Communication-Québec

Transcription

2002 EDITION
off on the
right foot
starting a
business
Just think
about us!
Did you know that there are
274 organizations and several hundred
programs and services dedicated to helping
Quebec businesses develop and grow?
Where
do you start?
Simple ! Pick Up Phone and Call
1 800 322-INFO
4
6
3
6
At last, fast access to all the information you require for your business development needs---24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. You’ll find quick answers to your questions, all the resources you need and
professionals just waiting to lend a helping hand! Call toll-free 1 800 322-4636 or visit our Website:
http://infoentrepreneurs.org. or http://www.ressourcesentreprises.org. For more information, contact us in
Montreal at (514) 496-4636 or in Quebec City at (418) 649-4636.
RESSOURCES
ENTREPRISES
Members of the Network of Canada
Business Service Centres
Entrepreneurship:
a focal point of Québec
government action
Modern-day Québec has been built through the determination and know-how of
the people who have developed our regions. That’s why youth entrepreneurship is
the focal point for action by the Government of Québec, so that young people
can live and work in their regions of origin.
Making room for young people is a way to prepare the future and allow youth to
take an active role in guiding the development of all the regions of Québec.
I urge all young entrepreneurs to stop by their local development centers (CLDs)
to learn about the full range of government measures available to them. You’ll
find precisely the assistance you need, including general advice, help with
financing, and technical support.
Your local CLD can
• help you draw up a business plan and carry out feasibility studies
• provide advice, point you in the right directions, and make referrals
• help you identify sources of financing
• provide you with entrepreneurship training and business support
• walk you through each phase of your project and provide ongoing assistance
Together, we can tap the potential and promise that young people offer and help
train the next generation of entrepreneurs in the regions of Québec.
Gilles Baril
Minister of State for Regions and
Minister of Industry and Trade
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Publication produced by Communication-Québec, Ministère des Relations
avec les citoyens et de l’Immigration.
Copywriting
Lionel Meunier
Advertising Sales and Graphic and Production
Oxygène communication & marketing
Tel.: (418) 687-5870
650, rue Graham-Bell, bureau 216
Sainte-Foy (Québec) G1N 4H5
Internet: www.oxygene.qc.ca Email: oxygene@oxygene.qc.ca
Communication-Québec Guides Collection
Baby Is on the Way
Change of Address
For People 55 and Over
Separation and Divorce
Starting a Business
What to Do in the Event of Death
The collection of free Communication-Québec guides is available
• Online at the Québec government portal
www.gouv.qc.ca
• At all 25 Communication-Québec offices (see page 91)
Note: Certain programs may change
during the year. The information
contained in this guide was
verified in November 2001.
The information provided herein
by Communication-Québec does
not have force of law.
Any reproduction of this guide for
commercial purposes is prohibited
unless authorized by
Communication-Québec.
2
Legal deposit – 2002
Bibliothèque nationale du Québec
National Library of Canada
ISBN 2-550-38354-0
© Gouvernement du Québec, 2002
All international rights reserved
Cette publication est aussi disponible
en français sous le titre Démarrer une
entreprise. Vous pouvez obtenir un
exemplaire gratuitement à l’un des
25 bureaux de Communication-Québec.
Voir page 91.
PME
Lancement d’une entreprise
programme de formation professionnelle
Starting
a business?
Aiming
to expand?
Achieve your goals
and choose
a winning
business plan
An
adapted and
flexible formula
in 2 sections:
1. Practical workshops
tra
va
e
by entrepreneurs
with Internet
support
illeur autonom
m
2. Individual coaching
ntreprise PME
e
o
icr
For more
information
click on présentation
multimédia and liste
des commissions
scolaires offrant le
cours at our web site:
www.lancement-e.com
Reconnu et financé par le
ministère de l’Éducation du Québec
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Table
of Contents
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Profile of the Entrepreneur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Sources of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Communication-Québec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Carrefour jeunesse-emploi (CJE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Centres locaux de développement (CLDs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Ministère de l’Industrie et du Commerce (MIC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Info entrepreneurs and Ressources Entreprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Enterprises in the Social Economy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Attributes of Collective Entrepreneurs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Legal Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Support for the Creation and Development
of Enterprises in the Social Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
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Self-Employed Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Attributes Required . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The Business Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Technical Assistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
GST and QST Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Allowable Deductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Taxes and Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Fringe Benefits and Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Associations of Self-Employed Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Preparing Your Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Types of Businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Creating a Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Buying an Existing Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Buying a Franchise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Legal Forms of Businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Sole Proprietorship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Joint Stock Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General Partnership and Limited Partnership
Cooperative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Business Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Technical Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Financial Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Personal Contribution and Financing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
5
2002 EDITION
Table of Contents
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Procedures and Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Municipalities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Building Permits and Standards .
Operating Permits . . . . . . . . . .
Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Zoning By-Laws . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Québec and Canadian Governments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
The Most Common Procedures and Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Specific Procedures and Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Other Procedures: Permits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Technical and Financial Assistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Regional Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
CDP Accès Capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Carrefours jeunesse-emploi (CJE). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Centres locaux de développement (CLD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Conseils régionaux (CR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Coopératives de développement régional (CDR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Corporations de développement économique
(CDEs and CDECs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Fonds régionaux de solidarité FTQ (FRS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Business Incubators and Industrial Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Sociétés d’aide au développement des collectivités (SADC) . . . . . . . 56
Sociétés locales d’investissement
dans le développement de l’emploi (SOLIDE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Québec Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (CRIQ). . .
Commission de l’équité salariale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) . . . .
Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) .
Investissement Québec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
La Financière agricole du Québec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries
et de l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) . . . . . . . . .
Ministère de la Recherche, de la Science et
de la Technologie (MRST) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec (MEQ) . . . . . . . .
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Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale (MESS) . . . . . . . . . 67
Ministère de l’Industrie et du Commerce (MIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Ministère des Relations
avec les citoyens et de l’Immigration (MRCI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Ministère des Ressources naturelles (MRN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Société de développement
des entreprises culturelles (SODEC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Tourisme Québec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Canadian Government. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAC) . . . . .
Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) . .
Canada Economic Development (CED)
for Québec Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Canadian Heritage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Farm Credit Corporation (FCC) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)
Industry Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
National Research Council of Canada (NRCC) . .
Standards Council of Canada (SCC) . . . . . . . . .
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Other Resource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Société d’Investissement Jeunesse (SIJ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Financial Assistance Programs and Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Employment Development Assistance Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Markets to Be Explored . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Government Contracts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Québec Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Canadian Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Export Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Services for the Deaf or Hard-of-hearing
Who Have a Teletype Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Québec Government Portal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Communication-Québec Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
7
2002 EDITION
Table of Contents
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Foreword
Want to start your own business? Become your own boss? Find out
more about enterprises in the social economy? CommunicationQuébec, in collaboration with its partners, offers you this brochure as
a guide.
The document contains the addresses and the telephone numbers of
government departments and agencies. In many cases, these services are
available only in Québec City, Montréal, Hull or Ottawa. To reach
government services in your region, consult the blue pages of the phone
book. To contact other services, consult the white pages or the gray pages,
depending on the region.
For further information on the programs and services offered by the various
departments and agencies of the government of Québec, we invite you to
call the Communication-Québec office nearest you. See the list of addresses
and telephone numbers of our 25 offices at the end of this guide.
If, after reading the guide, you require additional information about
Government of Canada programs, please call 1-800-622-6232.
Lastly, we would like to thank all departments and agencies that assisted in
the updating of this booklet.
8
L
e Portail de démarrage
d’entreprise du Québec
Starting your Business
500 useful links to help you :
• Build a businessman’s profile
• Prepare a business plan
• Obtain a permit
• Find financing
• Get assistance
Visit us at :
www.demarrer-entreprise.info.gouv.qc.ca
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Profile of
the Entrepreneur
Before going into business, you should ask yourself the following question:
“Do I have what it takes to become an entrepreneur?” Only after honestly
answering this question will you be able to start carefully planning your
project—or decide that it’s not for you.
A good idea is not necessarily a guarantee of success. The success of a
business largely depends on the person running it, and on their personality,
training, preparation and experience.
Entrepreneurs tend to have certain character traits: a leader’s temperament,
a taste for risk, a large capacity for work, a knack for anticipating and solving
problems, self-confidence, a certain ease in communicating and an ability to
adapt to different situations.
Be sure to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses objectively and to identify
your true motivations. By doing so, you can identify the additional resources
you may need to complement your aptitudes.
Are you ready for a little test to evaluate your aptitude to become an
entrepreneur?
Self-Evaluation Tests
Evaluate your aptitudes for becoming an entrepreneur by answering
the self-evaluation test questions in Starting a Business, Les
Publications du Québec, 1997, pages 8 and 9.
You will also find this test on the Communication-Québec Website:
www.comm-qc.gouv.qc.ca
10
Sources
of Information
Starting a business is a step-by-step process. You must first structure
your business project and prepare certain documents. The following
organizations can provide information, and their personnel can help
you with your project.
You can obtain information about Québec government programs and
services for businesses from Communication-Québec staff, either by phone
or in person.
Communication-Québec can provide those who want to start a business
with basic information and refer them to business support organizations for
more specialized information.
For information:
See the list of Communication-Québec offices and its Website address at the
end of this guide (pages 91)
Teletype machine: see page 90
Carrefour jeunesse-emploi (CJE)
There are some 95 CJEs in Québec, with five more scheduled to open by
2003. Young people between 16 and 35 years of age who need help in
returning to school, finding a job, or starting a business can contact the CJE
in their area.
For information, call the Secrétariat à la Jeunesse or visit the Website of the
Réseau des carrefours jeunesse-emploi.
Réseau des carrefours jeunesse-emploi du Québec
Phone: (514) 393-9155
Fax: (514) 393-9108
Website: www.cjereseau.org
11
2002 EDITION
Sources of Information
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Centres locaux
de développement(CLDs)
Local development centers offer front-line assistance and technical and
financial support to potential or already active entrepreneurs—both
individual and collective (including social economy companies)—regardless
of their age or the development stage of their company. Services offered by
the CLDs throughout Québec include:
• Consulting, guidance, and referral services
• Referrals to more specialized services, notably for exporting and
technological development.
For information:
Association des centres locaux de développement du Québec (ACLDQ)
155, boul. Charest Est, RC-8
Québec (Québec) G1K 3G6
Phone: (418) 524-0893
Fax: (418) 524-2657
Website: www.acldq.qc.ca
Email: info@acldq.qc.ca
Ministère de l’Industrie
et du Commerce (MIC)
The Ministère de l’Industrie et du Commerce now operates an electronic
information service for business startups. This user-friendly tool presents the
various administrative formalities required by the various levels of
government.
You can download forms, complete them on-screen, print them, and send
them in. You will also find a multitude of links to other sites that can help
you with your venture.
Website: www.mic.gouv.qc.ca
12
Business Development Bank
of Canada (BDC)
BDC has been serving SMEs for over 55 years, including 25 spent in
management consulting. It plays a leading role by providing financial and
management consulting services to SMEs in Canada, with a special focus on
export and technology companies.
For information:
Throughout Québec: 1-888-INFO-BDC (1-888-463-6232),
Website: www.bdc.ca
or contact the nearest BDC branch.
Info entrepreneurs
and Ressources Entreprises
Info entrepreneurs is part of the network of Canada Business Service Centres
(CBSC), which comprises 13 major centers across Canada, one in each
province and territory. In a nutshell, the CSBC mandate is to provide
businesses in every region of Canada, promptly and free of charge, with
accurate business information on all provincial and federal government
programs, services, and regulations.
Info entrepreneurs offers a variety of services, including a documentation
center with an extensive collection of government and business documents
aimed at business people. The advisors at the consultation center specialize
in issues like international trade, R&D, manufacturing, innovation, ecommerce, and business development. The qualified information officers at
the Telecentre have access to many databases on government programs and
services that are constantly updated.
Info Entrepreneurs Centre
Niveau Plaza, bureau 12500
5, Place Ville-Marie
Montréal (Québec) H3B 4Y2
Montréal area: (514) 496-INFO (4636)
Elsewhere in Québec: 1-800-322-INFO (4636)
Website: www.infoentrepreneurs.org
Email: infoentrepreneurs@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
INFO FAX: (514) 496-4010
Throughout Québec: 1-800-322-4010
13
2002 EDITION
Sources of Information
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Ressources Entreprises is headquartered in Québec City and provides Eastern
Québec (area code 418) with the same services as Info entrepreneurs. In
addition, Ressources Entreprises provides a consultancy service and a
business documentation center to help you start up or develop your
business.
Ressources Entreprises
825, rue Sainte-Thérèse
Québec (Québec) G1N 1S6
Québec area: (418) 649-INFO (4636)
Elsewhere in Québec: 1-800-322-INFO (4636)
Website: www.ressourcesentreprises.org
Email: ressourcesentreprises@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
INFO FAX: 1-800-322-4010
The coopératives de développement régional (CDRs), or regional
development cooperatives, can also help in starting a business.
14
Enterprises in the
Social Economy
Definition
Enterprises in the social economy are well established in their communities
and are the result of collective entrepreneurship. They produce goods and
services whose prices reflect solvent markets. They are financially viable and
create long-lasting jobs.
Enterprises in the social economy incorporate a democratic decision-making
process into their statutes. They are managed with the goal of providing their
members or the community with services, and their practices promote
individual and collective participation and empowerment.
