PME MTL, the support network for companies in Ville de Montréal, is celebrating its 5th anniversary. Since it was founded, PME MTL has more than quintupled its annual investments intended for Montréal entrepreneurs, having grown from $5 M in 2015 to $27.9 M in 2019. Over the course of the last five years, PME MTL has provided support to nearly 15,000 companies and financial assistance to more than 1,100 companies, to the tune of $74.4 M.
According to the Executive Directors of the six PME MTL service hubs (Annie Bourgoin, Marie-Claude Dauray, Jean François Lalonde, Christian Perron, Marc-André Perron and Nicolas Roy):
We are delighted to be celebrating 5 years of PME MTL, and we want to thank all of the entrepreneurs, along with the public and government institutions at the local, provincial and federal level, that continue to place their trust in us.
A true catalyst for entrepreneurial development, PME MTL works closely with an expansive network of partners, and acts as a meeting place for entrepreneurs and the various experts, stakeholders, program managers, financial contributors and private investors, allowing it to function as a real economic lever. Based on this approach, the network has generated $400 M in investments for entrepreneurs over 5 years.
Economic recovery: Focused on survival, consolidation and accelerating projects
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the financial assistance offered by PME MTL has been enhanced by emergency assistance funds, like the federal government’s $30 M Regional Relief and Recovery Fund, the Québec government’s $60 M Emergency Assistance for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses program, the $2 M Temporary Retail Business Consolidation Fund and even the Fonds de développement de l’économie sociale (social economy development fund), which was increased by $1.7 M. Within the context of Montréal’s economic recovery, PME MTL continues to function as a valuable ally for SMEs during the pre-startup, consolidation and growth stages.
"2020 has been an extremely difficult year for Montréal entrepreneurs. Nevertheless, SMEs have the potential to transform the economy, and are central to the recovery. In addition, since the beginning of the health crisis, our experts have demonstrated great agility in terms of helping companies to get back to their creative rhythm and regain the pace of growth they enjoyed before COVID-19, not to mention increasing the survival rate. The future may be uncertain, but one thing remains sure: entrepreneurs are agents of change and creators of wealth for tomorrow", the six Executive Directors affirm.
5 years: Metropolitan Montréal entrepreneurs take centre stage
During its 5 years of operation, PME MTL has always been committed to showcasing Montréal-based companies. Therefore, the network aim at encouraging Montréalers to show their support for local SMEs. The idea is to give these companies a helping hand, including some that are temporarily closed, and to encourage people to buy local, in complete safety.