quality of life for citizens.

Maintaining Rural Populations: CBDC Chaleur is dedicated to fostering demographic growth through active community engagement. By collaborating with

Thriving community infrastructure enhances the region’s self-sufficiency and makes it an attractive place to work and do business. These activities also give us

local partners, we help recruit employees for key industries such as health, education, and forestry, reinforcing the region’s economic stability. As part of a

insight into the ever-changing needs of our region, which help us understand and prioritize business initiatives.

committee to support the construction of a new college at the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick Bathurst campus, we are seeking ways to address immigration challenges to support school population levels. We continue to support entrepreneurs looking to start or expand their businesses to ensure they stay in our region.

Fostering Cooperation and Solidarity: Supporting community-based non-profit organizations through the Social Enterprise Loan continues to be a highlight for CBDC Chaleur. This year, we supported organizations including a snowmobile and ATV club, an outdoor recreation centre, infrastructure improvement services, and a not-for-profit group building affordable housing.

These types of organizations are the heart of our community, and we are proud to play a part in supporting their missions.

Leveraging Local Resources: CBDC Chaleur aims to work closely with local economic development partners and stakeholders to break barriers, build relationships and improve the economic outlook of the region. We work closely with partner organizations like the Chaleur Multicultural Association, the Chaleur Chamber of Commerce and Imagine Chaleur economic development agency to promote entrepreneurship and meet the entrepreneurial goals of the region. We also continue to work closely with people purchasing existing businesses and traditional lenders to support business succession through tailored support. Each year, our lending and support programs generate millions of dollars in local investment. In 2024–2025, our efforts contributed to $6,641,304 in leveraged investment injected back into the community.

Message from the President

Message from the Executive Director

As President of CBDC Chaleur, I am pleased to welcome you to our 38th Annual General Meeting.

During my eight years as President, our CBDC has experienced impressive growth. This growth has enabled us to support more economic projects, thereby creating and securing additional jobs for our vibrant Chaleur region.

I am pleased to welcome you to the 38th Annual General Meeting of CBDC Chaleur Inc. Over the past three years, we have truly experienced a surge of growth among entrepreneurs in our region.

In 2024–2025, CBDC Chaleur provided support to 263 small and medium-sized businesses in the region, as follows: 58 loans were granted to small and medium-sized enterprises, totalling just over $3.7 million in disbursed funds; 16 participants were approved under the SelfEmployment Benefit (SEB) Program; 90 participants benefited from various nonrepayable contributions for training and programs delivered by external consultants; $2,109,869 was invested in these training programs for our entrepreneur clients; 618 business consultation sessions and client interventions were carried out over the past year.

The services and programs delivered by CBDC Chaleur enabled our clients to create and maintain over 281 jobs during the past year. With 255 active clients, we are more than ever at the heart of economic development in the Chaleur region—and we are proud of it.

I want to highlight the support of all our financial partners who have believed in us—their support is deeply appreciated.

As President, and on behalf of all members of the CBDC Chaleur Board of Directors, I want to thank Denis and his entire team, who have demonstrated leadership and determination over the past year.

Marc Losier, President

Virtually 100% of these investments are spent within the region, and we are proud to contribute to the economic development of the Chaleur area.

With the support of our Board of Directors, our vision of moving forward with the creation of an entrepreneurship centre for the region continues to take shape. More and more, we are bringing together various economic development organizations at 219 Main Street, all to facilitate collaboration and make it easier for our entrepreneurs to find the support they need—all under one roof.

None of this work could be done without the support of our partners. I would like to thank our financial partners, including the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Government of New Brunswick, for their support over the past year. Thank you for your continued trust.

I would also like to thank all the members of the CBDC Chaleur Board of Directors. Without their unwavering support, dedication, time, and vision, CBDC Chaleur would not be able to continue this momentum and make our region even better.

Finally, I want to thank my team, who have shown leadership, hard work, and compassion toward our clients. Without their dedication and level of commitment to CBDC Chaleur, we would not be able to achieve these kinds of results year after year.

Denis Roy, Executive Director

ANNUAL REPORT 2024-25

I’m also pleased to share more highlights from the past year, which was filled with new challenges and opportunities.

CBDC CHALEUR

Over the past year, our loan portfolio reached $15.5 million, before provisions, and generated $1,158,020 in interest income. These are record numbers for our CBDC in its 38-year history.

In the past year alone, we helped invest $6.65 million in the local economy through disbursed loans and other funding sources from our partners. When we look at the past three years, we’re talking about an investment of more than $31 million ($31.45M), while helping to create 190 new jobs and maintain another 678.