Attributes of Collective Entrepreneurs
Enterprises in the social economy are developed by groups of individuals with
an aptitude for leadership and a willingness to take risks. What makes them
collective entrepreneurs is their ability to mobilize their community and
complete a project, as well as their motivation to respond to the needs of the
community and to create jobs.
Legal Form
Enterprises in the social economy can be non-profit organizations
(see Inspecteur général des Institutions financière, p 36) or cooperatives
(see Ministère de l’Industrie et du Commerce, Direction des coopératives, p 37).
15
2002 EDITION
Enterprises in the Social Economy
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Support for the Creation
and Development of Enterprises
in the Social Economy
Centres locaux de développement (CLD), or local development centers, can
provide promoters in their territory with special support for projects that
adopt a formal entrepreneurial approach. CLDs can also guide promoters
toward appropriate community resources that can assist with project
development. CLDs have a budget to support the start-up and consolidation
of enterprises in the social economy, in the form of grants or loans.
In addition, promoters can also seek business start-up assistance from the
government departments and agencies responsible for their sector.
Assistance
Resources most frequently called upon to assist new and developing
enterprises in the social economy
Financial Assistance
Centres locaux de développement (CLDs) (see page 12)
Fondaction of the CSN (investments of between $250,000 and
$750,000)
Government departments and agencies/grants or service contracts
Investissement Québec (see page 63)
Réseau d’investissement social du Québec (RISQ) (514) 281-2355
Société d’aide au développement des collectivités or Community
Futures Development Corporations (see page 56)
16
Job Subsidies
Centres locaux d’emploi (CLEs) (job maintenance, job integration, and
workplace traineeships) (see page 67)
Fund to combat poverty through reintegration into the labor market .
(see page 76)
Training in Operating an Enterprise in the Social
Economy
Cooperative training (see Cooperatives de développement régional) .
(see page 54)
Training in operating a non-profit organization (contact groups offering
technical resources in your community; inquire at your Centre local de
développement) (see page 12)
Staff Training
Centres locaux d’emploi (CLEs) (see page 67)
Management Assistance
Centres locaux de développement (see page 12)
Coopératives de développement régional (see page 54)
Corporation de développement économique communautaire
(see page 55)
Fondation de l’entrepreneurship
Sociétés d’aide au développement des collectivités (see page 56)
Other technical resource groups (see the Centre local de développement
in your region)
17
2002 EDITION
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Self-
Employed Workers
Before joining the ranks of the self-employed, you should be aware
of a number of things. It isn’t enough to have a good plan—you need
all the information and help you can find. There are many
organizations, associations, books, and magazines that can be of
assistance.
The following pages provide basic information.
Definition
Self-employed workers, also known as independent workers, are individuals
who work for themselves and offer their services to their customers. Selfemployed workers generate their own income and must pay their own
expenses. They may incur losses, but may also make profits.
Self-employed workers must meet a number of conditions. For example, they
must provide their own equipment and must not have any direct subordinate
link with the business to which they provide services. There are several other
criteria, and all of them must be examined to determine specific status.
When there is a disagreement between a business and a worker about
whether the worker is self-employed or an employee, the Ministère du
Revenu du Québec or the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (formerly
Revenue Canada) may be asked to determine the person’s status. Forms are
available for this purpose. The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency has
published a guide entitled Employee or Self-Employed? on the subject
(Website: www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca).
18
Take control.
Choose Bell as your business partner
and enjoy attractive offers and Internet solutions
designed especially for new businesses. With Bell, you
choose the plan that's best for you.
After all, you're the boss.
For more information:
310-7070
Visit www.bell.ca/business
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Attributes Required
Not everyone is suited for self-employment. If you think you would like to be
your own boss, ask yourself if you have what it takes. Then evaluate your
personal characteristics.
See the chapter entitled Profile of the Entrepreneur, on page 10.
The Business Plan
A business plan is a useful tool for self-employed workers and potential
lenders. All financial institutions require the same things: a personal
contribution, a business plan, and the ability to repay a loan.
For information on the business plan and on capital outlay, see pages 29 to
31 of this guide and the documentation on page 89.
Technical Assistance
A number of organizations offer technical assistance to help you draw up or
validate a business plan, while others provide instruction in preparing such a
plan. There may be costs involved. Inquire at Communication-Québec.
There is also an employment program called Support for Self-Employment
administered by Emploi-Québec in collaboration with the Centres locaux de
développement (CLDs).
See page 82 of this guide.
Registration
If you, as a self-employed worker, decide to do business as a sole
proprietorship whose name includes your given name and family name, you
are not obliged to file a declaration of registration. However, you may do so
voluntarily by going to the clerk of the Superior Court at the courthouse
closest to your home, one of the offices of the Inspecteur général des
institutions financières (IGIF) or Revenu Québec.
If you opt for the more organized legal form of the joint stock company, you
have no choice. You must register with the IGIF once your company is
incorporated.
20
Which legal form should you choose? Sole proprietorship is no doubt the
simplest solution, but you must be aware that unlike a joint stock company,
this type of business has no legal existence of its own. It is not a legal entity
distinct from the owner of the business; they are one and the same. The
owner of the business derives income from it and assumes all financial and
administrative liability.
Joint stock companies are distinct from the person or persons composing
them.
Before making a decision, find out as much as you can and think about
asking a legal advisor, accountant, or tax consultant for advice.
Information and forms are available at Communication-Québec.
Read pages 25 to 28 of this guide and the publication entitled The Principal
Juridical Forms of Enterprises in Québec (3rd edition).
GST and QST Registration
Generally speaking, self-employed workers are not required to register for
the GST and QST if they are small suppliers, although they may do so if they
wish.
Self-employed workers are considered small suppliers if the amount of
annual taxable and tax-free sales they have made over the previous four
calendar quarters is $30,000 or less.
Self-employed workers who are not registered for the GST and QST cannot
charge these two sales taxes or claim GST and QST refunds on purchases
they make.
Self-employed workers registered for the GST and the QST who buy taxable
goods and services for business purposes may subsequently apply for a
refund or credit for the tax paid on these goods and services, known as
inputs, and must charge GST and QST on their sales.
To register or for more information, go to your nearest Revenu Québec
(MRQ) office or complete the prescribed form and return it by mail to any
MRQ office.
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2002 EDITION
Self-Employed Workers
STARTING A BUSINESS
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Publications available from Communication-Québec:
• Ministère du Revenu du Québec, Should I Register with the Ministère du
Revenu? (2000, 16 pages) and Guide to Registration – Instruction and
Application Form.
Allowable Deductions
Regardless of the legal form they choose to operate under, self-employed
workers can deduct certain business expenses when filing their income tax
returns, provided they were incurred for the purpose of earning income.
The Ministère du Revenu du Québec and the Canada Customs and Revenue
Agency (formerly Revenue Canada) can provide information and publications
on this subject.
Taxes and Contributions
Self-employed workers meeting certain conditions must pay quarterly tax
installments to the Ministère du Revenu du Québec and the Canada Customs
and Revenue Agency (formerly Revenue Canada), as well as various
contributions, particularly to the Québec Pension Plan and the Health
Services Fund.
For more information, call Revenu Québec or the Canada Customs and
Revenue Agency.
Teletype machine: see page 90 (Revenu Québec and the Canada Customs
and Revenue Agency)
Fringe Benefits and Insurance
Self-employed workers do not automatically enjoy all the fringe benefits to
which employees are entitled, such as minimum labor standards, paid
holidays, employment insurance, compensation in the event of a workplace
accident, and group insurance coverage.
To obtain coverage such as salary insurance and accident insurance, they
must pay the additional costs. As for the Québec Pension Plan, they must pay
both the employer and employee contribution.
22
In some cases, self-employed workers may be entitled to compensation in
the event of a workplace accident. However, in most cases, they must
voluntarily opt for the coverage that the Act Respecting Industrial Accidents
and Occupational Diseases provides self-employed workers if they wish to be
eligible for compensation. Applications for personal coverage must be filed
with the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST).
Employees
The provisions vary if self-employed workers are also employers. Under the
Act Respecting Industrial Accidents and Occupational Diseases, selfemployed workers may not have employees. As soon as they employ
someone, they lose their status as a self-employed worker and become an
employer. They must then take the steps required of any employer, i.e., they
must obtain an employer number from the Ministère du Revenu du Québec
and the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (formerly Revenue Canada),
and must register with the CSST.
See pages 39 and 40 of this guide.
Associations of Self-Employed Workers
Becoming a member of an association of self-employed workers will help
you feel less isolated. You will be able to talk things over with other selfemployed workers and obtain certain services, which vary according to the
association. To find out whether there is such an association near you, call
Publication available from Communication-Québec:
• Ministère du Revenu du Québec, Are you self-employed? – Aidememoire on taxation (folder)
23
2002 EDITION
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Preparing
Your Project
Types of Businesses
There are three ways of getting your business off the ground:
• By creating a business yourself
• By buying an existing business
• By buying a franchise.
Creating a Business
This is a little like building your own house rather than buying an existing
one. You need to think of everything and organize everything from scratch.
The risk of failure can be high, so you may have to be prepared to carry a
loss for the first few years.
Buying an Existing Business
Purchasing an existing business is a little like buying a ready-built house. You
can examine it and evaluate it ahead of time. The business has a history, a
clientele, turnover, buildings, materials, equipment, stock, and staff.
Buying a Franchise
When you buy a franchise, you are buying an idea, know-how, experience,
and a certain guarantee of patronage. You get the benefits of training, an
established management system, and marketing and advertising expertise.
You also enjoy the advantages of the chain’s purchasing power. You must,
however, agree to respect franchise guidelines and rules concerning the site
and operation of the business, the characteristics of the product, etc.
For more information on franchising, contact the Direction du commerce of the
Ministère de l’Industrie et du Commerce (MIC) in Montréal at (514) 499-2189.
The MIC can provide general information and refer you to Centre Info-Franchise
for more detailed information.
24
CENTRE INFO-FRANCHISE
Centre Info-Franchise is a one-stop service center for the general public,
offering all kinds of franchising information services under the same roof. It
is also home to the Conseil national sur le franchisage et le partenariat. Its
role is to provide reliable, objective information on franchising and
partnerships in Québec.
The center is open to the public and provides literature, publications, expert
advice, seminars, lists, and other useful data.
Centre Info-Franchise
680, rue Sherbrooke Ouest, bureau 640
Montréal (Québec) H3A 2M7
Phone: (514) 340-6018
Fax: (514) 340-5628
Website: www.info-franchise.org/
Email: cnfp@hec.ca
As for franchising in Canada, Industry Canada gives businesses information.
Internationally, Industry Canada, jointly with External Affairs and
International Trade Canada, assists franchisers in exporting through the
International Trade Centers.
Legal Forms of Businesses
There are two steps to be taken before starting your business. You must first
choose its legal form and then legally incorporate it.
Choosing the legal form your business will take is one of the crucial decisions
you will have to make. Your choice will affect day-to-day business
operations, the taxes you pay, and the degree of liability you and any
partners you have must assume.
It is important to choose the legal form that will enable your business to
develop, while taking into consideration the activities to be carried out. Your
notary, lawyer, or accountant can help you make the right choice.
Depending on whether you want to work alone or with partners, your
business can take one of the following legal forms:
• Sole proprietorship (one person)
• Joint stock company, also known simply as a company (one person alone
or a group of two or more people)
• General partnership (two or more natural or legal persons)
• Limited partnership (two or more natural or legal persons)
25
2002 EDITION
Preparing Your Project
STARTING A BUSINESS
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• Cooperative (12 people or more and, in certain cases, three
or five people)
• Joint-venture company (at least two natural or legal persons) Since this
new type of company is less common in Québec, it is not described in
this brochure.
Sole Proprietorship
The simplest form of business, a sole proprietorship is run by one person,
who hires employees as needed and has all the powers and obligations. The
owner’s personal assets and those of the business form a unit. In the event
of bankruptcy, the owner’s assets may be seized.
Joint Stock Company
Also called a company, a joint stock company is a “legal person.” This means
that the company itself has rights and powers separate and different from
those of the natural or legal persons who compose it and are its
shareholders. A joint stock company has its own assets and incurs its own
debts. The liability of the shareholders is limited to their investment.
A joint stock company may be constituted under Part 1A of the Québec
Companies Act or under the Canada Business Corporations Act if the
company is set up to operate across Canada or in more than one province.
Depending on whether it is a Québec company or a federal joint stock
company, its constitution involves the intervention of the Inspecteur général
des institutions financières or of Industry Canada.
General Partnership and Limited Partnership
Contrary to joint stock companies (companies), whose creation requires the
intervention of the government, these two forms of partnership are created
by an oral or written contract between two or more persons.
A partnership is formed for the purpose of carrying out an organized
economic activity, whether it is commercial or not. Each partner participates
in the setting up of the partnership through a financial, professional, or other
contribution. The material contribution made by the partners becomes the
property of the partnership. All the partners have shares. The portion of the
business profits they are entitled to depends on the number of shares they
hold.
26
The control and liability of each partner varies according to whether it is a
general or limited partnership.
In a general partnership, the partners have full powers to administer the
company, unless they have designated one or several administrators or
managers to do so, whether partners or not. Their liability is unlimited. This
means the partners can by sued for more than just their investment in the
event the company runs into difficulty. They may be jointly liable if bonds
have been contracted for services or the running of the company, which is
generally the case. One partner can be sued for all the bonds (debts and
commitments) that exceed the value of the company’s assets in the event it
runs into debt.
