When it comes to growth, innovation and creating wealth in Montréal, businesses can count on the PME MTL network of experts to support their development.
A word from the six Executive Directors
During our first five years in operation, the PME MTL network has built a solid base. With this support network for businesses, Montréal boasts a unique structure in Québec that is intended to pave the way for Montréal entrepreneurs. As a leader in local economic development and a catalyst in developing entrepreneurship, PME MTL works closely with an extensive network of partners and serves as a forum for bringing entrepreneurs together with the various experts, stakeholders, program managers and financial assistance options.
As a result, in 2020, the network was trusted with the management of a wide range of emergency funds. Over the course of the year, PME MTL granted close to $110 million in financial assistance to businesses. Our team and our experts have been working tirelessly with entrepreneurs to offer them support and find the best financing solutions adapted to their situation. Beyond financing, our organizations play an essential role in accelerating the projects of Montréal SMEs, thanks to our in-depth understanding of the City’s issues and our specialized support services. In light of this, after a year of uncertainty, we believe that we are in an ideal position to contribute to a sustainable economic recovery, in which entrepreneurs will play a key role.
Annie Bourgoin, Marie-Claude Dauray, Jean François Lalonde, Christian Perron, Marc-André Perron et Nicolas Roy, Executive Directors of the six service hubs in the PME MTL network
Highlights – Regular programs
More than 4,600 businesses supported
4,228 private-sector businesses and 399 social-economy businesses
$19.9 M granted to businesses in the City
$14.8 M in loans and $5.1 M in grants
387 businesses financed
Nearly 7,400 jobs created of maintained
Breakdown of financing
New services offered in 2020
E-commerce logistics
In April of 2020, PME MTL added a service to its offer of support aimed at combining the efforts of Montréal retailers and manufacturers and putting them in touch with specialized logistics support (3PL) providers.
Our experts helped 456 online retainers and partners to tackle the main logistics and transportation challenges related to competition and the growing expectations of consumers that can hinder Montréal businesses.
- 63 retail businesses supported
- 15 logistics businesses supported
- 13 businesses supported through the pooling of logistics services
- 41 clinics held
“ Logistics is one of the main challenges for entrepreneurs who want to sell online, but it’s also often an aspect overlooked by e-merchants. This is all the more important in a context where we are now reaching the stage where businesses are not moving from a physical space to an online store, but building directly online. And with the COVID-19 pandemic, this trend of launching online – without a store – is becoming more pronounced. ”
- Marc-André Perron, Executive Director, PME MTL Centre-Ouest
Digital support service
Teleworking has proven to be an efficient solution for ensuring continuity of operations for SMEs during the pandemic. Thrown headlong into managing employees remotely for the first time, very few businesses were adequately prepared for deploying online collaboration tools.
Against this backdrop, Emploi-Québec and PME MTL offered a free digital support service to all Montréal SMEs over a period of 8 weeks. The objective of this initiative was to provide businesses with support in optimizing and implementing digital tools.
- 107 businesses supported
- 124 digital coaching interventions
- 320 hours of IT support
COVID-19 Emergency funds
Within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the governments of Canada, Québec and Ville de Montréal worked in cooperation with the PME MTL network to support businesses in the City. In 2020, they entrusted the management of a variety of emergency funds to the six service hubs in the network.
Government of Canada
The government of Canada, through the auspices of Canada Economic Development for Québec Regions, mandated the PME MTL network to manage the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF), resulting in the granting of $30 million in assistance for Montréal businesses.
Government of Québec
PME MTL was also entrusted with administering the Emergency Assistance for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (EASMSB) program in support of Montréal SMEs. This program also included an Assistance for Businesses in Regions Under Maximum Alert (ABRUMA) component.
A total of $70 million was earmarked for Ville de Montréal through this program, which was managed by the PME MTL network.
Ville de Montréal
Ville de Montréal enhanced the fonds Entrepreneuriat commercial, adding the COVID-19 Retail Business Consolidation component and a total of $2 million.
An additional $1.7 million was also added to the Social economy development fund.
Highlights – Emergency funds
$88.3 M$ in emergency loans and subsidies granted
to Montréal businesses
Regional Relief and Recovery Fund
Emergency financial assistance of up to $40,000
$25,82,000 granted
716 projects received funding through the RRRF
Emergency Assistance for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Emergency financial assistance of up to $50,000 and loan forgiveness of up to 80% for the Assistance for Businesses in Regions Under Maximum Alert component
$59,090,200 granted
1,377 projects received emergency funding
COVID-19 Retail Business Consolidation Fund
Financial assistance in the form of a subsidy of up to $10,000
$3,246,92 granted
389 projects received funding through the RBCF
5 years supporting Montréal entrepreneurs
In 2020, PME MTL celebrated five years in operation. Spotlighting the expertise and creativity of Montréal businesses has proven to be the most symbolic way of highlighting these five years of supporting Montréal entrepreneurship. The unprecedented events of this past year have served to intensify the commitment of the PME MTL network to celebrating Montréal entrepreneurs, because now, more than ever before, they are at the heart of the transformation toward the Montréal of the future.
PME MTL has launched a call for projects from businesses in the cultural and creative indus¬tries, and approximately forty businesses have responded.
95% of the businesses that have received financing over the past 5 years are still operating.
Discover the results and the actions →
Collégial en affaires
The goal of the Collégial en affaires program is to stimulate an entrepreneurial spirit among college students. PME MTL, working in cooperation with Montréal-area CEGEPS, is responsible for organizing this event. 2020 marked the fifth edition of the Collégial en affaires program.
- 114 participating students
- 32 teams of finalists
- 4 winning teams
- $4,000 in scholarships awarded to support student entrepreneurship
2020 winners (100% virtual edition): :
→ Collège Ahuntsic – Trialo : $2,000
→ Collège Bois-de-Boulogne – Connect Frame : $1,000
→ Collège de Rosemont – Maman & Moi : $500
→ Coup de Coeur − Collège Bois de Boulogne – Goo Déco : $500
One network – Six service hubs
The PME MTL network comprises six non-profit organizations serving businesses within the agglomeration of Montréal. The results presented here represent the combined results for these six organizations.
Consult the annual report of each hub:
- PME MTL Centre-Est's 2020 annual report (only available in French)
- PME MTL Centre-Ville's 2020 annual report (only available in French)
- PME MTL Grand Sud-Ouest's 2020 annual report (only available in French)
- PME MTL (West-Island) Ouest-de-l'Île’s 2020 Annual Report
Find experts in your area
Enter your business postal code or select your area
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Ouest-de-l'Île
1675, Transcanadienne
Bureau 301
Dorval, Québec, H9P 1J1
514 426-2888 -
Centre-Ouest
1350, rue Mazurette
Bureau 400
Montréal, Québec, H4N 1H2
514 858-1018 -
Grand Sud-Ouest
3617, rue Wellington
Montréal, Québec, H4G 1T9
514 765-7060 -
Centre-Ville
630, rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Bureau 700
Montréal, Québec, H3A 1E4
514 879-0555 -
Centre-Est
6224, rue Saint-Hubert
Montréal, Québec, H2S 2M2
514 723-0030 -
Est-de-l'Île
7305, boulevard Henri-Bourassa Est
Bureau 200
Montréal, Québec, H1E 2Z6
514 494-2606