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Key Business Sectors in 2024-2025 Services: $1,879,350 in approved loans Accommodation and Food Service: $1,064,760 in approved loans Construction: $611,855 in approved loans

Investment in the region Requests processed

Training sessions

Applications received

58

Number of sessions

13

Applications approved

60

Amount granted

$23,073

Amount invested

$3,764,027

Impact on businesses New start-up

10

Existing businesses

48

Total

58

ANNUAL REPORT 2024-25

Impact on employment Jobs created

60

Jobs maintained

221

Total

281

Number of business counselling sessions Number of clients

109

Self-Employment Benefit (SEB) Applications approved

16

Value of assistance

$361,550

Consultant Advisory Services Number of clients

17

Amount granted

$144,555

CBDC CHALEUR

Photo credit: Mathieu Dupuis

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Building strong entrepreneurial leverage in the Chaleur region Total value of assistance from the CBDC and financial leverage over the past five years Total value of assistance

Financial Leverage

$ 14 $

2024–2025 marked a return to more typical levels of investment, with $3.7 million disbursed and $2.8 million in financial leverage. CBDC Chaleur continues to play a steady role in mobilizing capital and engaging with entrepreneurs in the region.

$ 12 $

$ 10 $

$7.3 $

8$

$

6$

$7.5

$3.8 $

4$

$

2$

$

0$

$2.6 $3.2

$2.8

$5.0

$5.0

2022-23

2023-24

$3.7

$1.6 2020-21

2021-22

Number of applications approved for each CBDC loan product

Breakdown of amounts disbursed per loan product (in millions of dollars) 5% 6.3% $188,200 $239,010

35 30

2024-25

31

23.6% $889,548

25

10

8

5

3 0 General Business Loan

First-Time Entrepreneur Loan

Youth Loan

Social Enterprise Loan

Innovation Loan

65% $2,447,269

General Business Loan

First-Time Entrepreneur Loan

Social Enterprise Loan

Youth Loan

Youth and new entrepreneurs continue to turn to CBDC Chaleur, representing nearly 30% of all disbursed funds.

CBDC CHALEUR

16

15

0

ANNUAL REPORT 2024-25

20

5

Number of businesses who received financial assistance over the past five years New Start-Up

Existing Businesses

Total Businesses

80

73 67

63 58

60

50

48

44 40

34

20

15

34

19

6 0

13

10

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

10

2023-24

2024-25

The number of approved projects in 2024–2025 remains steady, reflecting strong ongoing interest from existing entrepreneurs and a consistent pipeline of new business ventures.

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

Jobs Maintained

ANNUAL REPORT 2024-25

300

The 2024–2025 employment numbers remain significantly higher than pre-2023 figures, reaffirming CBDC Chaleur’s longterm contribution to regional job creation and retention.

250 200 150 100 50

CBDC CHALEUR

0

6

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24

2024-25

Jobs Created

27

19

34

96

60

Jobs Maintained

102

195

254

299

221

Total

129

215

288

395

281

Chaleur My Home, My Future!

Participants of the 19th edition

On April 12, 2024, the 19th edition of Chaleur My Home, My Future! took place. 21 participants took part in this repatriation and retention activity which takes place annually every spring.

Over the course of the 19 editions, this initiative has enabled more than 324 post-secondary students to take part in this event, of which 161 participants have returned to or remained in the Chaleur region. This represents a success rate of 50%.

The board of directors and the staff of CBDC Chaleur would like to congratulate Danika Beaulieu of the Clinic Dental hygiene of the Bay in Bathurst for winning the 2024 Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

In operation since October 2021, this company offers dental hygiene services in the clinic or at home for the elderly or people with reduced mobility. The services offered are: dental hygiene examination, dental cleaning/scaling, polishing, fluoride/desensitizer application and teeth whitening.

CBDC CHALEUR

From left to right: Denis Roy, Executive Director; the winner Danika Beaulieu, owner of Hygiène dentaire d’la Baie; and Pascal Frenette, Director of Internal Operations.

ANNUAL REPORT 2024-25

2024 Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award

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CBDC Programs and Services Who We Are

What We Do

CBDCs are not-for-profit organizations run by volunteers from the local business community who firmly believe in improving the economic viability of

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

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.

Canda in the creation, expansion and modernization of small and medium sized businesses.

What We Offer Entrepreneurs General Business Loan

Self-Employment Benefit (SEB)*

Designed to assist entrepreneurs when

Provides financial and coaching support to new

traditional avenues of financing are not available, for either creating, purchasing or

entrepreneurs during the planning and start-up phase of their new business.

succession planning.

First-Time Entrepreneur Loan Targeted financing for the first-time entrepreneurs starting or purchasing their first business.

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

Consultant Advisory Services

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

Innovation Loan Assist in the development of the knowledge-based economy, the adaptation and commercialization of technology.

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.

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

Social Enterprise Loan Tailored financing designed to assist social enterprises.

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

219 Main Street - Suite 3, Bathurst (NB) E2A 1A9

506.548-5951

CBDC Chaleur

www.chaleurcbdc.ca

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