Professionals governed by a professional corporation in accordance with the
Professional Code (R.S.Q., c. C-26) may establish a limited partnership.
A limited partnership consists of two parties: general partners and special
partners. Each partner participates in setting up the partnership. The special
partners provide money or assets, while the general partners primarily
provide work and entrepreneurship. The general partners alone administer
and represent the partnership, while the special partners receive their share
of the profits.
A limited partnership that wants to make a public offering by selling shares
must apply to the Commission des valeurs mobilières.
In a limited partnership, the general partners’ liability is the same as that of
the partners in a general partnership, as described above.
The special partners are liable for debts only up to the investment they
agreed to make.
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business constituted under a specific law, the Cooperatives
Act. Power is democratically exercised in a cooperative by its members, i.e.,
one member, one vote.
Like a company, a cooperative is a legal person distinct from its members,
and the liability of each member is limited to the value of the shares
subscribed to.
However, it differs from other companies in its method of distributing profits,
which are given to members in the form of a rebate according to the use
each member makes of the services obtained from the cooperative.
27
2002 EDITION
STARTING A BUSINESS
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The cooperative formula is adapted to the group in question, allowing for
the establishment of businesses designed to meet a variety of needs. There
are several types of cooperatives with specific objectives: workers’
cooperatives, shareholder workers’ cooperatives, solidarity cooperatives,
consumer cooperatives, and producer cooperatives.
Forming a cooperative requires at least 12 people with a common interest.
In some special cases, this number may be five and, for workers’
cooperatives, it may be three.
For information on the constitution and registration (legal publicity) of these
legal forms, please refer to the “Procedures and Requirements” chapter in
this guide, or to The Principal Juridical Forms of Enterprises in Québec, which
is listed at the end of this guide (Documentation).
For Internet Users:
The Inspecteur général des institutions financières makes information
available on its Website regarding its role as registrar for businesses in
Québec.
Users of online services and consulting resources can access information
about IGIF’s mission, its publications, the registry of insurers authorized to
operate in Québec, and the registry of individual companies, corporations,
and legal persons, as well as the procedures for setting up a company or notfor-profit organization and for registering a company in Québec.
In 2001, to further improve service to its clientele, the IGIF added the public
authorities database and the complete database of businesses registered
since 1994, and also made interactive forms available online.
The IGIF Website is at www.igif.gouv.qc.ca
Once you have obtained information and advice from the personnel
at the various resources, chosen the type of business that suits you
best, and gotten a good idea of the legal form your business will
take, you are ready to prepare your business plan.
28
Business Plan
A business plan is a document containing all pertinent information about an
undertaking and its promoters. It provides comprehensive information about
the proposed business and the various steps required to see the project
through. It is an invaluable tool for presenting all the components of a
project, negotiating financing, and obtaining grants or financial assistance.
Your business plan should contain the following:
• Presentation of the business (purpose, nature, characteristics, etc.) and
the products or services offered
• Presentation of the directors (resume, summary of personal property
and financial assets, qualifications and abilities, etc.)
• Market analysis (target clientele, suppliers, distribution methods,
evaluation of markets, competition, turnover, etc.)
• Marketing plan (advertising, promotion and pricing strategies, after-sales
service and warranty policies, etc.)
• Human resources plan (identification of manpower needs)
• Financial resources plan :
- Financing and capital structure plans (sources of business capital and
proportions of each)
- Opening statement (assets and liabilities when the business opens)
- Preliminary or proforma statement of results (estimated earnings and
expenditures) for the first three years of operation
- Required working capital (money needed to finance daily operations)
- Break-even analysis (the level of sales at which the business makes no
profits and suffers no losses)
- Cash budget (a monthly account of cash on hand and future
disbursements).
29
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A number of organizations can provide technical assistance, advice and
training in preparing or validating a business plan. They usually charge a fee.
The following list is provided for your guidance and is not exhaustive.
Technical Assistance
• Centre local de développement (CLD)
• Coopérative de développement régional (CDR)
• Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
• Sociétés d’aide au développement des collectivités (SADC) or
Community Futures Development Corporations
• Centre d’entreprises et d’innovation de Montréal
• Accountants, specialized firms and notaries
Training
• Centre local de développement (coordinators)
• School boards, cegeps, and universities
• Fondation de l’entrepreneurship
• Québec Entrepreneurship Contest
In all regions of Québec, cegeps and school boards offer various
entrepreneurial activities. Services offered include the following:
• Lancement d’une entreprise (Launching a business), a 330 hour
vocational specialty certification program (Attestation de spécialisation
professionnelle [ASP])
• Démarrage d’entreprise (Starting a business), a 375 hour (average)
attestation of college studies program (Attestation d’études collégiales
[AEC])
• Sensibilisation à l’entrepreneurship (Introduction to entrepreneurship), a
program available in two parts:
Part 1: For primary to college-level students taking part in the Québec
Entrepreneurship Contest as part of the Initiatives entrepreneuriales
project group
Part 2: For students in vocational training or technical programs taking part
in a 15 hour entrepreneurship awareness activity
30
Other short and long term training activities are also available on a credit or
non-credit basis, notably through school board and cegep business services
departments.
For information on contacting the school board or cegep in your region, call
Communication-Québec,
or
consult
the
following
Website:
www.inforoutefpt.org/
The Support for Self-Employment program administered by EmploiQuébec provides financial support to eligible individuals going into selfemployment. For information, contact your Centre local d’emploi (CLE) or
Communication-Québec (see page 89).
You can also find information on preparing a business plan in some of the
publications listed at the end of this guide (see Documentation, page 89).
Personal Contribution and Financing
A personal contribution is essential to obtaining a loan from a financial
institution and qualifying for government programs. It is the sum of money
you invest in your business. The money may come from your savings, loans,
relatives, colleagues, or friends, or from assets or the transfer of assets (for
example, office furniture, computers, vehicles). It can also come from
partners or private investors. The personal contribution required in
proportion to the total cost of the project may vary.
If you apply for a loan from a financial institution, the institution will probably
require a minimum capital outlay on your part, or ask for a third-party
endorsement or a loan guarantee under a government program.
The same is true if you apply for government financial assistance.
See the chapter entitled Technical and Financial Assistance on page 50.
31
2002 EDITION
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Procedures
and Requirements
Opening a business requires you to take a variety of steps with your
municipality and the Québec and Canadian governments. You will
also have to abide by certain laws and regulations.
Municipalities
All municipalities have requirements and by-laws, but they also provide
services. Some offer incentives to attract new businesses. Before going
ahead with your business project, you should find out about the conditions
and obligations that apply in your municipality.
Building Permits and Standards
The construction of a commercial building is usually governed by a municipal
by-law that imposes standards for fire prevention, public safety, hygiene, the
environment, etc. In addition, you should contact the Régie du bâtiment du
Québec, which also establishes certain standards.
Operating Permits
Generally, a permit is required to operate a commercial establishment in a
municipality. Conditions for obtaining such a permit may vary from one
municipality to the next.
Several Québec municipalities require door-to-door salesmen to have a
permit from the Office de la protection du consommateur before they can
be issued a municipal permit for door-to-door sales.
Taxes
Your business will have to pay all taxes levied by the municipality and the
school board.
32
The objective:
employment
Employers and business people!
Emploi-Québec offers you free staff recruitment services and advice
on how to manage your human resources as well as develop their
skills :
. Job offer listing through Job-Info terminals (guichets Info-emploi)
. Employment Web Site
. Manpower training plan set-up
. Means to help personnel adapt to new technology
. Technical support and financial assistance to self-employed workers
Information :
Your centre local d’emploi (CLE)
1 888 EMPLOIS
emploiquebec.net
Under the Canada-Québec Labour Market Agreement, Québec is responsible for active employment measures granted to employment insurance participants as well as for certain National Employment
Service functions which employment insurance users may access. These measures and functions are funded by the Employment Insurance Account, for which the federal government is responsible.
STARTING A BUSINESS
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Zoning By-Laws
Zoning by-laws determine what can be built and where businesses can be
situated. For example, there are residential sectors where it is forbidden to
open a commercial establishment. Contact the municipality for information.
Québec and Canadian Governments
The Most Common Procedures and Requirements
Before registering as an employer, you must take the following steps.
It is also important to be aware of certain requirements.
Constitution and Registration (Legal Publicity)
Sole proprietorship
Setting up a sole proprietorship is fairly simple.
If you establish a business under a name other than your own name and
surname, you are subject to the Act Respecting the Legal Publicity of Sole
Proprietorships, Partnerships and Legal Persons. You must register your
business within 60 days of beginning operations, either with the clerk of the
Superior Court nearest your residence, the Québec City or Montréal office of
the Inspecteur général des institutions financières (IGIF), or Revenu Québec.
You must complete the form entitled Declaration of Registration – Natural
Person, also available from Communication-Québec or Revenu Québec. This
declaration is valid for the entire province of Québec. It will be forwarded to
the Inspecteur général des institutions financières for registration.
Registration will allow the public to identify the owner of the business.
Exception:
If you operate a sole proprietorship under your own family
name and given name (for example, Cantine Joe Smith), you
do not have to file a declaration of registration. It is useful to
do so, however, so that your clientele and the public are aware
that you are in business.
Joint stock company
A joint stock company may be constituted by one or more persons.
A Québec business incorporated as a joint stock company is normally subject
to the Companies Act. Such a company may operate anywhere in the world.
34
To incorporate a joint stock company, you must obtain the appropriate forms
on the IGIF Website or at Communication-Québec. Unless a number is to be
used instead of a corporate name, it is recommended to reserve a corporate
name with the IGIF. The articles of incorporation must then be prepared.
For more information, please contact the IGIF.
Following the incorporation of a joint stock company, the Initial Declaration
– Legal Person form must be completed and sent to the IGIF within 60 days
following registration. This form, which is forwarded by the IGIF after filing
the articles of incorporation, is also available at Communication-Québec.
Companies constituted under the federal Business Corporations Act (forms
are available at Industry Canada offices) and foreign firms that have their
head offices in Québec or are active in Québec must also complete the
Declaration of Registration – Legal Person form and present it to the IGIF
within 60 days of beginning operations in Québec.
Fines may apply if the Declaration of Registration or Initial Declaration is not
filed within the 60 day time limit.
General partnership
General partnerships include at least two persons (natural or legal).
The contract creates the corporation and gives it existence in law. It is
recommended you have a written contract that includes all relevant
conditions for easy reference.
In the 60 days following the constitution of the general partnership, the
Declaration of Registration – Partnership form must be completed and
presented for registration in the Register of Individual Companies,
Corporations, and Legal Persons to the clerk of the Superior Court nearest
you, at one of the two IGIF counters in Québec City and Montréal, or at a
Revenu Québec office.
35
2002 EDITION
Procedures and Requirements
STARTING A BUSINESS
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Limited partnership
Like general partnerships, limited partnerships bring together at least two
natural or legal persons (the general partner and the special partner). The
agreement (preferably written) creates the limited partnership and gives it its
legal existence.
In the 60 days following the constitution of a limited partnership, the form
entitled Declaration of Registration – Partnership must be filed and presented
for registration in the Register of Individual Companies, Corporations, and
Legal Persons to the clerk of the Superior Court nearest you, at one of the
two IGIF counters in Québec City and Montréal, or at a Revenu Québec
office.
For information from the Government of Québec:
Inspecteur général des institutions financières
Direction des entreprises
800, place d’Youville, Main Floor
Mailing Address:
Québec (Québec) G1R 4Y5
P.O. Box 1364
Québec City area: (418) 643-3625
Québec (Québec)
Elsewhere in Québec: 1-888-291-4443
G1K 9B3
Fax: (418) 528-5703
Website: www.igif.gouv.qc.ca/
Email: dir.entreprises@igif.gouv.qc.ca
800, Tour de la Place-Victoria,
Promenade Level
(Square Victoria métro station)
Montréal (Québec) H4Z 1H9
Phone : 1-888-291-4443
36
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 355
Montréal (Québec)
H4Z 1H9
2002 EDITION
For information from the Government of Canada:
Industry Canada
Corporations Branch
5, Place Ville-Marie
Bureau 700
Montréal (Québec) H3B 2G2
Montréal area: (514) 496-1797
Fax: (514) 283-2247
Website: www.ic.gc.ca
For information and forms:
Ministère de l’Industrie et du Commerce (MIC)
Direction des coopératives
710, place D’Youville, 7e étage
Fax: (418) 646-6145
380, rue Saint-Antoine Ouest, 4e étage
Montréal (Québec) H2Y 3X7
Fax: (514) 873-9913
If you are interested in establishing a cooperative, a regional development
cooperative can help you.
For a list of regional development cooperatives and their addresses and
telephone numbers, consult the MIC Website:
www.mic.gouv.qc.ca/cooperatives
Registration with the Ministère du Revenu du Québec (Registration
Certificate)
Most people and businesses carrying out a commercial activity and therefore
supplying taxable movables, immovables, or services must also register with
the Ministère du Revenu du Québec to obtain a registration certificate for the
Québec Sales Tax (QST, 7.5%) and the federal Goods and Services Tax (GST,
7%). This certificate authorizes you to deduct taxes on behalf of the Ministère
du Revenu du Québec and the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
(formerly Revenue Canada), of which you become the mandatary. The
business must collect the QST and the GST in the course of its commercial
activities and remit them periodically to the Ministère du Revenu du Québec.
Except in certain cases, a business whose sales and receipts are less than
$30,000 is not obliged to register with the Ministère du Revenu.
Teletype machine: see page 90.
37
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Québec Pension Plan
All workers 18 years of age and older must contribute to the Québec Pension
Plan. Effective January 1, 1998, retirees who work, as well as their
employers, must also contribute to the Québec Pension Plan.
Every contributor is eligible for a basic exemption ($3,500) and there is a
ceiling for pensionable earnings (maximum $39,100 in 2002). The Ministère
du Revenu du Québec collects the sums paid into the Québec Pension Plan.
The income of a self-employed worker, a professional, a farmer, a fisherman,
or a business (a natural person operating a sole proprietorship or a
partnership) is subject to the Québec Pension Plan. These workers must pay
the employee and employer shares. The amount depends on the net
business or professional income. Payments are made in installments or when
an individual’s income tax return is filed.
For information:
Régie des rentes du Québec
Website: www.rrq.gouv.qc.ca
Teletype machine: see page 90 (Régie des rentes et Revenu Québec).
French: The Language of Work and Business
In Québec, the Charter of the French Language makes French the normal
and customary language of work, trade, and business, be it in the use of
information technologies, on public signs, in commercial advertising, or in
catalogues, product labeling, company names, contracts, or any similar
documents or communications with suppliers and clientele. The measures
pertaining to language of work, trade, and business apply to all companies,
while the francization process is mandatory for firms employing 50 people or
more.
Registration with the Office de la langue française (OLF)
A business that, over a period of six months, employs 50 people or more
must, in the six months following the end of this period, register with the
Office de la langue française. The OLF issues the business a certificate of
registration that enables it to begin the process of francization by analyzing
the business’s linguistic status and implementing francization measures, as
required.
38
Since the coming into force on November 12, 1996, of the government’s
linguistic policy, the enterprises referred to in Chapter 5 of the Charter must
hold a registration certificate from the OLF and meet the francization
requirements if they wish to do business with the government or receive a
grant or any other benefit awarded by an agency of the government.
A French corporate name is required to obtain juridical personality in
Québec.
The use of another language in addition to French is permitted under certain
conditions.
Consult the Website of the Office de la langue française for information on
language requirements and resources at www.olf.gouv.qc.ca
Or for inquiries, call the OLF at (514) 873-6565 or 1-888-873-6202.
Once you have incorporated and registered your business with the
Inspecteur général des institutions financières and you have obtained
a registration certificate from Revenu Québec allowing you to collect
taxes, you may register as an employer with the various government
departments and agencies.
Registration with the Ministère du Revenu du Québec (Business
Number)
Since January 1, 1998, the businesses subject to the Act Respecting the Legal
Publicity of Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships and Legal Persons, and those
that are not subject to it but that have registered, can use their QBN (Québec
business number) for communicating with the Ministère du Revenu du
Québec. They can also use the number now in use at the Ministère du
Revenu du Québec, since it is still valid.
At no time will the QBN replace the employer number, which the business
must use for deductions at source from the wages of employees, provincial
income tax deductions, and the payment of employer and employee
contributions to the Québec Pension Plan. The employer number is also used
for contributions to the Commission des normes du travail, the Health
Services Fund (HSF), and the Fonds national de formation de la maind’oeuvre. The fact of holding a QBN does not exempt an employer from the
obligation to register with the Ministère du Revenu if a law so requires.
39
2002 EDITION
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
The QBN is used in all communication with the agencies of the Quebec
government by every business operating in Québec. At the present time,
25 departments and agencies can serve businesses upon presentation of
their QBN. Other government partners will follow suit during the year.
However, the other file numbers used at the Ministère du Revenu du Québec
are still valid.
Teletype machine: see page 90 (Revenu Québec).
Registration with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
(formerly Revenue Canada)
Any business with one or more employees must register with the Canada
Customs and Revenue Agency as an employer to obtain a business number
(BN). This number applies to the main business accounts of this Agency,
including deductions at source. The employer collects income taxes and
employment insurance contributions from the employee for this Agency and
pays the employee’s employment insurance premium.
Certain Agency officers offer one-stop service where businesses can use their
business number to conduct all their transactions. Call 1-800-959-5525
(service in English) or 1-800-959-7775 (service in French) for information.
(Canada Customs and Revenue Agency ).
CSST Registration
Any business person who employs at least one full-time or part-time worker,
including a student or a trainee in certain cases, must register with the
Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST).
This agency is responsible for the compensation and rehabilitation of any
worker who is the victim of an industrial accident or an occupational disease.
It also sees to it that the rights and obligations of workers and employers are
respected in matters of prevention. Only the employer must pay a premium
to the CSST. Self-employed workers, in certain cases, and employers are not
automatically covered, but they may register and pay their premiums.
40
Labor Standards
The Commission des normes du travail applies the Act Respecting Labour
Standards, which sets the rules governing working conditions, including the
minimum wage, holidays, special leave, and dismissal. It is also has
investigative and regulatory powers.
If entrepreneurs have employees, they must comply with the Act Respecting
Labour Standards. They may also negotiate agreements, but not for less than
that provided for by law. If there is already a union in an existing business,
the employer must comply with the collective agreement in effect.
For information about labor standards:
Commission des normes du travail
Website: www.cnt.gouv.qc.ca
Collective Agreement Decrees
Businesses in a number of sectors are governed by collective agreement
decrees. Joint committees see that these decrees are enforced. These sectors
include security agencies, trucking, clothing manufacturing, maintenance of
public buildings, automobiles, construction materials, and metal millwork.
For information about collective decrees:
Ministère du Travail
Direction des décrets
200, chemin Sainte-Foy, 6e étage
Québec (Québec) G1R 5S1
Elsewhere in Québec 1-800-643-4817
Fax: (418) 528-0559
Website: www.travail.gouv.qc.ca
Email: decrets@travail.gouv.qc.ca
Specific Procedures and Requirements
Admission to Commercial Establishments
The Act Respecting the Hours and Days of Admission to Commercial
Establishments applies to retail sales outlets. It sets the days on which
commercial establishments may be open and their opening and closing times.
41
2002 EDITION
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
For information:
Regional divisions of the MIC or
Ministère de l’Industrie et du Commerce
Direction du commerce
380, rue Saint-Antoine Ouest, 4e étage
Fax: (514) 499-2191
Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Industrial Designs, and Integrated
Circuit Topographies (Intellectual Property)
The results of certain creative efforts are recognized as being intellectual
property (IP) and may be protected by law. The Canadian Intellectual
Property Office (CIPO), a special service agency within Industry Canada, is
responsible for applying Canadian IP legislation.
There are five types of intellectual property:
• Patents are aimed at new inventions (processes, machines,
manufacturing techniques, composition of materials) or any new and
useful improvement made to an existing invention
• Trademarks are words, symbols, drawings (or a combination of the
three) that serve to distinguish the products or services provided by
an individual or an organization from other products or services
on the market
• Copyrights protect artistic, dramatic, musical, and literary works
(including computer programs) as well as three other aspects of
copyrighting, namely performance, sound recording, and
communication signal
• Industrial designs refer to the visual features contained in the
configuration (shape), pattern, or decorative components
(or a combination of the three) of a manufactured item
• Integrated circuit topographies refer to the three-dimensional
configuration of electronic circuits used in integrated circuits or layout
designs.
Intellectual property rights are part of an effective business plan. Financial
institutions increasingly consider intellectual property rights as an important
element in assessing a business for the purpose of commercial loans. CIPO
42
offers a wide array of services for inventors, creators and entrepreneurs, and
it has a network of partners that can bring an understanding of IP to a
broader public.
For information:
Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)
Industry Canada
Place du Portage I, bureau C-229
50, rue Victoria
Hull (Québec) K1A 0C9
Hull area: (819) 997-1936
Fax: (819) 953-7620
Website: opic.gc.ca
Email: cipo.contact@ic.gc.ca
Labelling of Consumer Products
Suppliers must affix to consumer products such as food, textiles and precious
metals accurate labels giving compulsory information about the products.
Various departments of the Québec and Canadian governments are
involved.
For information on the Government of Québec departments in question, call
Communication-Québec. For information on federal programs and services,
consult the blue pages of the phone book in the Government of Canada
section under the heading Consumers—Information.
Export and Import Licenses
The exporting of all goods on the Export Control List requires an export
license issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade,
regardless of the country of destination. This list is rather detailed and
includes many goods over which Canada wishes to exercise control for
various reasons.
Any merchandise intended for a country on the Area Control List may not be
exported to that country without a license, regardless of the nature of the
good exported. At the time this guide was published, this list included
Angola and Burma.
In addition, for any country that is subject to an embargo ordered by the
United Nations (Iraq, for example), an export license may not be the only
export authorization document required.
43
2002 EDITION
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
For information:
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Lester B. Pearson Building
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
Ottawa area: (613) 996-2387
Fax: (613) 996-9933
Website: www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/~eicb
Mailing address:
P. O. Box 481, Station A
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9K6
Environmental Protection
Certain business activities may be hazardous for the environment, for
example the transport of hazardous waste and the use of certain industrial
processes. The Ministère de l’Environnement can tell you whether or not a
business is subject to environmental protection laws and regulations.
Consumer Protection
A business may be bound by the Consumer Protection Act to hold a permit
or to observe specific regulations in order to enter into contracts. The Office
de la protection du consommateur (OPC) issues permits for door-to-door
sales, money lending, health spas, extended automobile and motorcycle
warranty coverage, travel agents, and collection agencies. For example, to
enter into a sales contract, a traveling salesman must have a permit issued
for that purpose by the Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC). This
permit attests only that the holder has filed a security bond that serves first
and foremost to enforce the law and, as the case may be, to compensate
consumers, notably in the event of a business closure.
The Office ensures that consumer protection laws are respected. It offers
information and advice about the obligations of merchants in their dealings
with consumers.
For information:
Office de la protection du consommateur
Phone: 1-888-672-2556
Website: www.opc.gouv.qc.ca
44
Preservation of Agricultural Land
The land on which you wish to establish your business may be in an
agricultural zone. If so, the Commission de protection du territoire agricole
is responsible for authorizing, on the recommendation of the municipality,
the use of the land for purposes other than farming. The Commission takes
into consideration the availability of other sites, particularly outside the
agricultural zone, the biophysical conditions of the soil, and the effects of
authorization on the surrounding agricultural environment.
Authorization application forms are available at the office of the secretary of
the municipality concerned.
For information:
Commission de protection du territoire agricole du Québec
Québec (Québec) G1R 4X6
Fax: (418) 643-2261
25, boul. La Fayette, 3e étage
Longueuil (Québec) J4K 5C7
Fax: (450) 651-2258
Safety in Public Buildings
All public buildings, as defined in the Public Buildings Safety Act and
Regulation, must comply with safety standards and criteria. Such buildings
include the following:
• Buildings or premises employed for purposes such as religious services,
educational services, health care services, accommodation, the arts,
performances, sports, and other public needs
• Residential buildings, that is, rooming houses with 10 rooms or more
and apartment buildings with more than two floors and more than eight
units
• Commercial buildings of more than 300 square meters in area and office
buildings with more than two floors
• Buildings with lifting devices such as elevators or escalators
To find out the safety standards to be complied with, inquire at the regional
office of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec or consult the Website at
www.rbq.gouv.qc.ca.
45
2002 EDITION
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Excise Tax
An excise tax is levied by law on certain imported and manufactured goods
such as tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, jewelry, automobiles, gasoline, diesel fuel,
and wine. The excise tax is applied at the time the goods are imported or
manufactured.
For information:
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (formerly Revenue Canada)
305, boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest
Montréal (Québec) H2Z 1A6
French: 1-800-959-7383
English: 1-800-959-8281
Fax: (514) 283-0976
Other Procedures: Permits
Depending on your sector of activity, you may have to obtain a special license
or permit issued by the departments or agencies of the Québec or Canadian
government.
The following list in not complete. For more information about Government
of Québec departments and organizations, please consult your
Communication-Québec office. To contact a Government of Canada
department or organization, call 1-800-622-6232.
46
Sector of Activity
Body Responsible
Amusement machine arcades
(Teletype machine: see page 90)
Régie des alcools, des courses et
des jeux
Businesses that sell alcool
(grocery stores, bars, restaurants, etc.).
Régie des alcools, des courses et
des jeux
Car dealerships
Société de l’assurance automobile
du Québec
Commercial fishing (freshwater)
Ministère de l’Agriculture, des
Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du
Québec, Direction du
développement et des activités
régionales
Commercial fishing (tidal water)
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Door-to-door sales
Office de la protection du
consommateur
Film and videocassette
businesses (sales, rental, screening)
Régie du cinéma
Health spas
consommateur
Import-export businesses
Foreign Affairs and International
Trade Canada
Inns, hotels, other lodgings
Tourisme Québec, Tourist Service
Quality Branch
Petroleum products
(sales, storage and transport)
Ministère des Ressources
naturelles du Québec
Money lenders
consommateur
Restaurants, cafeterias,
canteens, and snack bars
Ministère de l’Agriculture, des
Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du
Québec
Taxi operators
Commission des transports du
Québec. Société de l’assurance
automobile du Québec
Travel agencies, retail
or wholesale
Office de la protection
du consommateur
Upholstery businesses
Ministère de l’Industrie et du
Commerce
2002 EDITION
47
Les Éditions de la Fondation
de l’Entrepreneurship
If you wish to start a business, you have everything
to gain from knowing about the products offered by
Les Éditions de la Fondation de l’entrepreneurship.
They are grouped together in the "Entreprendre"
collection, and are well-known for their relevance,
simple language and suitability for the context of
Quebec. Whether in book, software, video or cassette
format, each product provides a clear explanation of
one of the many procedures involved in the creation
and management of a new business.
TEST
For immediate ordering: www.entrepreneurship.qc.ca
Tools offered by
EVALUATION OF MY
ENTREPRENEURIAL CHARACTERISTICS
by Yvon Gasse with the cooperation of Nathalie Daigle,
Jean-Jacques Bernier and Aline D'Amours, 32 pages, 1997
The questionnaire will enable you to compare your own traits
with those of entrepreneurs. Before starting a business, take
time out to assess your entrepreneurial potential!
To order
❑
Montreal Entrepreneur’s
Guidebook
$36.13 (tax and handling included)
❑
Evaluation of
my Entrepreneurial
Characteristics
$25.38 (tax and handling included)
❑
Catalogue 2002-2003
(french only)
FREE
Method of payment
❑
❑
Cheque
Credit card
❑
❑
No.:
MONTREAL ENTREPRENEUR’S
GUIDEBOOK
by Youth Employment Services,
548 pages, 1997
A unique all-in-one reference that takes
you through all the necessary steps in
becoming a successful entrepreneur.
Whether you want to be your own boss
in a one-person service company or
build the next Bombardier, this
guidebook is the place to start.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part I
The Entrepreneurial Road Map –
The necessary steps for success
1. Self-evaluation
2. Finding business ideas
3. Entrepreneurial options
4. Picking a winner
5. Market research
6. The business plan
7. Financing
8
Minding your business
Part II
The Resource Guide
Expiration date:
Signature:
Name:
Address:
City:
Postal Code:
Telephone:
Fax:
E-mail:
Please return to:
160, 76e Rue Est, bureau 250
Charlesbourg (Québec) G1H 7H6
Telephone:
(418) 646-5400
TOLL-FREE: 1 800 661-2160
Fax:
(418) 646-2246
E-mail: editions@entrepreneurship.qc.ca
Web site: www.entrepreneurship.qc.ca
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Technical and
Several regional agencies and Québec and Canadian government
departments and agencies offer services and administer technical or
financial assistance programs for businesses. Some of these programs
are specifically for entrepreneurs under 35 years of age. The purpose
of this section is to help you identify the departments and agencies
that can best assist you. The departments and agencies are listed in
four categories: regional resources, Québec government, Canadian
government and other resource. At the end of this section, a number
of programs are presented in table form.
Do not hesitate to contact the Communication-Québec office in your region
if you have difficulty finding certain agencies or departments. These offices
also offer an information and referral service for starting a business. They
also provide information and basic resource material in the form of guides
and folders.
Note that government programs generally have selection or eligibility criteria
that sometimes limit access to them.
Regional Resources
Regional resources include most of the regional agencies that can supply
information and technical or financial support to people who want to start a
business. Some of them have offices in only a few regions of Québec. Their
names may vary from one place to another.
CDP Accès Capital
CDP Accès Capital, the regional business network of the Caisse de dépôt et
placement du Québec (CDP), provides Québec’s small businesses with capital
in the form of various financial products. In addition, CDP Accès Capital
provides businesses with access to CDP’s national and international business
networks and to the financial know-how of its management teams.
50
CDP Accès Capital invests in promising enterprises that target sustained
growth, as well as businesses in the start-up stage sponsored by an incubator
or by experienced business executives. CDP Accès Capital may invest sums of
up to $2,000,000 in eligible businesses in every sphere of activity. A newly
sponsored business may be entitled to an equity loan ranging from $25,000
to $250,000 with a maximum term of three years.
In the high tech sector, financial support may go as high as $5 million.
A new product, Accès Relève, is specifically designed to ease the transfer of
family property. It was developed for business owners concerned about
ensuring the survival of their companies.
CDP Accès Capital
2001, av. McGill College, 7e étage
Montréal (Québec) H3A 1G1
Fax: (514) 847-2311
Website: www.cdpcapital.com
La Caisse de dépôt et placement has CDP Accès Capital offices in 12 regions
of Québec and New Brunswick. For information, contact CommunicationQuébec.
Carrefours jeunesse-emploi (CJE)
CJEs are found throughout Québec. A CJE is a non-profit organization that
offers a range of services: reception, information and referral, training and
advice, help in starting up small businesses and in returning to work or
school. They are designed for 16 to 35-year-olds, regardless of their
economic situation. These organizations provide no financial assistance, but
their services are free.
Services offered vary according to the needs of each situation. See page 11.
Centres locaux de développement (CLD)
Managed by local communities, CLDs are one-stop outlets for multiple
entrepreneurship services. They offer direct services to assist and provide
technical or financial support for individual or collective entrepreneurs,
whether potential or active, including enterprises in the social economy,
without distinction in terms of age or stage of development of the
enterprise.
51
2002 EDITION
Technical and Financial Assistance
Congratulations!
You’re at a turning point in life—going into
business, building your own company, and finally
being your own boss!
When people tell you to “break a leg,” they
remind you that success comes with effort and
that nothing can ever replace hard work—or a
topnotch advertising and marketing consultant.
Success is at hand—go for it!
Good luck!
For information on Québec government programs
and services, it's easy!
Call us, come see us, or visit the
Québec government Website.
www.gouv.qc.ca
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
These services may include the following:
•
•
•
•
Consultation, orientation, and referral
Assistance in preparing business plans, including feasibility studies
The search for financing
Financial assistance for enterprises, including a special component for
young people and the social economy
• Entrepreneurship training
• Support for businesses in order to improve the management of their
personnel
• Referral to more specialized services, particularly in the areas of
exporting and technological development, or to services provided by
organizations such as regional development cooperatives.
Every CLD offers residents in its area specific assistance programs (see chart
on page 79 - Ministère des Régions)
For further information, contact the Association des CLD du Québec at
www.acldq.qc.ca or by calling (418) 524-0893. See page 12.
Conseils régionaux (CR)
Using a structured cooperative approach, CRs, or regional councils, also
known as “conseils régionaux de développement” (CRDs) or regional
development councils, and “conseils régionaux de concertation et de
développement” (CRCDs) or regional cooperation and development
councils, are responsible for strategic regional planning and to this end sign
general development agreements with the Québec government and special
one-on-one agreements. Their primary function is essentially cooperation
with regional resources in following up agreements and in defending
regional interests.
Coopératives de développement régional (CDR)
The mandate of the CDRs, or regional development cooperatives, is to
contribute to the economic development of the regions and to promote the
emergence of new cooperative projects and job creation. They give advice
for starting up, expanding, and consolidating cooperative enterprises. The
services offered range from the preparation of feasibility studies to the
drawing up of business plans, and include the search for financing, business
follow-up, and training.
They also promote the cooperative formula with all economic development
stakeholders within their territory.
54
For the list of regional development cooperatives, visit the following Website:
www.mic.gouv.qc.ca/cooperatives/liste-CDR.html
Corporations de développement économique (CDEs
and CDECs)
The mandate of these economic development corporations, also known as
“sociétés de développement économique” or economic development
companies, “conseils économiques” or economic councils, and
“commissariats industriels” or industrial commissariats, is to promote and
accelerate the economic growth of their regions. They furnish business
promoters with expertise, information, advice, and technical assistance in
preparing projects. They are found at the regional county municipality or
municipal level.
In the Montréal region, there are corporations de développement
économique et communautaire (CDECs), or economic and community
development corporations.
Since the establishment of local development centers, most of the bodies
cited have been incorporated into the centers or act as their mandataries for
specific services.
Fonds régional de solidarité FTQ (FRS)
There is a Fonds régional de solidarité FTQ in every region of Québec. These
17 organizations are limited partnerships with at least $6 million in capital.
They may invest from $50,000 to $500,000 in businesses that are starting
up, in the early stages of development, growing, or reorganizing their
operations (subsequent investments may go as high as $1,250,000).
Business Incubators and Industrial Motels
Business incubators are organizations that help fledgling companies survive
through the initial stages of their development. They are also low rent
premises that provide an environment conducive to the development of
entrepreneurs and their businesses. An incubator furnishes management
advice, technical services (finding sources of start-up capital, a sponsorship
network, and so on) and common services (telephone, secretarial services,
photocopies, etc.).
The premises of industrial motels are managed by a municipality or a nonprofit organization. Small and medium-sized businesses occupy them. In
some cases, they offer shared secretarial and data processing services.
Certain areas also have business centers (private businesses) that offer
premises for rent where services can be shared.
55
2002 EDITION
STARTING A BUSINESS
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Réseau québécois du crédit communautaire (RQCC)
Le Réseau québécois du crédit communautaire (Québec community credit
network) encompasses 16 organizations, lending circles, and community
lending funds spread throughout 11 administrative regions of Québec. These
organizations are active in the community or microcredit sectors and provide
help to marginalized members of society who are excluded from traditional
banking networks.
Network member organizations pursue their mission to fight poverty by
providing access to credit and assisting people seeking to develop incomegenerating business endeavors (self-employment, market or social economy
enterprises).
For information on contacting network member organizations,
call Communication-Québec.
Société d’aide au développement
des collectivités (SADC)
The mission of the SADCs, or Community Futures Development
Corporations, is to stimulate the community to take responsibility for its
future. To this end, the SADCs intervene at a number of levels, including
support for the creation, consolidation, and development of businesses
through technical and financial services. Each company has an autonomous
investment fund, which it uses to help small businesses in its community.
The network of SADCs in Québec has 63 members that serve the entire
province, with the exception of urban areas.
56
START OFF THE RIGHT FOOT
by having a good knowledge of labour standards
!
The Act respecting Labour Standards
contains numerous provisions.
It deals with the following
subjects in particular:
• Minimum wage and overtime;
• Computation of indemnities
for employees who receive tips;
• Duration of the regular workweek;
• Training period;
• Work done by children;
• Statutory holidays;
• Annual leaves;
• Leaves with or without pay;
• Maternity leave and paternity leave;
• Absences by reason of illness or accident;
• Provisions relating to the termination
of employment or dismissal.
The Commission des normes du travail encourages
employers and employees to clearly establish
the conditions of employment at the time of hiring.
If you plan to start a business and wish to obtain
information about the application of the Act
respecting Labour Standards, contact customer
services at the Commission des normes du travail.
Montréal Area
Long-distance calls (toll free)
Internet
( 514 ) 873-7061
1 800 265-1414
www.cnt.gouv.qc.ca
L a b o u r s t a n d a rd s , l i k e p e o p l e , m u s t b e re s p e c t e d !
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For information on how to contact the network,
call Communication-Québec:
Réseau des SADC du Québec
979, avenue de Bourgogne, bureau 530
Sainte-Foy (Québec) G1W 2L4
Phone: (418) 658-1530
Fax: (418) 658-9900
Website: www.reseau-sadc.qc.ca
Email: sadc@ciril.qc.ca
Sociétés locales d’investissement
dans le développement de l’emploi (SOLIDE)
SOLIDEs, or local employment development investment companies, manage
an investment fund designed to create or assist private businesses in order to
contribute to the development of long-lasting jobs. There are currently SOLIDEs
in a number of regional county municipalities and in eligible municipalities. The
main objectives of SOLIDEs are to develop expertise in business creation and
the management of development capital in the regions, to support job
development and local economic activities, and to promote the creation of
viable small businesses and help them develop.
SOLIDEs may invest from $5,000 to $50,000 in projects relating to the primary,
manufacturing, or propulsive service sectors, including tourism.
For more information contact your regional county municipality or SOLIDEQ:
SOLIDEQ
5050, boul. des Gradins, bureau 130
Québec (Québec) G2J 1P8
Phone: (418) 624-1634
Fax: (418) 624-0462
Website: www.solideq.qc.ca
Email: solideq@fondsftq.com
Québec Government
Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (CRIQ)
Banque d’information industrielle (Industrial Information Bank)
Each year this branch of CRIQ publishes the Répertoire des produits
disponibles au Québec (Directory of Products Available in Québec). This
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directory is available at the following Website: www.icriq.com
The CRIQ directory may also be consulted at Communication-Québec.
Do you know the iCRIQ?
iCRIQ is the biggest information portal for B2B e-commerce in Québec. The
site provides direct access to nearly 27,000 Quebec businesses with detailed
information on each and every one. In addition to company names and
addresses, it features information on the products and services offered, total
sales volume, key personnel, export operations, and more. Businesses listed
on the iCRIQ site may also sell their products and services directly online
through their e-catalogues.
The iCRIQ B2B e-commerce information portal is in a way an advanced
version of the Répertoire des produits disponibles au Québec. The database
is updated on a regular basis.
To register with iCRIQ, simply complete the online form.
Bureau de normalisation du Québec
Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ) is a division of CRIQ and is
accredited by the Standards Council of Canada. BNQ drafts standards for the
performance of many products manufactured in Québec and certifies the
conformity of these products with standards. For businesses, standardization
and certification of products constitute a means of promoting the quality of
their products and a major asset in their marketing strategies. BNQ also
offers quality system certification services for international ISO 9000
standards, services for environmental management certification under ISO
14001 standards and laboratory certification under ISO/CEI 17025 as part of
the PALCAN accreditation program.
For information:
Bureau de normalisation du Québec
333, rue Franquet
Sainte-Foy (Québec) G1P 4C7
8475, av. Christophe-Colomb
Montréal (Québec) H2M 2N9
Systems Registration:
Fax: (418) 652-2221
Standardization and Certification:
Fax: (418) 652-2292
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AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR THE RESOURCE REGIONS
The strength of the regions
An essential link
in our economy
$800
MILLION OVER THREE
YEARS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF
THE RESOURCE REGIONS*
❑ $350 million in tax and
budget measures:
• zero taxes for manufacturing
SMEs;
• refundable tax credit for
processing activities;
• budget measures targeting
diversification of regional
economies and development
of niches of excellence in
the regions.
❑ $264 million for growth in
the resource sector
❑ $170 million to facilitate
financing for SMEs and
business creation
* the seven resource regions of
Québec are: Gaspésie–Îles-de-laMadeleine, Bas-Saint-Laurent,
Côte-Nord, Nord-du-Québec,
Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, AbitibiTémiscamingue, and Mauricie.
To find out more
about these measures, most
of which apply directly to
Québec entrepreneurs, please
contact the regional office of
the Ministry of Regions nearest
you or visit our Website:
http://www.mreg.gouv.qc.ca
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Direction de l’information industrielle et technologique
This branch of the CRIQ provides ad hoc technological and industrial
information and strategic watch services. A full gamut of like services
marketed under the brand name VigiProTM, with VigiPro software support, is
offered by CRIQ, including the establishment of watch processes, contracting
out of watch services to CRIQ if so desired and specific watch mandates.
Service costs vary according to the complexity of the mandate.
For information:
Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec
Parc technologique du Québec métropolitain
333, rue Franquet
Sainte-Foy (Québec) G1P 4C7
Fax: (418) 652-2218
Website: www.criq.qc.ca
Commission de l’équité salariale
The Commission de l’équité salariale is responsible for administering the Pay
Equity Act. Its main objective is to supervise the implementation and
maintenance of pay equity in Québec.
For information:
Commission de l’équité salariale
Québec (Québec) G1R 6A1
Fax: (418) 528-6999
Website: www.ces.gouv.qc.ca
Email: equite.salariale@ces.gouv.qc.ca
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ)
CALQ, Québec’s council of arts and letters, is a government corporation
devoted to the development and promotion of the arts. It offers financial
support to professional artists and not-for-profit arts organizations. The
Council’s main mandate is to encourage innovation, experimentation, and
production in the visual arts, crafts, literature, drama, multidisciplinary arts,
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media arts, and architectural research in all regions of Québec and to
promote them throughout Québec, Canada, and abroad.
For information:
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec
79, boul. René-Lévesque Est, 3e étage
Québec (Québec) G1R 5N5
Fax: (418) 643-4558
Website: www.calq.gouv.qc.ca
500, Place d’Armes, 15e étage
Montréal (Québec) H2Y 2W2
Fax: (514) 864-4160
Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ)
The ITHQ, Québec’s institute of tourism and hotel services, is mandated to
provide professional training in the hotel, restaurant, and tourism fields and
to perform research, supply technical assistance, produce information, and
provide services in these areas. It is the only school in Canada that has three
levels of education: secondary, college, and university.
For information:
Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec
401, rue de Rigaud
Montréal (Québec) H2L 4P3
Fax: (514) 282-5126
Website: www.ithq.qc.ca
Investissement Québec
Investissement Québec is the gateway for investors seeking government
assistance. It has a broad range of tools at its disposal to attract foreign
investment and develop Québec businesses big and small in the aim of
creating jobs.
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Are you committed to developing your community? Do you have a business
project in mind? Simple ideas are often the spark for successful businesses
that create jobs and contribute to the well-being and economic development
of their local communities and region. The business solutions offered by
Investissement Québec can make all the difference in achieving your goals.
Information on products and services:
393, rue Saint-Jacques, bureau 500
Montréal (Québec) H2Y 1N9
Phone: 1-866-870-0437
Fax: (514) 873-5786
Website: www.investquebec.com
This agency also has offices in a number of regions. Ask CommunicationQuébec where they are located.
La Financière agricole du Québec
La Financière agricole du Québec was created in April 2001. It’s mission is to
support and promote sustainable development in the agricultural and
agrifood sectors in Québec. As the front-line organization in agricultural
financing, insurance, and farm income protection in Québec, La Financière
agricole administers a range of programs and provides agricultural and
forestry businesses with financial resources that enable them to develop and
evolve, and enhance their chances of success.
Programs administered by the agency include the Establishment,
Development, and Training Program. Under this program, establishment
grants are awarded to farmers aged 18 to 40 who hold a minimum 20%
share in a profitable farm business, and who have completed high school or
college-level training in agriculture or the equivalent. Paid out in the form of
a capital grant, the amount is $30,000 for college graduates with
agricultural or equivalent training, and $20,000 for those with a vocational
diploma in agriculture or the equivalent.
For additional information on the products and services offered by La
Financière agricole du Québec, contact the team of advisors at the regional
office nearest you. Consult the blue pages of your phone book or call
Communication-Québec. You can also consult the Website at
www.financiereagricole.qc.ca
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Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de
l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ)
MAPAQ, the agriculture, fisheries, and food department, advises business
people involved in fisheries, agriculture and food, and refers them to the
resources that can provide technical and financial assistance. MAPAQ’s
services are designed for production, processing, distribution, and marketing
enterprises. They are offered by MAPAQ’s regional divisions.
In addition, the department’s Direction du développement de la
transformation alimentaire et des marchés, or food processing and market
division, has a documentation center open to the public by appointment. It
contains, among other things, market studies, export statistics, analyses of
consumption trends, and specialized documents on the marketing of
biofoods. It subscribes to more than 250 periodicals and to databases on
compact disk.
For information about the center, call (514) 873-4410. But you will first be
asked to contact MAPAQ’s regional divisions.
Website: www.agr.gouv.qc.ca
Ministère de la Recherche, de la Science et de la
Technologie (MRST)
The Ministère de la Recherche, de la Science et de la Technologie (MRST) is
responsible for drawing up and implementing the Québec Policy on Science
and Innovation, Knowledge to Change the World, which was developed in
cooperation with department partners. The policy has three main focuses:
training and sharing of science and technology, research, and innovation.
To ensure effective implementation of the policy, MRST offers numerous
assistance programs designed to support research and development
activities, partnerships, research development efforts, and technology
transfer. One of these programs, Support for the Development of
Inventions (Section 3—Support for providing inventors with
guidance), aims at increasing the number of inventions that lead to business
start-ups or the issue of operating licenses.
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For information:
Ministère de la Recherche, de la Science et de la Technologie
Direction générale du développement de la recherche
et de l’innovation
1150, chemin Saint-Louis, RC
Sillery (Québec)
G1S 4Y9
Fax: (418) 646-6888
Website: www.mrst.gouv.qc.ca
Email: mrst@mrst.gouv.qc.ca
Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec (MEQ)
Since 1998-1999, the Québec Entrepreneurship Contest has been promoting
entrepreneurship in Québec. To do so, the contest, which is open to all
residents of Québec, aims to mobilize stakeholders from the education
sector and economic community.
The contest comprises two major project groups, Entrepreneurial Initiatives
and Business Creation. The former rewards school projects designed by
students who used their entrepreneurial abilities successfully. The latter
primarily involves real business projects presented by adults who are in the
process of starting up a business or who have been thus engaged for less
than a year.
Entry forms are available from local offices listed on the Website. They can
also be downloaded from the site. The deadline for entering the competition
and submitting a project is March 28, 2002.
For information:
Québec Entrepreneurship Contest
Édifice Marie-Guyart, 13e étage
1035, rue De La Chevrotière
Québec (Québec) G1R 5A5
Fax: (418) 644-6851
Website: www.inforoutefpt.org/concours
Email: cqe@riq.qc.ca
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Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale
(MESS)
Le Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale administers employment
assistance (formerly, income security) and promotes job readiness and
employment. It also provides income support services and employment
assistance to Quebecers through the local employment centers (CLEs).
Centre local d’emploi (CLE)
Financial assistance services and public employment services, including
placement services, are now housed under one roof, the centre local
d’emploi (CLE), or local employment center. This network consists of nearly
150 service outlets distributed on the basis of the territories of Québec’s
regional county municipalities (RCMs), urban neighborhoods, or districts.
Two complementary and independent units, called modules, are found in
each CLE:
• The Financial Assistance Module, which handles the employment
assistance program (formerly income security), the Parental Wage
Assistance Program (PWA), and the Maternity Allowance Program
(PRALMA). These used to be offered by Travail-Québec centers.
• The Emploi-Québec Module, which provides a variety of employment
assistance services for employment insurance participants, employment
assistance beneficiaries, and other people with or without jobs, including:
- Placement services (jobs throughout Québec)
- Advice on finding employment
- Information on the labor market
- Occupational orientation services
- Access to employability development activities, including practical
internships
- Technical support for eligible people who want to start their own
businesses (support for self-employment)
- Wage subsidies for the hiring of employees, to facilitate the
employment integration of people at risk of extended
unemployment
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Services are also offered to employers, including:
• Placement services
• Posting of employer’s job opportunities
• On-the-job activities involving the adaptation and training of human
resources at risk of job loss
• Training subsidy (Fonds national de formation de la main-d’œuvre)
• Advisory services regarding the Act to Promote Training and Manpower
Development
For further information, call:
Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale
Information and Complaints Office
You may also visit the MESS Website at www.mess.gouv.qc.ca
Ministère de l’Industrie et du Commerce (MIC)
The mission of the MIC, the industry and trade department, is to contribute
to Québec’s economic development by helping enhance business
competitiveness and develop markets, with the aim of supporting job
creation. To this end, it offers specialized assistance and information services
to businesses that are already operating and want to adopt new
technologies in order to improve their productivity or increase their market
share, particularly through the development of exports.
For information:
380, rue Saint-Antoine Ouest
710, place D’Youville, 3e étage
Fax: (418) 644-0118
Fax: (514) 873-9913
Website: www.mic.gouv.qc.ca
Email: info@mic.gouv.qc.ca
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Ministère des Relations avec les citoyens et de
l’Immigration (MRCI)
The Ministère des Relations avec les citoyens et de l’Immigration offers free
services at every integration center for newcomers seeking to start up a
business. The department can help you make contacts in the private and
public sectors of your field of interest and provide information on the most
promising markets and regions for setting up your business.
For information on services available to business immigrants:
Montréal: (514) 864-9191
Elsewhere in Québec:
Québec City and Eastern Québec: 1-888-643-1435
Outaouais, Abitibi-Témiscamingue,
and Northern Québec: 1-888-295-9095
Estrie, Mauricie, and Centre-du-Québec: 1-888-879-4288
Montérégie: 1-888-287-5819
Laval, Laurentides, and Lanaudière: 1-800-375-7426
Website: www.immq.gouv.qc.ca
Ministère des Ressources naturelles (MRN)
The Ministère des Ressources naturelles is responsible for the management
and development of Québec’s lands and natural resources. The mission of
the Ministère des Ressources naturelles is to foster knowledge of Québec’s
land and energy, forest and mineral resources and ensure their sustainable
enhancement and development for the benefit of the population.
This department offers technical or financial assistance through various
forest, energy, and mining programs. For more information, contact
Website: www.mrn.gouv.qc.ca
Société de développement des entreprises culturelles
(SODEC)
SODEC is a Québec company whose mandate is to promote and support the
development of cultural enterprises, including the media, in all regions of
Québec. It also helps to improve the quality of products and services and
their competitiveness on all markets in Québec or abroad.
As a one-stop information center for cultural enterprises, SODEC has various
support tools. As part of its financing assistance, it offers guarantees, loans,
renewable credit, or capital stock at terms that it determines. In addition to
access to financing, enterprises in the areas of cinema and television
production, recording, variety shows, books, specialized publishing, and
crafts also have access to SODEC’s financial support in the form of grants,
refundable assistance, or investment.
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For information:
Société de développement des entreprises culturelles
215, rue Saint-Jacques, bureau 800
Montréal (Québec) H2Y 1M6
Fax: (514) 841-8606
Website: www.sodec.gouv.qc.ca
36 1/2, rue Saint-Pierre
Québec (Québec) G1K 3Z6
Fax: (418) 643-8918
Tourisme Québec
Tourisme Québec offers technical assistance and, in particular, administers
the program entitled Support for tourism development. It manages, among
other programs, the Fonds de développement touristique pour la Gaspésie,
a fund for the development of tourism in the Gaspé region. For further
information on the latter, call (418) 643-5959.
For any other information, contact the tourism delegate in your region
Tourisme Québec
Regional Action and Investment Branch
900, boul. René-Lévesque Est, bureau 400
Québec (Québec) G1R 2B5
Fax: (418) 643-0549
Website: www.bonjourquebec.com
Email: projets@tourisme.gouv.qc.ca
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Canadian Government
Note:
For additional information on the programs and services offered by
federal departments and agencies, call Communication Canada toll
free at 1-800-622-6232 (calls from within Canada and the
United States) or contact departments or agencies directly.
Website: www.canada.gc.ca
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAC)
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada promotes the development, adaptation,
and competitiveness of the Canadian agri-food and agriculture sector
through policies, research, programs, and services implemented on a
national scale. Its activities are aimed at optimizing the sector’s contribution
to Canada’s economic and environmental objectives.
The AAC also sees that Canadian consumers have a reliable source of healthy
food at reasonable prices, while ensuring fair income for producers and
processors. The department is also responsible for the Canada Cooperatives
Secretariat.
For information:
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Public Information Service
930 Carling Avenue
Room 135
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C5
Ottawa area: (613) 759-1000
Website: www.agr.ca
Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
BDC has a panoply of flexible, customized financial products aimed at
promoting the growth of SMEs, including term loans, subordinate financing,
and venture capital. BDC is also at the forefront of e-commerce with the
creation of BDC ConnexTM, its virtual branch that provides access to all the
financial products offered by BDC.
Through its national network of private sector consultants, the BDC
consulting group provides cost-effective solutions in the field of
management support to SME executives, who can take advantage of the
expertise of seasoned consultants in order to implement winning strategies
in the areas of growth, quality, exports, and e-business.
The BDC also addresses the special needs of women, native, and young
entrepreneurs, an expanding target market for the bank.
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Canada Economic Development (CED) for Québec
Regions
This agency’s mandate consists in promoting the economic development of
the regions of Québec, focusing on long-term economic development, job
creation, and steady income and on supporting small and medium-sized
businesses and promoting entrepreneurship.
CED manages the Community Futures Development Program, which mainly
involves 56 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs), 16
Community Economic Development Corporations, and 9 Business
Development Centres.
To find out more about CED’s financial assistance programs, including the
Youth Strategy CED-CDAC: Youth Venture Capital, refer to the first table at
the end of the guide.
Website: www.dec-ced.gc.ca
Canadian Heritage
Canadian Heritage is responsible for, among other things, developing
policies and administering programs in the areas of art, heritage, culture,
radio, and television.
For information:
Canadian Heritage
Regional Office
Complexe Guy-Favreau
Tour Ouest, 6e étage
200, boul. René-Lévesque Ouest
Montréal (Québec) H2Z 1X4
Fax: (514) 496-4841
Website: www.pch.gc.ca
Communication Division
Terrasses de la Chaudière
Édifice Jules-Léger, 10e étage
25, rue Eddy
Hull (Québec) K1A 0M5
Hull Area: (819) 997-0055
Fax: (819) 953-5521
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Farm Credit Corporation (FCC)
The FCC is devoted exclusively to serving the financial needs of farmers. In
addition to extending conventional loans, it can now finance improvement,
expansion and diversification projects for agricultural enterprises. It can also
lend its financial support to business projects specializing in added-value
products outside the farm.
This government corporation has several offices in Québec.
For information:
Farm Credit Corporation
Website: www.fcc-sca.ca
This department is responsible for employment and employment insurance
programs and services. It encourages employers and partner organizations to
pool their efforts in order to promote job creation through activities aimed at
the development of the community and the local economy.
Contact the nearest Human Resource Centre of Canada. For the address and
telephone number, see the blue pages of the phone book in the Government
of Canada section, under Employment Insurance.
Teletype machine: see page 90.
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Industry Canada
Industry Canada publishes a guide to all the programs and services offered
by the Government of Canada to small and medium-sized businesses.
A Guide to Government of Canada Services and Support for Small Business
can be obtained at the following Website: www.strategis.ic.gc.ca
Strategis is a major site where Canadian business data are stored; it provides
businesses with direct access to Industry Canada’s comprehensive
information and specialized knowledge resources.
National Research Council of Canada (NRCC)
The Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) of the National Research
Council of Canada is designed to stimulate wealth creation for Canada
through technological innovation by Canadian small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs). To achieve this goal, the Council offers SMEs a vast
network of consultants and service providers from whom businesses can
obtain advice, scientific or technical information, and financial assistance for
their innovative business ventures.
For additional information, contact the industrial technology counselor at the
nearest office of the NRCC or at the NRCC’s regional office in Boucherville.
For information:
National Research Council of Canada
Industrial Research Assistance Program
75, boul. de Mortagne, suite P-101
Boucherville (Québec) J4B 6Y4
Fax: (450) 641-5301
Website: www.irap.nrc.ca/irap
Standards Council of Canada (SCC)
The Standards Council of Canada is the federal agency responsible for
encouraging efficient and effective standardization in Canada when
standardization is not governed by a legislative measure. The SCC has placed
fact sheets and articles on the Internet on ISO 9000 and ISO 14000
standards, as well as databases on laboratories, accredited certification
agencies, quality and environmental management systems and registries,
Canadian standards, and federal regulations in Canada and throughout the
world.
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There are also electronic discussion groups for the preparation of standards,
news and publications, and links to the main sites devoted to
standardization. The site also offers new warning services by email.
For information:
Standards Council of Canada
270 Albert St., Bureau 200
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6N7
Ottawa area (information): (613) 238-3222
Fax: (613) 569-7808
Website: www.ccn.ca
Email: info@scc.ca
Other Resources
Société d’Investissement Jeunesse (SIJ)
The SIJ, or youth investment company, is managed by a board of directors
formed of business leaders and executives numbered among the most
reputable in Québec. The purpose of this agency is to develop
entrepreneurship among young people by supporting them financially in
their commercial projects at the start-up stage, the acquisition stage, or the
stage of investment in the capital stock of a business. It can also support
young entrepreneurs in their efforts to market technological innovations.
For information:
Société d’Investissement Jeunesse
615, boul. René-Lévesque Ouest, bureau 720
Montréal (Québec) H3B 1P5
Fax: (514) 879-0415
Website: www.sij.qc.ca
Email: siegesocial-sij@sde-villemarie.qc.ca
Financial Assistance Programs and
Measures
The following chart presents a selection of financial assistance
programs and measures. The name of the program, the clientele and
a brief description are given. These programs and measures may be
limited by specific selection and eligibility criteria. This list is not
exhaustive and is subject to change in the coming year.
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Emploi-Québec (see Centres locaux d’emploi)
Programs and Measures
Clientele
Description
Fund to combat poverty
through reintegration
into the labor market
The Fund’s new guidelines
reaffirm the importance of
reaching people who are
economically disadvantaged.
The fund welcomes
projects for occupational
reintegration, job
preparation and job
creation.
The Fund’s main objective
is to integrate the following
groups into the workplace:
Employment assistance
beneficiaries
(social assistance)
• Immigrants and mainly
visible minorities
• Single parents
Salary Grants
(2 components:
Workplace Insertion
+ Work Experience)
• Persons at risk of prolonged
unemployment;
• Employment assistance
beneficiaries
(social assistance);
• Employment insurance
participants;
• Persons without
public income support.
Workplace Insertion
Component: Salary
grant to the employer
aimed at integrating into
the workforce people
who are at risk of
prolonged unemployment,
who are having difficulty
integrating the labor force,
and who would not find
work without this measure.
Work Experience
Component: Salary grant
to the employer. The goal
is to encourage the
acquisition of transferable
professional experience
that can serve as a
springboard for people at
risk of prolonged
unemployment with a view
to eventually integrating
them into sustainable jobs.
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Measures and Programs Clientele
Description
SMB Spark
Financial assistance is in the
form of a loan guarantee
of up to 80% of losses
assumed by the lender
institution. Loans may also
be granted in the event all
other forms of financing
prove impossible. The
maximum assistance
granted is $125,000.
SMB Spark helps new
businesses secure startup
funding.
You must either be starting
your own business or in
operation for less than 3
years.
SMB Guarantee
SME Guarantee helps
businesses that are starting
up or planning an
investment project.
Financial assistance is in
the form of a loan
guarantee of up to 80% of
losses assumed by the
lender institution. Loans
may also be granted in the
event all other forms of
financing prove impossible.
The maximum assistance
granted is $50,000.
Co-op Guarantee
Co-op Guarantee helps
businesses that are starting
up or planning an
investment project.
The assistance may take
the form of a guarantee on
a capital loan from a
lending institution OR a
capital or quasi-equity loan.
The program is specifically
designed for producer,
consumer, shareholder
workers, and solidarity
cooperatives.
NPO Guarantee
(Social Economy
NPO Guarantee provides
assistance to non-profit
commercial
businesses
constituted under Part 3 of
the Companies Act and that
meet certain criteria.
The assistance may take the
form of a guarantee on a
capital loan from a lending
institution OR a capital or
quasi-equity loan.
77
2002 EDITION
STARTING A BUSINESS
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FAIRE (Private Investment
The FAIRE program provides
and Job Creation Promotion assistance to businesses that
Fund)
are starting up or planning
an investment project.
Financial assistance may take
one or several of the
following forms:
• Cost sharing of up to
50% of the cost of
To benefit from FAIRE startfeasibility studies on
up assistance, the project
obtaining a worldwide
requires a minimum
production mandate
investment of $2 million and
(maximum of $100,000)
must create at least 50 jobs. • A repayment guarantee
equivalent to no more
than 70% of the net loss
in respect of a loan, credit
margin, letter of credit,
lease, financial lease, or
any other financial
commitment granted by a
financial institution (such
a financial commitment
may not exceed 75% of
the cost of the project)
• A repayable or nonrepayable contribution or
a contribution subject to
conditional repayment
Clientele
Régime d’investissement
coopératif (RIC)
Members and employees of
producers’, workers’ and
shareholder
workers’cooperatives.
78
Description
Each member and each
worker can deduct from
his taxable income 100%
to 150% of investments
made during a year.
Ministère des Régions
Clientele
Description
Local Investment Fund
Local entrepreneurs (by
facilitating access to startup
and expansion capital for
conventional or social
economybusinesses).
Financial assistance in the
form of loans, equity loans,
loan guarantees, bonds,
bond acquisitions or other
debt security, capital stocks,
share capital, or other. The
amount of financial
assistance is determined by
the CLD.
Social Economy Enterprise
Development Fund
Collective promoters
(not-for-profit organizations
and coops) of viable projects
within social economy
enterprises.
form of grants.
The amount of financial
assistance is determined
by the CLD.
Young Promoters Program
Entrepreneurs between
the ages of 18 and 35
seeking to set up
their first business.
The financial contribution
may be for one of the
following:
1. Business startup
(feasibility study);
2. Creation of a first
business;
3. Entrepreneur training.
form of a nonrefundable
amount. The amount of
financial assistance is
determined by the CLD
and varies depending on
the criteria.
Société d’investissement jeunesse
Clientele
Description
Financial support program
for young business people
People 18 to 35 years
of age.
The SIJ guarantees loans
extended by financial
institutions, repayable over
5 years at an attractive rate.
79
2002 EDITION
STARTING A BUSINESS
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Business Development Bank of Canada
Programs and Measures Clientele
Description
Growth capital for
native businesses
Aboriginal entrepreneurs.
Financing of up to
$25,000 (new
businesses) and
$100,000 (established
businesses).
Micro Business Program
Small innovative businesses
with high potential that are
either starting up or are
in the early stages of
development.
Management support and
term financing of up to
$25,000 (new businesses)
and $50,000
(established businesses).
Youth Entrepreneur
Financing Program
People 18 to 34 years of age. Term financing up to
$25,000, and 50 hours
of personalized
management support.
BDC Connextm
New or established
SMEs.
Available financial
products include the Global
Line of Credit™, which
offers financing of up to
$50,000, in particular to
businesses that need a
microloan.
Canada Economic Development (CED)
Programs and Measures Clientele
Description
IDEA-SME, Innovation,
R&D and Design
component
Generally repayable
financial assistance,
based on eligible
expenses, offered
according to the
nature of the project.
80
Small and medium-sized
enterprises, business
combinations, associations
and support organizations.
Industry Canada
Clientele
Description
Canada Small Business
Financing (CSBF)
Small for-profit businesses
and the professions.
Loans at variable or fixed
rates extended by
financial institutions
and guaranteed by the
government.
Community Futures Development Corporations
Clientele
Description
Investment Fund
Promoters of a new business Financial in the
or an expansion project.
form of a loan, loan
guarantees or the
purchase of capital stock;
maximum of $125,000.
Youth Strategy CED/CDAC
(Youth Venture Capital)
People 18 to 35 years
of age.
Financial assistance
in the form of a personal
loan with holiday on
interest for acquiring,
starting up, modernizing,
or expanding a business.
Loans from $5,000 to
$15,000.
81
2002 EDITION
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Employment Development Assistance
Measures
This table gives the most popular employment development assistance
measures. The name of the measure, the clientele, and a brief description are
provided. The list is not complete.
Emploi-Québec (see Centres locaux d’emploi)
Clientele
Young Volunteers
People 16 to 29 years of age. Young people may use
the program to carry out a
business project; they
receive an operating
budget, a participation
allowance and a child day
care allowance if necessary.
Support for
self-employment
• Employment assistance
beneficiaries
(social assistance);
• Employment insurance
beneficiaries;
• Persons with no public
income support;
• Workers with precarious
status.
82
Description
Financial support or
technical support is
offered for the
preparation and
implementation stages of
a business plan.
Markets
to Be Explored
Government Contracts
The Québec and Canadian governments are consumers of goods and
services through their departments and agencies.
Québec Government
Firms interested in obtaining government contracts can apply to the Service
du fichier of the Conseil du trésor, which administers a list of qualified
suppliers registered according to certain specialties and contract levels.
Among other things, this service enables information to be obtained on the
rules governing the awarding of contracts, registration in the File of
Suppliers, government requirements regarding ISO 9000 standards, and the
online system for public calls for tenders, listed by activity sector (suppliers of
goods and of auxiliary and professional services, contractors, etc.).
For information:
Secrétariat du Conseil du trésor
Service du fichier, édifice H
875, Grande-Allée Est, section 3-B-2
Québec (Québec) G1R 5R8
Fax: (418) 646-4613
Website: www.tresor.gouv.qc.ca/marche/march4.htm
Email: fichier.fournisseurs@sct.gouv.qc.ca
Canadian Government
Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) calls on the
businesses registered in the Contracts Canada Supplier Registration
Information (SRI) system. Le SRI is a database that can be accessed via the
Contracts Canada Website (http://contractscanada.gc.ca).Companies can
register themselves or call on PWGSC registration agents for assistance.
PWGSC generally consults the lists and database entries of registered
business for competitive bids of under $25,000, for most architecture and
engineering consulting contracts under $80,900, and for construction and
maintenance contracts under $60,000.
83
2002 EDITION
Markets to Be Explored
STARTING A BUSINESS
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The Contracts Canada SRI not only serves the needs of PWGSC, but also
allows all federal government purchasers to find suppliers for low value
markets. All federal departments and agencies have access to the SRI system.
Suppliers that register with SRI are given a Procurement Business Number
(PBN) that identifies them within the system. The PBN will eventually become
the identifier used in all government purchase and payment systems.
PWGSC posts calls for bids that exceed the amounts mentioned above using
the MERX electronic system. Companies can consult the invitations to bid
free of charge and order documents for a certain fee.
For information:
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Central Administration
Contracts Canada
Website: www.contractscanada.gc.ca
InfoLine: (819) 956-3440 or 1-800-811-1148
Québec City Office
Contracts Canada – Eastern Québec
Gare maritime Champlain
901, rue Cap Diamant, local 240
Québec (Québec) G1K 4K1
(418) 649-2872
Fax: (418) 648-2209
Montréal Office
Contracts Canada – Western Québec
Complexe Guy-Favreau
6e étage, Tour Est
200, boul. René-Lévesque Ouest
Montréal (Québec) H2Z 1X4
(514) 496-3390
Fax: (514) 496-3822
MERX Inc.
Fax: 1-888-235-5800
Website: www.merx.cebra.com
84
Export Markets
Unless your sector of activity obliges you to export from the start in order to
make your business profitable, generally you should wait until the business
is well established before thinking of going into international trade.
With market globalization, foreign markets are becoming increasingly
accessible. It may be wise to plan on exporting in the relatively long term.
Many elements must be considered, including knowledge of the market,
culture and customs of the inhabitants of the countries to which you want
to export, and the rules applying to relations between buyers and sellers.
To help you meet export challenges, consult the regional divisions and offices
of the Ministère de l’Industrie et du Commerce du Québec (MIC), which can
offer you, among other things, advice regarding the IMPACT PME program.
Under this assistance program, qualified staff can be hired to carry out
projects related to innovation and international trade. This assistance
program supports foreign market prospecting activities and special
international trade projects.
For information from the Government of Québec
For general information, call the MIC-Exports line:
Montréal: (514) 496-7177
Elsewhere in Québec: 1-877-496-7177 (toll free)
You may also ask for assistance from an MIC consultant or visit the
Department’s Website at www.mic.gouv.qc.ca
Technical and financial assistance is also offered by Foreign Affairs and
International Trade Canada.
For information from the Government of Canada :
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
InfoCentre
Lester B. Pearson Building
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
Ottawa area: (613) 944-4000
Fax: (613) 996-9709
Website: www.maeci.gc.ca
85
2002 EDITION
You can also consult Info entrepreneur and Ressources Entreprises, which are
mentioned in the Sources of Information chapter: (see pages 11 to 14)
Counselors in the regional divisions of the Ministère de l’Industrie et du
Commerce (MIC) and those in the business offices of Canada Economic
Development (CED) offer general export information. Canada Economic
Development can also help you prepare a marketing plan, identify potential
markets, and participate in various assistance programs. It can also help you
consult and register your business with the Business Opportunities Sourcing
System (BOSS). A business registered with BOSS is automatically registered
with WIN Exports, the world export data network.
Lastly, you can seek assistance from export commissioners, who are
mandated to promote exports and assist business owners interested in
exporting. For contact information for the export commissioner in your
region, call Communication-Québec.
87
2002 EDITION
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Documentation
The publications listed in below are available free at CommunicationQuébec offices.
Ministère du Revenu du Québec
•
•
•
•
•
•
Should I Register with the Ministère du Revenu?
Guide to Registration – Instruction and Application
Are You Self-Employed? Aide-memoire on taxation
New Businesses and Taxation
Business and Professional Income
Installment Payments of Income Tax
Inspecteur général des institutions financières
• The NEQ – Québec Entreprise Number – A single number for all
enterprises operating in Québec
• Vous cliquez «affaires»? – Le registre des entreprises individuelles, des
sociétés et des personnes morales (available in French only)
Following are a number of reference works, most of which are on
sale in bookstores or from Publications du Québec or from Fondation
de l’Entrepreneurship.
• CONSEIL NATIONAL SUR LE FRANCHISAGE ET LE PARTENARIAT (CNFP),
in cooperation with the MINISTÈRE DE L’INDUSTRIE ET DU COMMERCE,
Le guide des franchises et du partenariat au Québec, 6th ed., Éditions
Logiques, 2001, 262 p.
• DUPONT, Élaine and GAULIN, Huguette, Se lancer en affaires, Les étapes
pour bien structurer un projet d’entreprise, 4th edition, Les Publications
du Québec, 1997, 432 p.
• FORTIN, Paul-A., Devenez entrepreneur, Éditions Transcontinentales inc.
and Presses de l’Université Laval, 1992, 360 p.
• INSPECTOR GENERAL OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, The Principal
Juridical Forms of Enterprises in Québec, 3rd edition, Les Publications du
Québec, 2000, 94 p.
• MINISTÈRE DE L’INDUSTRIE ET DU COMMERCE, Prêt pour un prêt (video
and guide), Les Publications du Québec, 1999.
• MINISTÈRE DE L’INDUSTRIE ET DU COMMERCE, Collection de 21 guides
de gestion, (for young entrepreneurs), Les Éditions Transcontinental and
Fondation de l’entrepreneurship, 48 pages each.
88
• CANADA CUSTOMS AND REVENUE AGENCY, Employee or SelfEmployed?, (brochure RC4110).
• LAFERTÉ, Sylvie and SAINT-PIERRE, Gilles, Profession : travailleur
autonome, coll. Entreprendre, Les Éditions Transcontinental and
Fondation de l’entrepreneurship, Montréal and Charlesbourg, 1997, 272 p.
• NADEAU, Jean Benoît, Le guide du travailleur autonome: tout savoir
pour faire carrière chez soi, Éd. Québec/Amérique, 1997, 264 p.
• VAN COILLIE-TREMBLAY, Brigitte and DUBUC, Yvan, En affaires à la
maison: le patron c’est vous!, coll. Entreprendre, Les Éditions
Transcontinental and Fondation de l’entrepreneurship, Montréal and
Charlesbourg, 1994, 342 p.
How to Prepare a Business Plan
• BELLEY, André, DUSSAULT, Louis and LAFERTÉ, Sylvie, Comment rédiger
son plan d’affaires à l’aide d’un exemple de projet d’entreprise, coll.
Entreprendre, Les Éditions Transcontinental and Fondation de
l’entrepreneurship, Montréal and Charlesbourg, 1996, 269 p.
• DUPONT, Élaine and GAULIN, Huguette, Se lancer en affaires, Les étapes
pour bien structurer un projet d’entreprise, 4th edition, Les Publications
du Québec, 1997, 432 p.
• SOCIÉTÉ D’INVESTISSEMENT JEUNESSE (SIJ), Plan d’affaires pour le
démarrage d’une entreprise and Plan d’affaires pour l’acquisition d’une
entreprise (free).
• CONSEIL DE LA COOPÉRATION DU QUÉBEC, Démarrer et gérer une
entreprise coopérative, Les Éditions Transcontinental and Fondation de
l’entrepreneurship, Montréal and Charlesbourg, 1999, 194p.
Exporting
• INSTITUT DE LA STATISTIQUE DU QUÉBEC, Commerce international du
Québec – Édition 1999, Publications du Québec, 2000, 114 p.
• MINISTÈRE DE L’INDUSTRIE ET DU COMMERCE, The Export Connection,
Publications du Québec, 1999, 80 p.
• MINISTÈRE DES AFFAIRES INTERNATIONALES, La filière du contrat
international, Publications du Québec, 1995, 76 p.
• MINISTÈRE DE L’INDUSTRIE ET DU COMMERCE, Guide to International
Transport, Publications du Québec, 1999, 88 p.
89
2002 EDITION
Documentation
STARTING A BUSINESS
Just think
about us!
Services for the Deaf or
Hard-of-hearing Who Have
a Teletype Machine
The following numbers are for the exclusive use of the
deaf or hard-hearing who have a teletype machine.
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
(formerly Revenue Canada)
Commission des normes du travail
Throughout Québec: (514) 864-3920
Elsewhere in Québec—employment insurance: 1-800-529-3742
Ministère du Revenu du Québec
Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux
Régie des rentes du Québec
Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec
90
Québec Government
Portal
To access Québec governement information available over the Internet,
simply visit the Québec government portal:
www.gouv.qc.ca
Offices
Use the following number if you are making a long-distance call:
1-800-363-1363 (toll-free)
Baie-Comeau
625, boul. Laflèche, bureau 701
Baie-Comeau (Québec) G5C 1C5
(418) 295-4000
Drummondville
270, rue Lindsay, RC 16
Drummondville (Québec) J2B 1G3
(819) 475-8777
Gaspé
96, montée Sandy-Beach, 1er étage, bureau 1.02
Gaspé (Québec) G4X 2W4
(418) 360-8000
Granby
77, rue Principale, RC 22
Granby (Québec) J2G 9B3
(450) 776-7100
Hull
170, rue de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, RC 120
Hull (Québec) J8X 4C2
(819) 772-3232
91
2002 EDITION
Communication-Québec Offices
STARTING A BUSINESS
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Îles-de-la-Madeleine
224-A, route Principale
Case postale 340
Cap-aux-Meules (Québec) G0B 1B0
(418) 986-3222
Joliette
Édifice Louis-Cyr
450, rue Saint-Louis, RC 20
Joliette (Québec) J6E 2Y8
(450) 752-6800
Jonquière
3950, boul. Harvey
Jonquière (Québec) G7X 8L6
(418) 695-7850
Laval
1796, boul. des Laurentides, Vimont
Laval (Québec) H7M 2P6
(514) 873-2111
Longueuil
118, rue Guilbault, RC 101
Longueuil (Québec) J4H 2T2
(514) 873-2111
Montréal
Place Dupuis
800, boul. de Maisonneuve Est, RC 2
Montréal (Québec) H2L 4L8
(514) 873-2111
Québec
400, boul. Jean-Lesage, bureau 105
Québec (Québec) G1K 8W1
(418) 643-1344
Rimouski
337, rue Moreault
Rimouski (Québec) G5L 1P4
(418) 727-3939
92
2002 EDITION
Communication-Québec Offices
Rouyn-Noranda
255, avenue Principale, RC 01
Rouyn-Noranda (Québec) J9X 7G9
(819) 763-3241
Saint-Antoine
Galeries des Laurentides
500, boul. des Laurentides, bureau 1503-C
Saint-Antoine (Québec) J7Z 4M2
(450) 569-3019
Saint-Félicien
1209, boul. Sacré-Cœur
Case postale 7
Saint-Félicien (Québec) G8K 2P8
(418) 679-0433
Saint-Georges
11287, 1re Avenue Est, bureau 100
Saint-Georges (Québec) G5Y 2C2
(418) 226-3000
Saint-Hyacinthe
600, avenue Sainte-Anne
Saint-Hyacinthe (Québec) J2S 5G5
(450) 778-6500
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
109, rue Saint-Charles
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (Québec) J3B 2C2
(450) 346-6879
Salaberry-de-Valleyfield
83, rue Champlain
Salaberry-de-Valleyfield (Québec) J6T 1W4
(450) 370-3000
Sept-Îles
456, avenue Arnaud, RC 01
Sept-Îles (Québec) G4R 3B1
(418) 964-8000
Sherbrooke
200, rue Belvédère Nord, RC 02
Sherbrooke (Québec) J1H 4A9
(819) 820-3000
93
STARTING A BUSINESS
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Thetford Mines
183, rue Pie-XI
Thetford Mines (Québec) G6G 3N3
(418) 338-0181
Trois-Rivières
100, rue Laviolette, RC 26
Trois-Rivières (Québec) G9A 5S9
(819) 371-6121
Val-d’Or
1212, 8e Rue
Val-d’Or (Québec) J9P 3N7
(819) 354-4444
Teletype Machine
The deaf or hard-of-hearing can reach Communication-Québec using a
teletype machine. The following numbers are reserved only for this use:
Montréal region: (514) 873-4626
94
Starting
a business?
Need information about
taxes and source
deductions?
Get the answers you
need at our Business
Windows!
For further information,
contact the office of the
Ministère du Revenu
in your area.
w w w. re v e n u . g o u v. q c. c a
Note
96
I demand top quality.
Ms. Nicole Vincent, Owner, Imprimerie Vincent ltée
Desjardins, a partner of Imprimerie Vincent ltée,
offers the optimal business solutions suited to
your market.
• Corporate Financial Centres located all across Québec
• A unique network of Account Managers
• A flexible structure conducive to rapid decision-making
• Financial products that match your ambitions
• An extensive network of international correspondents
• A virtual network constantly being updated
Desjardins business: Picture-Perfect.
www.desjardins.com
You are all business. And you need financing to carry off
your next successful venture. Talk to us first. Together we
can make things happen.
Your first place to call: 1-866-870-0437
www.investquebec.com

Communication-Québec

Transcription

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